Project Manager Salary Guide for 2022

Project management has always been a lucrative profession, and it has remained so even after the economic hardships brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In fact, 50% of the 30,446 respondents in PMI’s latest Project Management Salary Survey have reported an increase in their salary and benefits between March 2020 and June 2021.

This is a reflection of the importance of project management, but also the high demand for competent fresh talent.

Estimates show that 25M people will have to enter the profession by 2030 to bridge the talent gap. This equals 2.3M project managers every year. It’s not difficult to see why organizations would go to great lengths to retain their experienced employees.

This is good news for anyone looking to switch careers or choose project management as their primary profession. But, before rushing head-first into such an important decision, it’s good to gather and assess all the available information first.

The article below will, for the most part, tackle project manager salaries across the United States. You’ll find out all about the factors that influence the salary of project managers and what you can do to improve your chances of getting a raise.

So, let’s begin.

Project management salary highlights

This text offers some interesting insights into project manager salaries in the United States. But, before diving into the nitty-gritty, here are some of the statistics we’d like to highlight.

• 50% of project professionals earn more than $115,000.
• Men in project management have 13% higher salary than women.
• The resources industry (Agriculture, Mining, etc.) is the sector with the highest average salary in the US ($135,500).
• Average salary for an entry-level project professional is $78,279.
• Self-employed project managers have on average $4,000 higher annual income than those traditionally employed.
• Project managers with a PMP certificate earn up to 51% more than those without.
• PMs with a college degree earn up to 24% more than those without.
• Program managers have on average 10% higher salaries than project managers.

How much do project managers make?

This is a difficult question to answer. 

Project manager salaries vary enormously from country to country. 

That said, project managers still typically earn an above-average income with regards to their location.

According to Project Management Institute’s most recent Salary Survey, the top 3 countries with the highest median salary in the world are as follows:

Country	Median salary in USD
1. Switzerland	$140,983
2. United States	$115,000
3. Australia	$113,664

Conversely, the six countries where project managers earn the lowest income are:

Country	Median salary in USD
1. Pakistan	$13,803
2. Egypt	$17,858
3. Nigeria	$21,108

Factors that influence project manager salary

A median salary ​​— also known as the 50th percentile — is the mark at which 50% of the survey respondents reported a higher salary and 50% a lower one. 

In other words, if a median project management salary in the US is $115,000, it means that 50% of the 7,575 survey respondents from PMI’s 12th Salary Survey reported earning more than $115,000, and 50% reported earning less.

The reasons for such disparity in salaries, even among project managers within the same country, are many — but the most influential factors tend to be:

• Years of experience in project management,
• Job title,
• Average project size,
• Location,
• Education,
• Certification,
• Industry, and
• Gender.

Let’s tackle them one by one.

Years of experience in project management affect the salary

A project manager’s income is directly tied to their work experience ​​— which is, in turn, often connected to a person’s position or rank. 

According to the latest data from 2020–2021, new project managers working full-time in the US begin their careers with a median salary of $78,279. 

After accumulating at least 3–5 years of experience, that number jumps by 8.6%. And then, the number jumps again by 17.6%, 20%, 8.3%, and 6.2% every five years, until the PM has reached 20 years of experience or more.

Years of experience	Median PM salary in USD
Under 3 years	$78,279
3 to 5 years	$85,000
5 to 10 years	$100,000
10 to 15 years	$120,000
15 to 20 years	$130,000
20+ years	$138,000

How project management salaries in the United States change with higher experience

The reason why salary growth is not calculated after more than 20 years of experience is that it is a threshold after which project manager salaries tend to stagnate.

“We’re starting to see people with that 3–5 years’ experience take quite significant jumps because of skill shortages. I’d say capping out around 16 years is fairly typical. By that point, people have earned their stripes and probably moved themselves into a contracting role”, says Christian Vanezi, change manager at Hudson recruitment agency for the AIPM 2021 Salary Report.

The job title affects the project manager salary

Job titles, or project management roles often go hand in hand with experience — but this is not the rule. 

This is why you’ll find some significant differences between the division of PM salaries by job title and the division by experience shown in the table above.

For example, a project management consultant’s salary differs wildly from that of a project management specialist on average.

