How much does a project manager make?
The only real answer to this question is (the eternally frustrating), “Well, it depends…” As a project manager, your salary depends on factors like your:
- Sector
- Seniority—years of experience
- Location
- Project management certifications and education
So, we surveyed the DPM community to get insight into real project management salaries with these considerations in mind. Our survey was designed to find answers to questions like:
- What’s a typical project manager salary?
- What are the average salaries for related roles?
- How have project manager salaries changed over time?
This year, we received 399 responses to our survey from respondents all around the world. Below, you can find my analysis and insights based on the data we collected, and explore what this means for your career in project management in the coming years.
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2024 Average Project Manager Salaries
On average, project managers in the USA make $104,919 USD, project managers in Canada make $106,451 CAD, and project managers in the United Kingdom make £56,182.
These averages take into account both data from our salary survey and data from aggregator sites like Indeed, Salary.com, Glassdoor, ZipRecruiter, and other salary comparison websites.
The data above also includes salaries for related job titles such as creative project manager, delivery lead, delivery manager, project leader, Scrum master, producer, and marketing manager.
When looking only at data from our survey (not including the data from the aggregator sites), the results are a bit lower. According to our respondents, project managers make an average of $89,923 USD in the USA, $85,004 CAD in Canada, and £48,462 in the United Kingdom.
So, why is our data different (and lower)?
While our data is limited, it’s also true that aggregator sites include all types of project management jobs in their averages. This includes engineering and construction jobs, which are generally higher paying than software, IT, and marketing jobs.
Only 4% of respondents to our survey work in construction and engineering, but 61% of respondents work in media, marketing, advertising, software, or IT.
We also saw an increase in the number of respondents working in media, marketing, and advertising this year—28% compared to 20% last year—which could also be contributing to this disparity.
Project managers in this sector typically make even less than those in software and IT roles. In the USA, project managers in the software and IT fields make an average of $96,583 USD compared to $73,488 USD for those in media, marketing, and advertising.
How Much Do Project Managers Make?
Are you being paid what you’re worth as a project manager?
The majority of our survey respondents (65%) don’t feel like their value and salary are a match, while only 35% do.
Below, you can explore salaries across job titles, industries, and years of experience for the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. If you’re outside these regions, you can still use these estimates to get a basic idea of project management salaries and whether your salary measures up against your peers.
How Much Do Project Managers In The USA Make?
We received 195 responses from project managers in the United States of America. The salaries for full-time positions ranged from $26,500 to $250,000.
As you might expect, average salaries increase with seniority:
| Project Coordinator | $70,667 |
| Creative Project Manager | $83,300 |
| Project Manager | $89,923 |
| Technical Project Manager | $114,726 |
| Senior Project Manager | $115,214 |
| Program Manager/Portfolio Manager | $129,333 |
| Director of Project Management/Head of Project Management | $133,328 |
| PMO Manager/PMO Executive | $157,400 |
Forty-five percent of American respondents to our survey received a bonus in the last year, ranging from as little as $200 USD to $42,000 USD, with the average additional cash compensation being $7,069 USD.
Here are average salary highlights by industry.
| Media, Marketing, & Advertising | $73,488 |
| Software & IT | $96,583 |
| Manufacturing | $99,700 |
| Government, Public, & Nonprofit | $102,269 |
| Healthcare, Pharmaceutical, & Medical | $110,587 |
| Finance, Banking, & Insurance | $115,200 |
According to our survey data, project managers working in finance, banking, and insurance are the highest paid at an average of $115,200 USD, followed closely by those in the healthcare field ($110,587 USD).
Project managers in media, marketing, and advertising ($73,488 USD), and software and IT ($96,583) are at the lower end of the pay scale.
Here are the highlights when it comes to average project manager salaries by years of experience.
| Less than 1 year | $80,167 |
| Between 1 and 5 years | $83,343 |
| Between 5 and 10 years | $99,278 |
What about the impact of certifications? Project managers with at least one certification make an average of $105,245 USD, while those without make an average of $81,752 USD.
It’s worth noting that project managers with certifications also tend to be more senior than those without, which is likely a contributing factor to this wide gap.
How Much Do Freelance Project Managers Make In The USA?
According to our survey data, the average hourly rate for freelance project managers in the USA across all job titles, including more senior roles, is $81 USD.
If we exclude senior roles and limit the data to just freelancers with the job title project manager (or an equivalent like producer or creative project manager), the average drops to $70 USD per hour. Most respondents noted that they bill per hour, although some also bill per project, depending on the circumstances.
How Much Do Project Managers In The UK Make?
We received 45 responses from project managers in the United Kingdom, with salaries ranging from £25,000 to £92,700.
Project managers in the UK make an average of £48,462, and senior project managers see an average of £56,156. Those with higher seniority, such as director of project management or head of project management, can expect to make an average of £98,290.
