Project Management Specialists: Job Description
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.
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The Daily Work of Project Management Specialists Do?
The day-to-day responsibilities of project management specialists span:
- Assign duties or responsibilities to project personnel.
- Communicate with key stakeholders to determine project requirements and objectives.
- Confer with project personnel to identify and resolve problems.
- Create project status presentations for delivery to customers or project personnel.
- Develop or update project plans including information such as objectives, technologies, schedules, funding, and staffing.
- Identify project needs such as resources, staff, or finances by reviewing project objectives and schedules.
- Identify, review, or select vendors or consultants to meet project needs.
- Monitor costs incurred by project staff to identify budget issues.
Types of Project Management Specialists Jobs
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Design Project Management Specialist
- Grant Assistant
- Human Resources Project Manager (HR Project Manager)
- Implementation Project Manager
- Implementations Management Specialist
- Movie Project Management Specialist
- Planning Development Specialist
- Project Administrator
Employment and Demand
The U.S. employs around 70,422 project management specialists working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to decline by -2.8% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Project Management Specialists Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $64,559 |
| Hourly median | $31.04 |
| 10th percentile | $44,569 |
| 25th percentile | $54,564 |
| 75th percentile | $74,554 |
| 90th percentile | $84,549 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Project Management Specialists Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $117,030 |
| Virginia | $114,990 |
| Delaware | $114,310 |
| New Jersey | $113,320 |
| California | $111,300 |
| New York | $110,490 |
| Massachusetts | $108,630 |
| Colorado | $106,960 |
| Alaska | $105,360 |
| Connecticut | $104,990 |
| Maryland | $103,570 |
| District of Columbia | $103,190 |
| New Mexico | $102,940 |
| Rhode Island | $102,830 |
| Illinois | $102,490 |
| Georgia | $100,860 |
| Oregon | $100,000 |
| Michigan | $99,790 |
| North Carolina | $99,580 |
| Arizona | $98,400 |
| Minnesota | $97,890 |
| Alabama | $97,840 |
| Pennsylvania | $97,280 |
| Florida | $96,980 |
| Ohio | $96,890 |
| Nevada | $96,370 |
| Wyoming | $95,730 |
| Utah | $95,470 |
| Texas | $93,880 |
| Indiana | $92,790 |
| South Carolina | $91,010 |
| Vermont | $89,990 |
| North Dakota | $89,660 |
| New Hampshire | $89,500 |
| Missouri | $88,770 |
| Wisconsin | $88,020 |
| Kansas | $86,330 |
| Maine | $85,420 |
| Montana | $85,140 |
| Iowa | $85,000 |
| Tennessee | $84,800 |
| Oklahoma | $84,750 |
| West Virginia | $82,950 |
| Louisiana | $82,400 |
| Idaho | $82,390 |
| Arkansas | $81,970 |
| South Dakota | $81,790 |
| Kentucky | $81,060 |
| Hawaii | $80,220 |
| Nebraska | $78,790 |
| Virgin Islands | $78,180 |
| Mississippi | $77,500 |
| Guam | $61,400 |
| Puerto Rico | $59,990 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Compensation for project management specialists vary by region. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $110,339 | 17.7% | 1.12 |
| Middle Atlantic | $106,745 | 16.9% | 1.18 |
| New England | $103,626 | 3.8% | 0.81 |
| Rocky Mountains | $100,166 | 5.6% | 1.46 |
| Southeast | $98,191 | 23.6% | 1.09 |
| Great Lakes | $96,728 | 11.2% | 0.83 |
| Southwest | $94,351 | 15.4% | 1.23 |
| Plains States | $90,465 | 5.4% | 0.87 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $136,250 | 9,630 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $132,530 | 21,650 |
| Boulder, CO | CO | $125,960 | 2,540 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $125,390 | 26,620 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $123,670 | 42,740 |
| Huntsville, AL | AL | $122,430 | 700 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $121,680 | 66,550 |
| Dothan, AL | AL | $120,630 | 40 |
Which Industries Hire Project Management Specialists
The largest employers of project management specialists are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 294,870 | $106,130 |
| Construction | 218,160 | $96,700 |
| Manufacturing | 76,720 | $101,920 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 62,970 | $95,950 |
| Information | 50,310 | $109,740 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 48,900 | $114,660 |
| Wholesale Trade | 45,430 | $96,270 |
| Finance and Insurance | 41,690 | $111,350 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Desktop publishing software: Adobe InDesign (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Apple macOS (hot technology)
- Cloud-based data access and sharing software: Asana (hot technology)
- Project management software: Atlassian Confluence (hot technology)
- Content workflow software: Atlassian JIRA (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Bentley MicroStation (hot technology)
- Video conferencing software: Cisco Webex (hot technology)
- File versioning software: Git (hot technology)
- Application server software: GitHub (hot technology)
Getting Started in This Career
The role falls in Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Computer and Information Systems Managers (Primary-Short)
- Training and Development Managers (Primary-Long)
- Construction Managers (Primary-Long)
- Architectural and Engineering Managers (Supplemental)
- Natural Sciences Managers (Supplemental)
- Logisticians (Primary-Short)
- Logistics Engineers (Supplemental)
- Logistics Analysts (Primary-Long)
Degree Programs
Aspiring project management specialists typically earn programs in:
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
5 programs across 3 majors
About the Data
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 13-1082.00 (Project Management Specialists).
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