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Project Management Salary Guide 

three female project managers reviewing copy
three female project managers reviewing copy

Median Annual Salary for Project Managers

Project management is a wide field that includes roles in multiple industries. Salaries can vary depending on your industry, education, certification, experience, and more, but project managers are generally well-compensated with median salaries ranging from $49,750 to $159,140, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Many project managers see median salaries of more than $100,000, and salaries are continuing to rise. In fact, of project managers included in the Project Management Institute's (PMI) 2021 salary survey, 50% reported that their salaries increased in the 12 months prior to completing the survey.

Project Management Specialists

National data

Median Salary: $94,500

Projected job growth: 7.2%

10th Percentile: $49,750

25th Percentile: $64,250

75th Percentile: $125,430

90th Percentile: $159,140

Projected job growth: 7.2%

State data

State Median Salary Bottom 10% Top 10%
Alabama $101,760 $61,090 $168,890
Alaska $83,040 $49,140 $135,770
Arizona $79,860 $47,570 $129,850
Arkansas $62,180 $37,810 $118,890
California $99,800 $60,780 $167,270
Colorado $97,040 $53,160 $154,890
Connecticut $97,230 $60,850 $154,890
Delaware $101,760 $70,170 $162,770
District of Columbia $100,630 $62,390 $162,930
Florida $80,640 $48,450 $136,070
Georgia $93,100 $48,380 $159,640
Hawaii $65,490 $47,580 $123,360
Idaho $76,980 $47,360 $130,680
Illinois $100,120 $60,850 $161,830
Indiana $77,490 $45,720 $129,850
Iowa $79,800 $49,710 $127,240
Kansas $77,750 $48,050 $125,800
Kentucky $79,400 $47,570 $122,550
Louisiana $76,820 $47,370 $129,850
Maine $77,750 $48,180 $127,110
Maryland $94,050 $50,500 $156,770
Massachusetts $100,050 $61,500 $165,280
Michigan $81,470 $49,700 $130,850
Minnesota $84,470 $59,620 $133,530
Mississippi $75,510 $47,200 $127,760
Missouri $79,890 $47,590 $130,380
Montana $77,300 $47,370 $104,030
Nebraska $79,890 $48,450 $126,790
Nevada $77,890 $47,220 $129,740
New Hampshire $81,990 $51,020 $133,170
New Jersey $101,770 $63,020 $166,750
New Mexico $97,910 $49,530 N/A
New York $101,760 $60,900 $167,330
North Carolina $97,230 $50,270 $155,090
North Dakota $77,750 $49,710 $129,740
Ohio $79,460 $47,300 $129,850
Oklahoma $77,570 $44,150 $133,210
Oregon $81,680 $51,050 $130,850
Pennsylvania $81,190 $48,550 $131,510
Rhode Island $99,340 $60,900 $164,620
South Carolina $78,840 $47,680 $133,210
South Dakota $64,840 $48,050 $101,760
Tennessee $76,060 $47,340 $128,980
Texas $84,730 $49,880 $159,160
Utah $79,800 $47,650 $130,850
Vermont $77,760 $47,650 $122,500
Virginia $102,210 $60,450 $168,200
Washington $122,780 $63,020 $171,120
West Virginia $63,500 $37,550 $128,720
Wisconsin $81,940 $49,930 $133,530
Wyoming $79,880 $48,530 $162,410

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2021 median salary; projected job growth through 2031. Actual salaries vary depending on location, level of education, years of experience, work environment, and other factors. Salaries may differ even more for those who are self-employed or work part time.

What Factors Affect Your Salary?

Your job field isn't the only thing that can impact your salary as a project manager. As with most jobs, experience, education, location, and your employer will make a big difference. It's no secret that years of experience or an advanced degree can help you boost your salary no matter what career path you follow. In project management, the certification you've earned and the size of the project or product you're tackling can make a difference in your paycheck.

Geography


Some states pay project managers more than others. While these jobs and their salaries vary by job title and industry, higher salaries are typically found in states on the west coast or in the northeast.

Keep in mind that these states generally have higher costs of living than some states with lower average salaries. So while your salary might be higher, expenses such as your mortgage or utilities will likely be higher as well.

Additionally, high-paying areas can sometimes be found in states with lower overall salaries for project managers. For instance, the highest paying metropolitan area for industrial project managers is New Orleans, Louisiana, according to the BLS. The mean (average) salary for industrial project managers in the city–$171,890–is significantly higher than the average in any state. Salaries for project management specialists by metro area, according to the BLS, are below.

Metro Area Median Annual Salary
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $127,500
Birmingham-Hoover, AL $127,430
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $126,660
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA $121,370
Peoria, IL $110,260
Wenatchee, WA $103,380
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA $102,880
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $102,880
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA $102,440
Huntsville, AL $101,760

Degree Level


You can work as a project manager at various degree levels. There are bachelor and graduate-level degrees available for aspiring project managers, and associate programs can help you get your foot in the door. However, an advanced degree can often help you increase your salary. You might be able to apply for higher-level roles, stand out among applicants, and earn a larger paycheck. According to the PMI 2020 salary survey, project managers with bachelor's degrees earned about 5% more on average than project managers with associate degrees. Project managers with master's degrees earned almost 9% more on average than project managers with bachelor's degrees.  

Experience


Experience can help you increase your salary as project manager. The PMI survey reports that project managers with more than 20 years of experience earn almost 59% more on average than project managers with less than three years of experience. That's a staggering difference and a great demonstration of how your project management career can grow.

In a field as wide as project management, having job-specific experience can also be a huge help in gaining a higher salary.

"Like many jobs, the experience of the candidate will have some impact on the salary of the project manager," says Jon M. Quigley, a project manager, product developer, and author with more than 30 years of experience in the field of project management. "If, for example, a company is looking for a construction project manager, having (construction management) experience will likely positively impact salary negotiation."

The experience of the candidate will have some impact on the salary of the project manager.

Certification


There are no mandated certifications for project managers, but earning one can advance your career and increase your salary. There are a few prominent certification options for project managers, and the right one for you will depend on your career goals and industry focus. No matter what certification you choose, it's likely to have a positive impact on your paycheck.

"(Certification) demonstrates a level of expertise," says Quigley. He holds a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, "and I believe that it has been beneficial for my career and income."

Data from the PMI salary survey backs up this observation. According to the survey, respondents with a certification earned an average of 26% more than those without one.

Project Size

The size of the project itself is another key piece that may help shape your salary. Projects worth large amounts of money often offer higher salaries to project managers.

"The size of the project is important," Quigley explains. For example, a company may be looking specifically for someone who has managed projects in the multi-million-dollar range, versus smaller, less expensive projects. "The dollar amount of the project represents a risk: the higher the project investment, the greater the risk, and the greater the potential monetary loss."

How much does project size matter? The PMI salary survey reports that project managers employed at companies with budgets of less than $100,000 for projects earned an average of 42% less annually than project managers at companies with project budgets of more than $10 million. That's a substantial difference; one that grows exponentially as your project management career advances.


stephanie behring

Written and reported by:

Stephanie Behring

Contributing Writer

jon quigley

With professional insight from:

Jon M. Quigley, MS PMP CTFL

Project Manager and Product Developer

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