Are you looking for a new career in project management? Do you want to become a project manager? Or are you looking to advance your career in project management? Whatever your answer, you must look at project manager salaries in 2025 and get the information you need to start scaling up your career.
Project management is a great choice. It is an ever-growing, challenging, and rewarding career field that is gaining increasing attention, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic 2020, when more and more organisations are hiring dispersed teams and a virtual and remote work mentality is growing significantly.
A project manager has an opportunity to take on a wide range of responsibilities, work in a variety of industries all around the world, and progress up the ladder due to his level of skill range and years of experience. In addition, project managers are often well paid, and their salaries are high depending on several factors. In this article, we will discuss some of these factors that mainly affect project manager salaries, as the following:
Project managers with more experience can earn higher salaries. A project manager with ten years of experience can earn a higher salary than a project manager with three years of experience. Project managers with 1 to 4 years of experience can anticipate making about £34,000, and project managers with nine years of experience can earn an annual project manager salary of around £83,000. According to a survey in 2025, the average salaries for project managers, depending on the experience level, are:
Besides your experience, your role or title will reflect the amount of project manager salary you will earn. A senior project manager earns more than a project manager, and a project manager earns more than a project coordinator or assistant. According to the PMI survey from the 14th edition of Earning Power: Project Management Salary Survey (Nov 2025), the median annual salaries in the US for project management professions are the following:
As soon as you become a certified project manager, your ability to manage a project is demonstrated to the recruiters, and your salary with a project management certification will increase. Project managers with a PMP certification make an average salary of 23% more per year than those who are not certified, and sometimes, they could reach an average of 32% more in some countries. A PMP certification is valuable to your career and a significant contributor to your project management salary growth. According to PMI, the average salary and increasing percentage with and without PMP are the following:
Post-pandemic, most organisations have opportunities to work remotely; regardless of this option, the location could still impact the salary of project managers. The cost of living affects a project manager’s salary not only in the country where a project manager lives but also in the same country between cities; a project manager in New York City makes over $115,000 per year, while a project manager in Hawaii makes less than $85,000 per year. On the other hand, a project manager in a city with a solid technological infrastructure earns more than a project manager in a town with poor infrastructure. According to PMI, the average salaries based on location are the following:
The industry where you work influences the project manager salary you will earn. A project manager in the pharmaceutical industry earns more than a project manager in the construction industry. An IT project manager’s salary average in the US is up to $130,000 annually, while a construction project manager’s salary average in the US is $108,000 per year. According to PMI, the highest-paying industries are the following:
Project managers in the energy, resources, and utilities sectors earn some of the highest salaries due to the large-scale nature of their projects, which often include infrastructure development, sustainability initiatives, and compliance with strict regulations. These roles require expertise in managing long-term, high-investment projects while ensuring operational efficiency, environmental sustainability, and adherence to industry standards.
Consulting project managers are highly compensated for their ability to manage diverse, high-pressure projects across multiple industries. These roles demand strong strategic thinking, interpersonal skills, and the capacity to adapt to rapidly changing client needs. The high salary reflects the responsibility of managing multiple stakeholders and delivering results efficiently in complex environments.
Pharmaceutical project managers command high salaries due to the sector’s regulatory complexity and the critical nature of the work. These professionals must manage projects across research, clinical trials, and regulatory approval processes, requiring in-depth knowledge of compliance, risk management, and team coordination. Their high pay reflects the specialised expertise needed to navigate the fast-paced and highly regulated pharmaceutical industry.
IT project managers continue to earn substantial salaries due to the growing demand for technology-driven innovation and digital transformation. They oversee crucial projects such as software development, infrastructure upgrades, and IT service management, all of which are central to an organisation’s success. The role requires deep technical expertise, agile methodologies, and the ability to manage cross-functional teams to deliver complex IT solutions within tight deadlines.
Project managers in government projects earn competitive salaries, balancing the public sector’s constraints with the complexity of the projects they oversee. Government roles often come with challenges such as strict procurement rules, budget limitations, and public accountability. These professionals need to navigate bureaucratic processes, ensure compliance with regulations, and deliver projects that serve public interests.
Healthcare project managers play a vital role in implementing new technologies, improving patient care, and ensuring compliance with healthcare regulations. They work with multiple stakeholders, including medical professionals, administrators, and regulators, and need strong risk management skills to ensure patient safety and operational efficiency. The complexity and critical nature of healthcare projects are reflected in the attractive salary levels.
Construction project managers oversee the planning, execution, and delivery of physical infrastructure projects. They manage large teams, complex schedules, and significant budgets while adhering to strict regulatory and safety requirements. The salary for these roles reflects the high responsibility involved in coordinating resources, subcontractors, and client expectations to ensure the timely and successful completion of projects.
A project manager in a big organisation or company can earn more than a project manager in a small company. The average basic salaries for project managers in some of the biggest companies worldwide are the following: :
Finally, the project manager’s role is becoming an increasingly proactive, driven, and dynamic job that drives organisational change. Globally, the high demand for project managers and the talent gap are the real reasons for the high salaries for project managers. So, with experience, expertise, and proper project management certification, you can earn a comfortable living and a rewarding career path. To be successful, achieving a PMP certification can boost your project manager salary. For that, be self-motivated and passionate about earning this certification and empower your career as soon as possible.
Yes, project managers are generally well paid, with salaries varying by industry, experience, and location. High-demand industries like consulting, pharmaceuticals, and IT often offer competitive salaries reflecting the complexity and responsibility of the role.
Communication. Effective communication with team members, stakeholders, and clients is essential for coordinating tasks, managing expectations, and ensuring project success.
Project managers in the energy, resources, and utilities sector tend to be the highest paid, often earning well above average salaries due to the large-scale, complex nature of their projects. These projects typically involve significant capital investments, long timelines, and strict regulatory compliance, which requires project managers to possess specialised skills in managing high-risk initiatives with multiple stakeholders. The demand for skilled professionals in this sector has led to consistently high salaries, especially for senior roles overseeing critical infrastructure and sustainability projects.
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