Project Manager Salary, Skills & Requirements (2026)
Advertised pay, starting pay, skills and experience from 40,708 US job postings by 9,261 employers. Data as of October 2026.
What US employers post for project managers: advertised pay, the skills and experience they ask for, and the job titles they use, from 40,708 open job postings (October 2026).
- The median advertised pay for project managers in US job postings is $130,000 a year (9,700 postings from 2,783 employers, October 2026).
- The middle half of those postings offer $99,000 to $161,000.
- Postings that ask for up to 1 year of experience advertise a median of $83,000 a year (596 postings).
- The skills that most set project manager postings apart are project management, ms project, microsoft project.
- Postings that state a minimum ask for a median of 5 years of experience.
Project Manager job postings in the US, October 2026
- $130,000
- Median advertised pay (9,700 postings)
- $99,000–$161,000
- Middle 50% of postings
- $83,000
- Starting pay (postings asking up to 1 year)
- 40,708
- US job postings from 9,261 employers
How much does a project manager make?
The median advertised pay is $130,000 a year, from 9,700 US job postings by 2,783 employers that state pay. One in ten postings offers $191,000 or more.
Advertised pay in 9,700 US project manager job postings: median $130,000 a year, middle half $99,000 to $161,000.
- Median: $130,000
- 25th percentile: $99,000
- 75th percentile: $161,000
The figures as a table
| Annual pay | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| $20K–$30K | 0.0% |
| $30K–$40K | 0.4% |
| $40K–$50K | 2.1% |
| $50K–$60K | 3.2% |
| $60K–$70K | 3.4% |
| $70K–$80K | 4.4% |
| $80K–$90K | 5.6% |
| $90K–$100K | 6.3% |
| $100K–$110K | 7.5% |
| $110K–$120K | 8.6% |
| $120K–$130K | 8.4% |
| $130K–$140K | 8.8% |
| $140K–$150K | 8.2% |
| $150K–$160K | 7.0% |
| $160K–$170K | 6.0% |
| $170K–$180K | 5.3% |
| $180K–$190K | 4.0% |
| $190K–$200K | 3.0% |
| $200K–$210K | 2.0% |
| $210K–$220K | 1.7% |
| $220K–$230K | 1.3% |
| $230K–$240K | 0.6% |
| $240K–$250K | 0.5% |
| $250K–$260K | 0.4% |
| $260K–$270K | 0.4% |
Midpoint of each posting's pay range, hourly pay × 2,080 hours; at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026.
| Median | Middle 50% | Postings | Most common titles | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Postings that state an hourly rate | $40.00 | $26.27–$65.00 | 978 | Project Manager, Project Coordinator, Program Manager |
| Postings that state an annual salary | $132,000 | $105K–$163K | 6,983 | Project Manager, Program Manager, Senior Project Manager |
| All pay postings, annualised | $130,000 | $99K–$161K | 9,700 | – |
For comparison, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the national median annual wage of Project Management Specialists (13-1082) at $102,000 (May 2025). Postings advertise pay; the BLS measures what people earn, across all employers and levels.
What is the starting salary for a project manager?
Postings that ask for up to 1 year of experience advertise a median of $83,000 a year (596 postings).
| Experience asked | Median advertised pay | Postings |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1 years | $83,000 | 596 |
| 2-4 years | $116,000 | 2,808 |
| 5+ years | $147,000 | 5,019 |
Project manager levels and pay
Levels as they appear in job titles, ordered by the median experience asked. Senior project managers have a median advertised pay of $156,000 a year.
| Level in title | Share of postings | Median experience asked | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level I | 1.4% | 2 years | – |
| Associate | 1.0% | 2 years | $90,000 |
| Level II | 1.6% | 4 years | $120,000 |
| No level in title | 76.6% | 5 years | $125,000 |
| Level III | 0.9% | 5 years | – |
| Staff | 0.7% | 5 years | $186,000 |
| Senior | 15.8% | 7 years | $156,000 |
| Principal | 1.0% | 8 years | $175,000 |
Highest-paying project manager jobs
Specializations with at least 250 postings that state pay.