Job title	Median PM salary in USD
Project Manager I	$83,000
Project Manager II	$96,063
Project Manager III	$115,000
Program Manager	$127,100
Portfolio Manager	$140,000
Director of Project Management Office (PMO)	$145,000
Project Management Specialist	$84,500
Project Management Consultant	$120,000

PM salaries for different job titles in the US, according to the PMI Salary Survey

Below, you’ll find more data showcasing how project manager income differs depending on whether the PM is traditionally-employed or self-employed.

Traditionally-employed vs. self-employed project manager income

With remote work becoming more popular and feasible thanks to collaborative project management software, some project managers choose to forgo their traditional employee roles in organizations in favor of being self-employed.

This may be a riskier route, but evidence suggests that it can also be rewarding — at least moneywise. 

According to PMI, self-employed project managers earn on average around $4,000 more per year than those traditionally employed.

Job title	Salary — traditionally-employed	Salary — self-employed
Project Manager I	$82,700	$85,000
Project Manager II	$96,000	$98,000
Project Manager III	$115,000	$115,000
Program Manager	$125,000	$135,000
Portfolio Manager	$140,000	$145,000
Director of Project Management Office (PMO)	$145,000	$150,000
Project Management Specialist	$84,000	$88,191
Project Management Consultant	$119,876	$125,000

PM salary according to roles for those self-employed vs traditionally-employed

The organization size and project size affect the project manager salary

Project size is determined by the number of team members and the project budget. 

This makes sense considering that only highly-qualified and experienced project managers are hired to work on high-profile projects with higher-than-average budgets, according to the APM Salary and Market Trends Survey.

Here are the median salaries of PM professionals in the US according to project size:

Project size	Median salary range in USD
Up to 5 team members &Under $100K budget	$90,000–$105,000
5 to 10 team members &$100K–$500K budget	$105,000–$115,000
10 to 15 team members &$500–$1M budget	$115,000–$120,000
15 to 20 team members &$1M–$10M budget	$120,000–$125,000
20+ team members &Over $10M budget	$130,000–$135,000

Median PM salary ranges according to project size

But, this is not all — a project manager’s salary can even depend on the size of the organization. 

PMI reports that the median salary of PM professionals working the same job in large organizations can be as much as $19,000 higher than for those working in small companies with under 100 people.

The location affects project manager salary 

Just like PM salaries vary across countries, they can also drastically differ from city to city. This typically has to do with urbanization and the cost of living. 

In the US, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports an annual median project management salary of $94,500 and a mean annual salary of $98,420 across the country. 

However, things appear much different after taking a closer look at each individual state.

The report shows that the states that offer the highest mean annual wages for project management professionals are:

• New Mexico ($123,160),
• Washington ($120,800),
• New York ($111,890),
• New Jersey ($111,460), and
• Virginia ($109,980).

The highest mean annual project management salaries in the US overall are concentrated in metropolitan areas, with the three top paying being:

• The San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara Metro Area in California ($133,950), 
• The Birmingham-Hoover Metro Area in Alabama ($130,250), and 
• The Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue Metro Area in Washington ($125,330).

As for the nonmetropolitan areas, the highest mean annual PM salaries are found in:

• Western Wyoming ($109,490),
• Southwest New York ($107,150), and
• Northeast Virginia ($103,300).

Conversely, the states that offer the lowest project manager mean annual salaries are:

• Arkansas ($72,160),
• South Dakota ($73,000),
• Montana ($76,360),
• West Virginia ($76,400), and
• Hawaii ($77,390).

Looking at the numbers, we can see that the difference between the lowest mean annual PM salary in the US ($72,160) and the highest ($133,950) is a staggering $61,790, or 53.9%.

Project manager salaries in the US by state

To give you a clear overview of the state of PM salaries across the US, we’ve compiled a list that includes every state, along with their mean salaries for project managers. 

The table below shows states arranged both alphabetically, and by their salaries in descending order.

