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Project Management Specialists Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks

SOC 13-1082 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data

Median Annual Salary
$102,315
$49.19/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026

Is this a competitive Project Management Specialists salary in 2026?

Based on BLS OEWS wage percentiles, JOLTS June 2026 demand signals, and ECI Q2 2026 wage growth.

$Competitive · ~P50
P10$62K
P25$78K
P50$102K
P75$133K
P90$168K
Drag the dot or type an amount above.
Demand: ACTIVE. Demand is active -- finance & insurance openings are at 4.3% (JOLTS, June 2026). A balanced market where the median is a solid, competitive anchor.
📈
Merit budget: Wages in financial activities are rising about 3.1% a year (BLS ECI, Q2 2026). Budget a 2.7-3.2% merit increase to hold this role at market.
Our read
For a competitive 2026 offer, target $102,315 to $133,099 (market median to the 75th percentile). The median-to-P75 range keeps offers competitive.
Figures are market benchmarks from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; apply professional judgment before making pay decisions.

How Project Management Specialists pay is moving in 2026

Trend, demand, and spread context from BLS OEWS, JOLTS, and ECI

Pay trend

Median pay for this role rose 1.5% between the May 2024 and May 2025 BLS surveys, trailing the 3.1% wage growth of Finance & Insurance (BLS ECI).

Hiring demand · MODERATE

Finance & Insurance is running a 4.3% job-openings rate with quits at 0.9% (BLS JOLTS). The openings rate has drifted down from 6.1% to 4.3% over the past quarter.

Pay spread

Top earners (P90) make about 2.7 times what entry-level (P10) workers make in this role. That spread is wider than typical, so expect large pay differences by experience, employer size, and geography; build generous ranges and differentiate strongly.

What changed recently
  • Aug 4, 2026JOLTS June 2026: sector openings whipsawed up to 4.3%, but quits fell to 0.9%, the lowest of any sector. Workers are staying put.
  • Jul 31, 2026ECI Q2 2026: sector wages growing 3.1% per year, a sharp slowdown from 4.1% the prior quarter.

Commentary is generated from published BLS figures (OEWS May 2025 vs May 2024, JOLTS June 2026, ECI Q2 2026) and refreshed each release. It is interpretation, not a BLS product.

Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Project Management Specialists is $102,315 per year ($49.19/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $78,437 and $133,099 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $167,981 per year. There are approximately 1,066,670 project management specialists employed in the United States.

About This Role

BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018

Analyze and coordinate the schedule, timeline, procurement, staffing, and budget of a product or service on a per project basis. Lead and guide the work of technical staff. May serve as a point of contact for the client or customer.

Career Outlook

BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+5.6%
Faster than average
Annual openings
78K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
1.0M
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
8% from new growth92% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None

Industry Wage Breakdown

Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
IndustryWorkforce Median Pay
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services
NAICS 541300
100K$107,050
Computer Systems Design and Related Services
NAICS 541500
79K$125,100
Nonresidential Building Construction
NAICS 236200
73K$103,240
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services
NAICS 541600
67K$103,430
Building Equipment Contractors
NAICS 238200
54K$100,350
Wage range across top 5 industries: $100,350 to $125,100 (25% spread)

Wage Percentiles

Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
PercentileHourly RateAnnual Salary
P10$29.61$61,589
P25$37.71$78,437
P50MEDIAN$49.19$102,315
P75$63.99$133,099
P90$80.76$167,981

Market Context Signal

JOLTS · finance sector
Active
Openings Rate
4.3%
Quits Rate
0.9%

Finance and Insurance openings rebounded 43K to 303K in June, rate up from 3.7% to 4.3% -- a volatile series this year. Quits fell to 0.9%, the lowest of any major sector, so workers are staying put and wage pressure stays muted despite the openings pop.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average project management specialists salary?

The national median salary for Project Management Specialists is $102,315 per year ($49.19/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $78,437 and $133,099 annually.

How much do top-earning project management specialists make?

The 90th percentile salary for Project Management Specialists is $167,981 per year ($80.76/hr). The 75th percentile is $133,099 per year.

What is the entry-level salary for project management specialists?

Entry-level Project Management Specialists (10th percentile) earn approximately $61,589 per year ($29.61/hr). The 25th percentile is $78,437 per year.

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Project Management Specialists Salary by State

Top 5 states by employment
Texas138,960 workersCalifornia114,380 workersFlorida76,370 workersNew York68,020 workersVirginia43,860 workers

About This Data

Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.

P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.

Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.

Next OEWS release: May 2027Verify on BLS.gov →

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