Here’s a breakdown of average salaries by job title in the UK.
| Project Manager | £48,462 |
| Senior Project Manager | £56,156 |
| Director of Project Management/Head of Project Management | £98,290 |
Just over a third (38%) of respondents from the UK received a bonus in 2023. The range of bonuses was £250 to £16,000, and the average was £5,109, slightly below the average bonus in the USA (after applying the current exchange rate).
When it comes to what project managers in the UK make on average in different industries, those in software and IT (£53,243) are outpacing those in media, marketing, and advertising (£42,395).
| Media, Marketing, & Advertising | £42,395 |
| Software & IT | £53,243 |
Project managers in the UK also make higher average salaries based on their years of experience.
| Less than 1 year | £33,322 |
| Between 1 and 3 years | £41,500 |
| Between 3 and 5 years | £46,958 |
| Between 5 and 10 years | £64,500 |
| More than 10 years | £72,350 |
Project managers in the UK with certifications also tended to have higher salaries than those without, although the gap is not as wide as it is in the USA. Individuals with certs tend to make an average of £54,682, and those without tend to make £42,242 on average.
How Much Do Project Managers In Canada Make?
We received 41 responses from project managers in Canada. Their salaries ranged from $42,600 to $180,000 CAD.
Here’s the breakdown of average salary by job title for project manager salaries in Canada.
| Technical Project Manager | $84,850 CAD |
| Project Manager | $85,004 CAD |
| Senior Project Manager | $111,833 CAD |
| Director of Project Management/Head of Project Management | $124,500 CAD |
| PMO Manager/PMO Executive | $130,667 CAD |
Just over half (56%) of Canadian respondents received a bonus in the last year, with the range of bonuses being from $1000 CAD to $30,000 CAD. The average bonus in Canada was $8,154 CAD, which is below both the average bonus in the USA and in the UK (after applying the current exchange rate).
Our survey only returned enough data to analyze averages for two different industries in Canada: media, marketing, and advertising ($86,400 CAD) and healthcare ($94,533 CAD).
The average salary in the healthcare sector is significantly lower in Canada compared to the USA; in fact it’s almost half after converting CAD to USD. One possible reason for this discrepancy could be that most healthcare jobs in Canada are government jobs, while healthcare jobs in the USA are in the private sector, resulting in higher salaries.
| Media, Marketing, & Advertising | $86,400 CAD |
| Healthcare, Pharmaceutical, & Medical | $94,533 CAD |
Again, average salaries also go up based on years of experience. Here’s how this shakes out in Canada.
| Less than 1 year | $50,000 CAD |
| Between 1 and 3 years | $73,600 CAD |
| Between 3 and 10 years | $88,392 CAD |
| More than 10 years | $97,000 CAD |
In Canada, project managers with a certification make an average of $91,133 per year, and those who don’t have any certifications typically see an average of $78,318.
How Satisfied Are Project Managers With Their Roles?
As mentioned above, only 35% of respondents to our survey believe that they are being paid what they’re worth. But salary isn’t the only thing that drives job satisfaction and employee engagement.
It’s also influenced by how many hours you’re working and what project management job benefits you receive.
The vast majority of our survey respondents (72%) are working the usual 40 hours per week, while 20% are working more than 40 hours, and 8% are working part-time (i.e. less than 40 hours).
It tracks that working 40 hours (or less) would translate to higher levels of job satisfaction—burnout is less likely, and you have more time to spend on things outside of work like family, friends, and hobbies.
When it comes to freelancing, only 47% of project managers are working full-time, and 37% are working part-time. One of the major draws of freelancing is the flexible hours and working schedule. These numbers also indicate a strong level of satisfaction among freelancers.
We also asked respondents about what kind of benefits they receive from their employers. A small percentage of respondents (11%) left this question blank, leaving us to assume that they don’t receive any benefits at all. Of the remaining 89%, the majority said they receive between 2 and 4 separate benefits.
The most common benefits that respondents received were health insurance and/or extended health benefits at 84%, savings plan matching (for retirement savings or other savings) at 55%, and extra vacation time at 54%.
Some respondents also received some more unconventional perks: budget for home office equipment (29%), a lifestyle budget to put towards exercise or nutrition (21%), and stock or equity (14%).
Having work-life balance and a variety of benefits can positively contribute to job satisfaction.
So, what are job satisfaction levels like for project managers?
37% of respondents noted that they were mostly satisfied in their roles, while 27% were somewhat satisfied. Sixteen percent said they were either mostly dissatisfied or somewhat dissatisfied.
This makes sense given the data above—project managers are receiving decent benefits and are working typical hours, but they aren’t totally satisfied with their compensation.
So, what factors affect how much you can make as a project manager, and how can you increase your salary?
