Project management specialists salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $61,580 | $29.61 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $102,320 | $49.19 |
| Mean (average) | $110,740 | $53.24 |
| 90th percentile | $167,970 | $80.76 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Project management specialists pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 54 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $100,820 | $63,550 | $164,910 | 3,190 | 0.22 |
| Alaska | $99,580 | $53,360 | $160,710 | 1,950 | 0.87 |
| Arizona | $99,050 | $62,050 | $161,870 | 22,920 | 1.03 |
| Arkansas | $77,170 | $47,620 | $133,420 | 5,510 | 0.62 |
| California | $120,910 | $69,180 | $188,560 | 114,380 | 0.92 |
| Colorado | $110,050 | $68,990 | $171,630 | 32,390 | 1.64 |
| Connecticut | $105,240 | $66,470 | $167,010 | 8,410 | 0.72 |
| Delaware | $122,190 | $74,770 | $166,660 | 1,770 | 0.53 |
| District of Columbia | $104,900 | $64,080 | $194,170 | 5,170 | 1.07 |
| Florida | $98,070 | $59,070 | $161,250 | 76,370 | 1.12 |
| Georgia | $102,140 | $58,290 | $163,320 | 28,900 | 0.86 |
| Guam | $67,370 | $45,810 | $136,770 | 400 | 0.87 |
| Hawaii | $78,000 | $53,930 | $150,440 | 1,560 | 0.36 |
| Idaho | $95,630 | $61,090 | $165,140 | 5,750 | 0.98 |
| Illinois | $103,470 | $65,300 | $163,910 | 27,180 | 0.65 |
| Indiana | $95,020 | $59,120 | $149,350 | 11,970 | 0.54 |
| Iowa | $96,540 | $62,000 | $150,290 | 6,720 | 0.63 |
| Kansas | $100,010 | $59,540 | $165,000 | 6,030 | 0.61 |
| Kentucky | $81,700 | $52,090 | $131,670 | 10,250 | 0.75 |
| Louisiana | $84,850 | $56,400 | $143,780 | 8,050 | 0.61 |
| Maine | $101,830 | $63,560 | $147,640 | 2,620 | 0.6 |
| Maryland | $104,040 | $62,890 | $167,040 | 30,530 | 1.61 |
| Massachusetts | $114,190 | $72,800 | $174,840 | 21,960 | 0.88 |
| Michigan | $100,970 | $61,980 | $154,260 | 25,330 | 0.84 |
| Minnesota | $97,860 | $65,040 | $141,490 | 18,850 | 0.93 |
| Mississippi | $78,870 | $50,840 | $140,140 | 4,320 | 0.54 |
| Missouri | $94,660 | $56,660 | $157,650 | 21,460 | 1.07 |
| Montana | $87,890 | $58,680 | $143,170 | 2,940 | 0.84 |
| Nebraska | $80,150 | $51,630 | $129,560 | 3,190 | 0.45 |
| Nevada | $99,940 | $61,610 | $162,830 | 8,290 | 0.78 |
| New Hampshire | $90,890 | $60,950 | $144,920 | 3,840 | 0.82 |
| New Jersey | $122,980 | $74,410 | $190,600 | 28,300 | 0.96 |
| New Mexico | $106,970 | $63,430 | $173,000 | 4,330 | 0.72 |
| New York | $121,040 | $74,580 | $192,160 | 68,020 | 1.02 |
| North Carolina | $100,820 | $61,570 | $164,050 | 36,200 | 1.07 |
| North Dakota | $96,160 | $62,300 | $139,320 | 2,020 | 0.69 |
| Ohio | $95,770 | $59,280 | $160,570 | 34,260 | 0.9 |
| Oklahoma | $86,240 | $53,990 | $142,950 | 11,220 | 0.96 |
| Oregon | $105,480 | $65,310 | $168,480 | 19,380 | 1.44 |
| Pennsylvania | $100,150 | $61,600 | $160,560 | 36,150 | 0.87 |
| Puerto Rico | $65,800 | $29,760 | $135,780 | 2,330 | 0.36 |
| Rhode Island | $104,680 | $63,750 | $170,050 | 3,880 | 1.13 |
| South Carolina | $95,040 | $56,710 | $159,310 | 17,040 | 1.08 |
| South Dakota | $82,250 | $58,000 | $130,400 | 1,310 | 0.42 |
| Tennessee | $85,890 | $56,450 | $135,350 | 20,780 | 0.92 |
| Texas | $98,440 | $57,460 | $162,780 | 138,960 | 1.44 |
| Utah | $96,720 | $56,840 | $159,240 | 16,450 | 1.38 |
| Vermont | $80,800 | $61,950 | $128,110 | 1,190 | 0.57 |
| Virgin Islands | $75,240 | $54,990 | $128,300 | 90 | 0.39 |
| Virginia | $120,840 | $68,020 | $179,970 | 43,860 | 1.56 |
| Washington | $124,160 | $74,750 | $202,120 | 36,240 | 1.49 |
| West Virginia | $91,780 | $54,070 | $149,460 | 2,520 | 0.52 |
| Wisconsin | $97,580 | $60,840 | $139,140 | 21,610 | 1.07 |
| Wyoming | $94,080 | $54,750 | $151,500 | 1,180 | 0.61 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for project management specialists
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 76,500. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 1.2%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for project management specialists
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Information Technology Project Management CIP 11.1005
- Business/Commerce, General CIP 52.0101
- Business Administration and Management, General CIP 52.0201
- Project Management CIP 52.0211
- Science/Technology Management CIP 52.0216
- Construction Project Management CIP 52.2002
Licenses and certifications
Certified Associate in Project Management
Project Management Institute (PMI)
Project Management Professional
Project Management Institute (PMI)
Requirements for regulated professions are set by each state. Always confirm with the state regulator.
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Communicate with key stakeholders to determine project requirements and objectives.
- Identify project needs such as resources, staff, or finances by reviewing project objectives and schedules.
- Submit project deliverables to clients, ensuring adherence to quality standards.
- Confer with project personnel to identify and resolve problems.
- Plan, schedule, or coordinate project activities to meet deadlines.
- Request and review project updates to ensure deadlines are met.
- Monitor project milestones and deliverables.
- Assign duties or responsibilities to project personnel.
Technology skills
- Atlassian JIRA (in demand)
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (in demand)
- Microsoft Project (in demand)
- Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Adobe InDesign (hot technology)
- Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Apple macOS (hot technology)
- Asana (hot technology)
- Atlassian Confluence (hot technology)
- Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D (hot technology)
- Bentley MicroStation (hot technology)
- Cisco Webex (hot technology)
- Git (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Judgment and Decision Making, Coordination, Time Management, Social Perceptiveness, Complex Problem Solving, Management of Personnel Resources.
Common job titles: Fiber Project Manager, Implementation Project Manager, Project Management Consultant.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do project management specialists make?
The national median annual wage for project management specialists was $102,320 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $61,580 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $167,970. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do project management specialists need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is project management specialists a growing career?
BLS projects employment of project management specialists to change +6.7% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 76,500 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay project management specialists the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Washington ($124,160), New Jersey ($122,980), Delaware ($122,190). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.