| Specialization | Median pay | Postings with pay | Employers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical Program Manager | $184,000 | 788 | 263 |
| Program Manager | $148,000 | 1,887 | 838 |
| Technical Project Manager | $140,000 | 302 | 155 |
| Project Manager (general) | $126,000 | 3,698 | 1,356 |
| Project Controls Manager | $120,000 | 270 | 102 |
| Project Coordinator | $63,000 | 400 | 253 |
Project manager pay by state
Single-location US postings; states with at least 100 postings that state pay. States with pay-transparency laws (such as California, Colorado, New York and Washington) are over-represented among postings that state pay.
| State | Median pay | Middle 50% | Postings with pay | Share of postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $151,000 | $120,000–$182,000 | 1,675 | 15.0% |
| District of Columbia | $142,000 | $119,000–$169,000 | 198 | 2.7% |
| Maryland | $138,000 | $100,000–$170,000 | 240 | 2.5% |
| Tennessee | $134,000 | $98,000–$150,000 | 101 | 2.0% |
| New Jersey | $133,000 | $96,000–$160,000 | 194 | 2.8% |
| Massachusetts | $132,000 | $101,000–$157,000 | 295 | 3.3% |
| Washington | $131,000 | $105,000–$164,000 | 265 | 3.6% |
| Virginia | $130,000 | $94,000–$162,000 | 362 | 4.5% |
| New York | $125,000 | $97,000–$160,000 | 639 | 6.6% |
| Texas | $120,000 | $99,000–$139,000 | 359 | 10.2% |
| North Carolina | $120,000 | $94,000–$152,000 | 114 | 3.2% |
| Colorado | $120,000 | $90,000–$145,000 | 282 | 2.6% |
| Ohio | $120,000 | $95,000–$145,000 | 114 | 2.5% |
| Illinois | $120,000 | $97,000–$148,000 | 332 | 3.1% |
| Minnesota | $118,000 | $88,000–$150,000 | 164 | 1.7% |
| Arizona | $116,000 | $90,000–$141,000 | 103 | 2.1% |
| Georgia | $115,000 | $94,000–$135,000 | 100 | 3.2% |
| Florida | $109,000 | $80,000–$138,000 | 116 | 4.2% |
| Pennsylvania | $106,000 | $79,000–$132,000 | 160 | 3.3% |
| Michigan | $104,000 | $92,000–$127,000 | 106 | 2.4% |
Skills employers ask for in project manager job postings
| Skill | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| Communication | 49% |
| Organizational skills | 25% |
| Excel | 22% |
| Microsoft Office | 20% |
| Problem-solving | 19% |
| Leadership | 16% |
| Project management | 16% |
| Interpersonal skills | 14% |
| Analytical skills | 14% |
| Attention to detail | 13% |
Skills named in the posting text; at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026. Methodology.
Skills that set project managers apart
- Project management10.1× as often as in all postings · 16%
- Ms project22.6× as often as in all postings · 7%
- Microsoft project23.1× as often as in all postings · 6%
- Leadership3.1× as often as in all postings · 16%
- Project management experience20.2× as often as in all postings · 5%
- Scheduling9.1× as often as in all postings · 6%
Skills named in at least 5% of these postings and at least 3 times as often as in job postings overall.
Have a project manager job posting in front of you? See which of its skills your resume is missing.
What does a project manager do?
Employers post these jobs as Program Manager, Senior Project Manager, Project Coordinator, Senior Program Manager, Technical Program Manager and other titles. The largest specializations are Program Manager (18%), Project Coordinator (5%), Technical Program Manager (5%), Technical Project Manager (3%), IT Project Manager (2%), Assistant Project Manager (2%).
The closest official occupation is Project Management Specialists (13-1082.00). Its most important 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.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
How much experience do you need to be a project manager?
Among 16,916 postings that state a minimum, the median is 5 years. Under 1% say 0 years and 7% ask for 1 year or less.
Minimum experience asked in 16,916 US project manager job postings: median 5 years, and 7% ask for 1 year or less.
The figures as a table
| Minimum experience asked | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| 0 yr | under 1% |
| 1 yr | 6% |
| 2 yrs | 13% |
| 3-4 yrs | 23% |
| 5-7 yrs | 36% |
| 8-9 yrs | 7% |
| 10+ yrs | 14% |
Postings that state a minimum (required or preferred); at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026.
We do not show a degree figure: in our checks, degree requirements in posting text were found too rarely to publish one. Why.