US states ranked by PM salary amount	Mean salary	US states ordered alphabetically	Mean salary
1. New Mexico	$123,160	1. Alabama	$109,100
2. Washington	$120,800	2. Alaska	$94,900
3. New York	$111,890	3. Arizona	$87,790
4. New Jersey	$111,460	4. Arkansas	$72,160
5. Virginia	$109,980	5. California	$108,990
6. Alabama	$109,100	6. Colorado	$98,410
7. California	$108,990	7. Connecticut	$100,040
8. District of Columbia	$107,610	8. Delaware	$106,930
9. Delaware	$106,930	9. District of Columbia	$107,610
10. Massachusetts	$106,690	10. Florida	$91,540
11. Illinois	$104,520	11. Georgia	$98,500
12. Rhode Island	$103,090	12. Hawaii	$77,390
13. Connecticut	$100,040	13. Idaho	$83,320
14. North Carolina	$98,970	14. Illinois	$104,520
15. Georgia	$98,500	15. Indiana	$81,750
16. Colorado	$98,410	16. Iowa	$87,260
17. Maryland	$97,700	17. Kansas	$82,300
18. Texas	$97,290	18. Kentucky	$82,160
19. Wyoming	$96,130	19. Louisiana	$82,470
20. Alaska	$94,900	20. Maine	$82,370
21. Minnesota	$94,750	21. Maryland	$97,700
22. Wisconsin	$93,110	22. Massachusetts	$106,690
23. New Hampshire	$92,350	23. Michigan	$90,200
24. Florida	$91,540	24. Minnesota	$94,750
25. Oregon	$90,730	25. Mississippi	$82,630
26. Pennsylvania	$90,340	26. Missouri	$88,150
27. Michigan	$90,200	27. Montana	$76,360
28. Missouri	$88,150	28. Nebraska	$85,030
29. South Carolina	$88,150	29. Nevada	$83,660
30. Arizona	$87,790	30. New Hampshire	$92,350
31. Iowa	$87,260	31. New Jersey	$111,460
32. Utah	$87,220	32. New Mexico	$123,160
33. Oklahoma	$86,510	33. New York	$111,890
34. Ohio	$85,740	34. North Carolina	$98,970
35. Nebraska	$85,030	35. North Dakota	$83,320
36. Nevada	$83,660	36. Ohio	$85,740
37. Idaho	$83,320	37. Oklahoma	$86,510
38. North Dakota	$83,320	38. Oregon	$90,730
39. Mississippi	$82,630	39. Pennsylvania	$90,340
40. Louisiana	$82,470	40. Rhode Island	$103,090
41. Maine	$82,370	41. South Carolina	$88,150
42. Kansas	$82,300	42. South Dakota	$73,000
43. Kentucky	$82,160	43. Tennessee	$80,430
44. Indiana	$81,750	44. Texas	$97,290
45. Vermont	$80,550	45. Utah	$87,220
46.Tennessee	$80,430	46. Vermont	$80,550
47. Hawaii	$77,390	47. Virginia	$109,980
48. West Virginia	$76,400	48. Washington	$120,800
49. Montana	$76,360	49. West Virginia	$76,400
50. South Dakota	$73,000	50. Wisconsin	$93,110
51. Arkansas	$72,160	51. Wyoming	$96,130

Mean annual project management salaries in the US by state

Higher education helps boost project manager salary

Generally speaking, the higher the education, the higher the pay. Project management is no exception to this rule.

PMI’s Salary Survey shows that project managers who have a college degree earn up to 24% more than those who do not.

Surprisingly enough, though, a specialized degree in project management will do nothing to boost your income in the US

But, if you were wondering — yes, you can work as a project manager with only a high school diploma. 

Although they made up only 1% of the respondents, 93 out of 7,575 project managers surveyed by the PMI in the US reported having only a high school diploma and still earning a median salary of $105,000.

Project managers who aren’t satisfied with this income, but don’t intend to go back to school, have another option — getting certified.

Project management certifications boost project manager salary

Whether used as a doorway to project management, or proof of competence, project management certifications are an excellent way to give your career a boost.

One of the most widely sought-after and most recognized certifications in the world is the Project Management Professional (PMP®) — and, according to the 12th PMI Salary Survey, their high salaries reflect that.

Project management salary with a PMP® certification

The survey showed that across all forty countries covered (including the US, UK, and Australia), project managers who hold the PMP® certificate reported a 16% higher salary on average. 

In the US, this number is even greater, with project managers with a PMP® certificate earning 32% more on average, going up to a staggering 51% more — depending on how long a person has held the certificate.

While not every certification guarantees an instant salary increase, they do help create possibilities for job interviews or promotions, which then often lead to a higher income.

Project management salary for other PM certifications

Here are the median salaries for some other prominent project management certifications in the United States:

Certification	Median salary in USD
Scrum Master	$122,000
Agile Certified Practitioner (ACP)	$108,400
PRINCE2	$98,422
Six Sigma Black Belt (CSSBB)	$90,000

If you’re willing to make the effort and take the time to get certified, you’ll enjoy benefits such as:

• Advantage in getting interviews,
• Better chances of promotion, and
• A higher salary.