Salary Considerations: How To Get Paid More As A Project Manager
So, you’ve reviewed our data and it turns out you’re making less than your peers. What factors influence your salary, and how can you go about getting an increase?
Get A New Job
It’s common knowledge these days that getting a job at a new company will provide a bigger bump in your salary than the average raise will at your current company. According to data on Canadian professionals, the average raise is 3.1%, but you can typically expect to see a 10% or even 15% increase if you hop to a role with a similar job description at a new company.
Our salary results show that 28% of project managers are looking to get a new full-time job at a different company in 2024, but 34% are hoping to advance with their current employer.
This speaks to some other factor that’s playing a role in keeping them at their current employer—likely good benefits, a strong company culture, and/or a high level of engagement and satisfaction.
It’s also worth noting that 30% of respondents to our survey plan to stay in their current role this year.
Become A Specialist
If you have gathered significant experience with a certain skill set (ex. understanding a particular project management software tool really well), this can set you apart from other project managers.
For example, IT project managers or technical project managers tend to have higher salaries due to their specialized skill sets.
With these skills under your belt, it may allow you to work on more projects pertaining to your skill set and potentially draw a more premium salary within your industry.
However, this is subject to supply and demand, so be sure to evaluate whether the project management skills you have will continue to be valuable.
Consider A New Industry
As our survey showed, industry plays a big role in how much you can get paid as a project manager.
Large financial services companies or tech companies are some of the highest paying organizations, compared to non-profits or smaller local companies. Determine if your skills can be applied to a different industry with higher salaries.
Project managers are blessed with so many transferable skills that you can translate the role into almost any industry or field. Why not look into film production, political roles like Chiefs of Staff, or even urban planning?
Go Freelance
One major pro of going freelance is that you can set your own rates. If you’re a senior project manager or enterprise project manager with decades of experience, you stand to make quite a bit more money than in a permanent, full-time role.
The flipside is that there’s less stability, and you typically won’t get benefits or bonuses from the companies you’re contracting for. You also may be thrown onto projects that are temporary or provide very little growth to your professional development.
Move To A Bigger City
The location factor will always be a salary influencer. Companies in major cities with bigger economies have been known to offer higher salaries—places like New York City, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
This, of course, comes with higher expectations and slightly more pressure in performance, and many of these locations have a higher cost of living.
Frequently Asked Questions About Project Management Careers
In this section, I’ll answer a few frequently asked questions about project managers.
How Much Does A Project Manager Make Per Hour?
Based on the average base salary listed above and calculated based on a 40-hour work week (which 72% of respondents globally are working, versus 20% working more than 40 hours and 8% working part-time), project managers earn an average of $51 CAN/hour in Canada, $50 USD/hour in the United States, and £27/hour in the United Kingdom.
Keep in mind that this hourly rate is a simple calculation based on average yearly salaries—not necessarily what you’d charge as your project manager hourly rate if you’re a contract, freelance, or work-from-home project manager.
How Many Project Managers Are Certified?
According to our survey results, 46% of project managers have at least one certification, while 53% do not.
Of those that do have a project management certification, 54% believe that it has benefitted their career to some degree, and only 16% believe getting certified did not benefit their career at all.
It’s worth noting that not all certifications are created equal, and that not all certifications are relevant to every career path. These mismatches could explain why some respondents did not believe that certifications had benefited their career.
Of those that do not have a certification, 55% don’t plan to get one in 2024, but 45% do.
2024 Salary Survey Demographics
This year, we had hundreds of participants from around the globe, with the majority residing in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. The remaining 22% of respondents came from a collection of 42 countries—including Australia, South Africa, and Spain.
The large majority of respondents (88%) work on permanent contracts, with 12% working in contract or freelance roles. When it comes to remote work, 49% of respondents are working fully remote, 40% are splitting their time between the office and home in a hybrid setup, and only 11% are working full time in the office.
Here’s a breakdown of which industries respondents are in:
- Software & IT: 33%
- Media, Marketing, & Advertising: 28%
- Government, Public, & Nonprofit: 8%
- Construction & Engineering: 4%
- Healthcare, Pharmaceutical, & Medical: 4%
- Finance, Banking, & Insurance: 4%
- Retail, Commerce, & Ecommerce: 3%
- Telecommunications: 2%
- Energy & Utilities: 1%
- Other: 13%
Here’s a breakdown of the education levels of respondents:
- Bachelor’s Degree: 54%
- Master’s Degree: 31%
- College Certificate: 7%
- High School: 6%
- Doctorate: 2%
What’s Next?
If you didn’t get to participate in the survey this year, keep an eye out for our salary survey for 2025! The more insight we get from readers like you, the better data we can provide to the project management community at large.
If you found this information useful and you want to discuss the results with other digital project managers (or if you didn’t and you want to let us know), sign up for DPM membership. You’ll get access to the conversation in Slack, as well as 100+ templates, examples, and samples for important project documentation.