Full-time 97%, Part-time 3% of the 2,863 postings that state working hours.
Other names for a project manager: job titles employers use
| Job title | Employers using it |
|---|---|
| Project Manager | 4,095 (44.2%) |
| Program Manager | 2,216 (23.9%) |
| Senior Project Manager | 1,176 (12.7%) |
| Project Coordinator | 925 (10.0%) |
| Senior Program Manager | 379 (4.1%) |
| Technical Program Manager | 350 (3.8%) |
| Assistant Project Manager | 350 (3.8%) |
| Technical Project Manager | 338 (3.6%) |
| Sr. Project Manager | 322 (3.5%) |
| Project Manager II | 249 (2.7%) |
| IT Project Manager | 245 (2.6%) |
| Project Manager I | 171 (1.8%) |
| Project Scheduler | 153 (1.7%) |
| Project Administrator | 152 (1.6%) |
| Associate Project Manager | 149 (1.6%) |
| Project Manager III | 128 (1.4%) |
| Senior Technical Program Manager | 127 (1.4%) |
| Sr. Program Manager | 117 (1.3%) |
| Deputy Program Manager | 109 (1.2%) |
| Project Analyst | 94 (1.0%) |
Titles read in our audit and used by at least 3 employers.
Project manager job titles compared
The titles people search for most, from the US job postings that use each exact title (October 2026).
| Job title | Open postings | Employers | Median pay | Median experience | Skills named most |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program Manager | 5,059 | 2,216 | $140K | 5 years | communication, organizational skills, problem-solving |
| Project Coordinator | 1,592 | 925 | $65K | 2 years | communication, organizational skills, Excel |
| Technical Project Manager | 633 | 338 | – | 5 years | communication, problem-solving, organizational skills |
Project Manager vs Program Manager
| Project Manager | Program Manager | |
|---|---|---|
| Open US postings | 11,990 | 5,059 |
| Employers | 4,095 | 2,216 |
| Median advertised pay | $120K | $140K |
| Median experience asked | 5 years | 5 years |
| Skills that stand out | – | – |
Project Manager vs Project Coordinator
| Project Manager | Project Coordinator | |
|---|---|---|
| Open US postings | 11,990 | 1,592 |
| Employers | 4,095 | 925 |
| Median advertised pay | $120K | $65K |
| Median experience asked | 5 years | 2 years |
| Skills that stand out | – | project coordination, customer service, multitask |
Project Manager compared with similar careers
| Career | Median pay | Median experience | Postings | Shares N of top 25 skills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Project Manager | $130K | 5 years | 40,708 | – |
| Construction Manager | $115K | 5 years | 21,323 | 19 |
| Operations Manager | $85K | 3 years | 12,850 | 16 |
| Implementation Consultant | $112K | 3 years | 1,436 | 17 |
| Business Analyst | $110K | 3 years | 11,313 | 15 |
Similar careers
| Career | Shares N of the top 25 skills | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Construction Manager | 19 | $115K |
| Operations Manager | 16 | $85K |
| Implementation Consultant | 17 | $112K |
| Business Analyst | 15 | $110K |
| Management Consultant | 15 | $140K |
| Strategy Manager | 14 | $150K |
Applying for project manager jobs?
- Project manager resume examples: one-page examples for these roles
- Match your resume to a job: paste a posting and see the skills your resume is missing
- Check your resume: see how an applicant tracking system reads it
- Find project manager jobs: search open postings
Frequently asked questions
How much does a project manager make?
What is the starting salary for a project manager?
What are the project manager levels?
What are the highest-paying project manager jobs?
How much does a Program Manager make?
How much does a Project Coordinator make?
Source and method
Open US job postings collected from employers' applicant tracking systems, de-duplicated, counted only when their job title was read in our audit. Shares count at most 20 postings per employer, and franchise locations of one brand count as one employer. Pay uses hourly and annual figures only; a figure is shown when leaving out the largest employer moves it by 10% or less. Every figure states its number of postings. Methodology and measured accuracy.
Accuracy check: we read 40 randomly chosen postings counted on this page in full; 36 of them were this career or a closely related one (October 2026).
Download the figures on this page (CSV): every number above with its count of postings. Aggregate figures are licensed CC BY 4.0; cite the page when you reuse them.