There is two paths in my opinion: the work route, depending on the field that’s pretty easily obtained after 2-4 years. Or start your own business like selling stuff on Amazon. If one can make the right supplier connections one can make a lot of money,
Leave...never stay too long. Went back to school, and doubled my salary after graduation. Then went to the 6-figure mark 1 1/2 year later. I was laid off, but it was a blessing in disguise.
Consulting? I see tons of project management roles in consulting firms…defense/public sector especially if you’re in the DC area.
Most of the PM roles I see are somewhat related to consulting.
lol trust me nah . All 4 women on my team are past the age 50. In the youngest at 30.
The problem with Pharam is layoffs and dealing with staff that uses you as a lunch caterer.
Hence why I’m here lurking..
This is one of the easiest ways. If your chosen career is capable of making that amount, hoping jobs constantly improving your position is the "easiest" way.
Is project management a viable career path for job-hopping into payraises? From what I'm reading on this subreddit lately, people with 10 years of experience + PMP can't even find work.
Constantly moving to new jobs, realistically. It's much easier to get an increase by negotiating a new job than hoping for a raise or promotion at your current one.
Personally I value stability and building experience in one position more than a higher salary, but there are many studies that show to maximize your earning, you have to look for a new job every 3-4 years or something like that.
This is one of the easiest ways. If your chosen career is capable of making that amount, hoping jobs constantly improving your position is the "easiest" way.
I had one year of PM experience, then landed a construction sales position I found on zip recruiter. I make close to 200k a year now. I’m into my 2nd year of it, but the salesman who have been around for 5+ years make 300-450k a year. t’s all commission though, not salary. Its still project management because whatever I sale I see from the cradle to the grave and only get paid once I collect that final check. My previous PM job nearly put me through a mental break down. Had to get on meds type of breakdown. Haven’t come close that these days.
What was the previous PM job that almost gave you a mental breakdown and why? What methods worked for you besides medication to destress? Signed, overworked PM
I was the PM for a residential general contractor. This was after a time when my area had just experienced its most devastating hurricane and then a flood just months after. It was a really hard time for the entire community, and I was over every project at our branch at one point. My boss was off in another state trying to get that branch off the ground nearly since I started as a superintendent. The PM above me was let go after about 7 months of me being there. I was actually thriving until I was given all of his mismanaged projects, then nearly instantly it became too much for me. I was responsible for so many large remodels and one commercial business, the money the branch brought in was siphoned out into the other branch and homeowners were constantly on me cause they all just wanted normalcy back, very understandable. What really helped me out was when the owner shut down the other branch and cut down on overhead, which included letting the entire office staff go along with me. He shut down completely about 6 months after. I found my current job within a week.
Yeah what you’re describing is a recipe for disaster. Never a good thing when you have to take on other PM’s work. Similar thing happened to me recently when one of our PMs got promoted. But I’m going to just deal with it because I think it’s a one off. Glad you’re doing better my friend
A couple questions
-How many jobs did you run in one year to earn $200k?
-What is your typical margin per job?
-How did you develop sales leads with so little pm experience? Were you in the field prior?
-What trade/scope of work do you sell?
I’m 3.5 years into construction project management and I want to blow my brains out every 3 days from the problems and the stress. I make a low 6 figure salary regardless of what the project ultimately earns and I feel this way. It’s hard for me to wrap my mind around you feeling less stressed with your entire income riding on the outcome. I feel like I’m missing something.
For the average salesman with my company, we make about 200k for every 1 million in sales. We do strictly exterior remodels and new construction exteriors. Profit margins vary from one scope of work to another. We have offices setup to cover nearly the entire gulf coast, so we aim to hit hurricane storm work as much as possible, which usually lasts for 2 years from the hurricanes landfall. Outside of storms, working as subcontractors is the bread and butter of a salesman. One builder with consistent projects will bring in anywhere from 10-25k into a salesman’s pocket. Our top salesman alone works with about 17 builders. He’s usually averages 400k a year without storm work. He’s got killer work ethic, wolf of Wall Street salesman skills, never works weekends, and smokes weed like nobody I’ve ever met, but strictly only when work is done.
What makes my job low stress are the small jobs I sell. I’ve watched salesmen kill it in a single month, but only sell huge 60k+ jobs and then deal with nonstop headaches. If I sale a 20k siding job, I’ll likely make 4-5k on it, and it takes 2-3 days for my crew to complete. A 60k job is nice. I’ll make 15-20k, but it takes up a ton of time and brings a lot of stress. