Program Manager labor category
Program Manager is a government contracting labor category with levels I through IV. GSA ceiling rates run about $118–$257/hr depending on level. That's what the government pays the contractor, not your salary.
Updated Oct 21, 2026 · Data: GSA CALC+
What a Program Manager does
You are responsible for ensuring that all contract deliverables meet regulatory and performance requirements. In the civilian sector, this position maps closely to military command and staff roles where you previously synchronized cross-functional teams to achieve organizational objectives. Progression within this career field is typically tied to your years of experience, educational attainment, and the scale of the program. Level I roles generally involve oversight of smaller, discrete project segments. As you advance to Levels II and III, you take on larger teams, higher-value budgets, and increased visibility with government stakeholders. Level IV managers often lead enterprise-level portfolios with significant financial oversight. Your military leadership background provides a foundation that is highly valued, as agencies prioritize managers who can navigate complex organizational hierarchies and maintain operational continuity.
Typical Program Manager duties
- Oversee daily operations of government contracts to ensure all performance goals are achieved within budget constraints.
- Act as the central liaison between government agency stakeholders and the company’s internal technical teams.
- Manage project staffing requirements, including the recruitment, onboarding, and training of personnel to ensure contract fulfillment.
- Develop and monitor detailed project schedules to ensure all contract milestones are delivered on time.
- Analyze project financial health, including labor hours and material costs, to identify trends and mitigate potential budget overruns.
Program Manager levels, requirements, and GSA CALC+ rates
Levels map to years of relevant experience. A degree can substitute for years (about 2 years per step).
| Level | Experience | Most common education | GSA ceiling rate, 25th–75th ($/hr) | GSA ceiling rate, median ($/hr) | Rough salary estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level I | 0–3 yrs | Bachelors | $118/hr – $179/hr | $147/hr | $128k–$170k |
| Level II | 4–7 yrs | Bachelors | $138/hr – $200/hr | $167/hr | $145k–$193k |
| Level III | 8–12 yrs | Bachelors | $158/hr – $226/hr | $189/hr | $163k–$218k |
| Level IV | 13+ yrs | Bachelors | $182/hr – $257/hr | $215/hr | $186k–$249k |
- Most common education
- Bachelors
- GSA ceiling, 25th–75th
- $118/hr – $179/hr
- GSA ceiling, median
- $147/hr
- Rough salary estimate
- $128k–$170k
- Most common education
- Bachelors
- GSA ceiling, 25th–75th
- $138/hr – $200/hr
- GSA ceiling, median
- $167/hr
- Rough salary estimate
- $145k–$193k
- Most common education
- Bachelors
- GSA ceiling, 25th–75th
- $158/hr – $226/hr
- GSA ceiling, median
- $189/hr
- Rough salary estimate
- $163k–$218k
- Most common education
- Bachelors
- GSA ceiling, 25th–75th
- $182/hr – $257/hr
- GSA ceiling, median
- $215/hr
- Rough salary estimate
- $186k–$249k
GSA ceiling rate: what the government pays the contractor, not your salary. It includes overhead, benefits, and profit. Source: GSA CALC+, current contract year, synced Oct 25, 2026, 10,000+ rates.
Common certifications: OSHA 30-Hour General Industry, Certified Maintenance and Reliability Professional (CMRP), Six Sigma Green Belt, Project Management Professional (PMP), CompTIA A+, Certified Professional Technical Communicator, Google Digital Marketing and E-commerce Professional Certificate, Adobe Certified Professional
Clearance for this labor category
About 8% of Program Manager GSA rates require a clearance. Put your clearance on the very first line of your resume, under your name and contact info. Level and status only. Never list program names, SCI caveats, or classified details. Use the free Clearance Formatter.
Military codes that map to Program Manager
Sample Program Manager resume bullets
Public-safe, quantified examples. Replace the numbers with your own.
- Managed a $4.5M annual service contract supporting 150+ personnel, achieving a 98% on-time delivery rate for all contractual milestones.
- Led a cross-functional team of 25 staff members to implement a new infrastructure support program, reducing operational downtime by 15% over 12 months.
- Directed the transition of a major service account, successfully migrating operations for 500+ users while maintaining 100% compliance with federal safety regulations.
What level Program Manager are you?
Enter your years, education, certifications, and clearance. Get your likely level, the GSA rate range for that level, and what would move you up.
With 0 years of relevant experience and a no degree, your effective experience is about 0 years. Under the common GSA CALC+ rule that a degree step substitutes for roughly 2 years, that maps to Level I. Verify against the specific contract.
Move up · To reach Level II, add about 4 more years of relevant experience, or earn a certification the contract requires (e.g. Security+, PMP) that the contract requires.
GSA ceiling rate: what the government pays the contractor, not your salary. It includes overhead, benefits, and profit. Source: GSA CALC+, current contract year, synced Oct 25, 2026, 912 rates.
No account needed. Opens the free translator prefilled with Program Manager. Share link encodes only your selections, no names.
Program Manager labor category: quick answers
How does my military experience translate to a Program Manager role?
Your experience managing personnel, budgets, and operational logistics in the military directly mirrors the core responsibilities of a government contract manager. Recruiters look for your ability to organize complex tasks and lead diverse teams toward a unified mission.
What is the primary difference between the four levels of Program Managers?
The levels distinguish the complexity of the work, the size of the team, and the financial scope of the budget. Level I focuses on specific task orders, while Level IV managers handle broad portfolios with significant strategic influence.
Is a security clearance always required for these positions?
Not all Program Manager roles require a clearance, though many positions supporting the Department of Defense or Intelligence Community do. Only about 9 percent of advertised roles mandate a specific clearance, so there are many opportunities in civilian and non-sensitive federal agencies.
What is the typical education path for this career?
A Bachelor degree is the standard requirement across most government contracts. Advanced degrees or professional certifications like the Project Management Professional designation can accelerate your advancement to higher-level positions.
How is pay generally determined for this role?
Pay is typically determined by the complexity of the contract, your years of relevant experience, and the geographical location of the work. Most government contracts use standardized labor categories that define minimum qualifications and corresponding hourly or salary ranges.
Reviewed by the Good to Go team · Last updated 2026-10-21 · Sources: GSA CALC+, O*NET
More about this roleShow
You are responsible for ensuring that all contract deliverables meet regulatory and performance requirements. In the civilian sector, this position maps closely to military command and staff roles where you previously synchronized cross-functional teams to achieve organizational objectives. Progression within this career field is typically tied to your years of experience, educational attainment, and the scale of the program. Level I roles generally involve oversight of smaller, discrete project segments. As you advance to Levels II and III, you take on larger teams, higher-value budgets, and increased visibility with government stakeholders. Level IV managers often lead enterprise-level portfolios with significant financial oversight. Your military leadership background provides a foundation that is highly valued, as agencies prioritize managers who can navigate complex organizational hierarchies and maintain operational continuity.
Each contract defines its own labor categories and levels, so confirm the fit against the posting. Pay figures here are estimates from GSA CALC+ ceiling rates, not a guarantee.
Find your Program Manager level
Enter your years, education, certifications, and clearance. Get your likely level and the GSA rate range for it.
Open the Level Calculator