Industry drastically affects project manager salaries

“I think the difference in salaries is based on the skill sets that are in demand and how much the particular industry is adding to the economic situation of the country”, says Dr Marzena Baker, MAIPM and lecturer at the University of Sydney for AIPM Salary Report.

This is a perfectly logical explanation for the huge salary differences present in various industries across the globe.

In the US, this disparity is especially prominent. According to PMI, project managers working in the lowest-paying industry — i.e. the training and education industry — earn 47% less than those from the resources and consulting industries, which are the highest-paying in the country.

Highest-paying project management industries in the US

If you have prior experience in resources, consulting, aerospace, engineering, or IT, and you are well-versed in project management, you might want to consider opportunities in these high-paying industries.

Industry	Median salary
1. Resources (Agriculture, Mining, etc.)	$135,500
2. Consulting	$135,000
3. Aerospace	$125,000
4. Engineering	$120,000
5. IT	$120,000

Lowest-paying project management industries in the US

While training/education, business services, legal, construction, and real estate industries have the lowest median income according to PMI, they are still well above average for the US.

Industry	Median salary
1. Training/Education	$85,000
2. Business services	$95,000
3. Legal	$97,500
4. Construction	$100,250
5. Real Estate	$104,000

Gender still plays a role in project manager salaries

Unfortunately, gender is still a factor when it comes to salaries in project management. 

Despite the relatively equal number of male (3,966) and female (3,486) respondents, the difference in median salaries between men and women is $14,000, according to PMI — a number that has barely budged since 2019.

And, this is not an issue only in the United States. 

The APM Salary and Market Trends Survey shows that the situation is worse in the UK, with a gap of 24% in favor of men — although, this gap is starting to show signs of shrinking. 

Top companies to work for as a project manager in 2022

Project management pays well regardless of the organization you work for. But, there are a few companies that stand out. 

We consulted Glassdoor’s list of top project management companies to find out more about them. This list is based on tens of thousands of anonymous reviews from people who actually work, or have worked for each of these companies. 

So, here is the list of the best companies for project managers in the United States.

Company	Industry	Average salary
Deloitte	Accounting & Tax	$140,435
Cisco Systems	Enterprise Software & Network Solutions	$140,076
Accenture	Business Consulting	$124,332
IBM	Information technology Support Services	$117,290
Honeywell	Computer Hardware Development	$113,073
Verizon	Telecommunications Services	$109,655
Bank of America	Banking & Lending	$105,412
J.P. Morgan	Investment & Asset Management	$101,673
AT&T	Telecommunications Services	$97,977
Kaiser Permanente	Health Care Services & Hospitals	$95,166

The future of project manager income

It’s always difficult to predict the future — especially since the future of project management salaries is highly dependent on the shifts in the global economy. 

However, what we do know is that the profession has managed to not only survive, but also thrive during one of the most chaotic periods in recent history.

In the US, 63% of project managers reported getting a raise of 5.9% on average, while in the thick of the global pandemic.

Among those same project managers, as many as 73% are expecting a raise within 12 months of the survey.

APM even reported that in the UK, the average size of projects has grown by just over $13M and reached a whopping $141M. This means that the core industries are holding strong, as evidenced by the average project management salaries that have remained the same since 2019.

This is only to show that the US is not an isolated case, and that the industry has indeed remained stable through recent times of adversity. 

According to estimates, $77M current project management employees will leave the workforce by 2030, which will result in the loss of $53.7 billion in global GDP. Considering the high demand for project managers this creates, it should be safe to assume that there will be no major lay-offs, cutbacks, or salary nosedives in project management in the near future.

Conclusion: Multiple factors affect project manager salaries

Project management salaries vary greatly depending on the person’s education, certifications, location, experience, job title, the size of their projects, and, unfortunately, even gender. All of these factors differ even more across industries — which makes it difficult to answer exactly how much project managers make.

However, the one thing we can say is that project management is a lucrative profession, and that there are many roads to an even higher income if you’re willing to make the effort.

Gaining experience, boosting your personal portfolio, and developing niche technical skills will put you on the right path to reaching those coveted executive positions and maintaining a steady income growth over the years.

📖 Interested in growing a career in project management? Start your learning journey with our Project Management Glossary of Terms. Explore the vast library of basic and advanced project management terminology and build a solid knowledge foundation to kickstart your new vocation.

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