For many working in the IT space, popular career trajectories include either specializing in a certain field or venturing into project management. While project management has never been the hot job that many venturing into the IT world go for initially, many eventually find themselves there thanks to massive growth opportunities and a good path for those with management skills. Luckily, according to the Project Management Institute’s latest salary survey data, it looks like Project Manager salaries are not only fairly high, but also on the uptrend.
In the United States salary survey data, entry level project managers can expect to earn a median salary of $75,000 and those who’ve racked up 10-15 years of experience can expect a medium salary of $115,000. Those who earn the coveted Project Manager Professional (PMP) certification can earn even more with median salaries of $130,000 for those with 10+ years of experience.
According to the survey, project management professionals in the United States who earn the PMP certification average 25% higher median salaries than those without and across the 37 countries surveyed, PMP certified project management professionals earn 23% higher median salaries than those without the certification.
Interestingly enough, according to the salary survey results, men still continue to earn more than women in the United States with a median salary of $116,000 versus $105,000 and a mean salary of $120,095 versus $108,877. Resources (agricultural, mining, etc.) project manager median salaries still rank the highest at $130,000 with pharmaceuticals following at $129,000 and consulting at $125,000. IT project manager salaries however, aren’t too far behind with a median salary of $114,000.
Annualized Salary by Industry
| Industry | Median Salary |
| Aerospace | $118,000 |
| Business Services | $95,000 |
| Construction | $100,000 |
| Consulting | $125,000 |
| Engineering | $117,500 |
| Financial Services | $110,000 |
| Food and Beverage | $113,500 |
| Government | $113,878 |
| Healthcare | $108,000 |
| Information Technology | $114,000 |
| Insurance | $110,000 |
| Legal | $117,400 |
| Manufacturing | $108,500 |
| Pharmaceuticals | $129,000 |
| Real Estate | $100,000 |
| Resources | $130,000 |
| Telecommunications | $109,000 |
| Training/Education | $90,000 |
| Utility | $117,875 |
| Other | $105,000 |
Annualized Salary by Position (Excluding Self-Employed)
| Position | Median Salary |
| Director of Project Management Office (PMO) | $140,000 |
| Portfolio Manager | $133,000 |
| Program Manager | $120,000 |
| Project Manager III | $109,000 |
| Project Manager II | $96,000 |
| Project Manager I | $87,000 |
| Project Management Specialist | $90,000 |
| Project management Consultant | $110,000 |
According to the PMI, the salary survey report surveyed 33,000 respondents from 37,000 countries. In the United States, 10,937 people responded to the survey.
Source: PMI
