A new survey from the Project Management Institute (PMI) reports that salaries for project managers continue to climb around the world. The median salary for project managers reached six figures in the top three countries, which includes the United States.
The 2020 PMI salary survey includes data from more than 32,000 project management practitioners in 42 countries. About 72% of respondents reported that their salaries, bonuses and other types of compensation increased in the 12 months before taking the survey.
Those who have project management certification had a 26% higher salary than those without certification, the report found. That is something that remains consistent from previous salary surveys.
“To fulfill the growing needs of the project economy, there is accelerating demand for project management practitioners with the right skills and qualifications,” PMI President and CEO Sunil Prashara said in a press release. “This growing demand and interest in project management being a core skill for all enterprises regardless of sector is attracting competitive compensation opportunities.”
Many factors can impact project manager salaries, according to the report. Some of the biggest factors, in addition to certification, included country of employment, years of experience in project management and the position held in an organization.
Here’s a look at the salary breakdowns based on different factors. All salary figures have been converted into U.S. dollars.
Country of Employment
This is the area with the biggest differences. The top 10 countries for project manager salaries are:
- Switzerland – $132,086
- United States – $116,000
- Australia – $101,381
- Germany – $96,987
- Netherlands – $93,839
- Belgium – $92,352
- Ireland – $85,829
- United Kingdom – $83,410
- Qatar – $81,668
- United Arab Emirates – $81,665
Compare those numbers to the five countries with the lowest median salaries.
- Egypt – $13,933
- Pakistan – $14,914
- Nigeria – $20,246
- Turkey – $28,698
- India – $28,750
Years of Project Management Experience
As with most positions, those in project management will see big differences between those with more experience and those who are in the beginning or middle of their career. PMI provides a breakdown for every country. In the United States, the numbers are:
- Less than three years – $83,000
- Three to five years – $90,000
- Five to 10 years – $103,407
- 10 to 15 years – $120,000
- 15 to 20 years – $126,690
- 20-plus years – $135,000
Project Management Salary Based on Title
The report also broke down the annual salaries for those with different job titles in each country. In the U.S., the salaries were as follows.
- Director of PM/PMO – $144,000
- Portfolio Manager – $138,000
- Program Manager – $125,000
- Project Manager III – $115,000
- Project Manager II – $100,000
- Project Manager I – $87,360
- Project Management Specialist – $92,221
- Project Management Consultant – $120,000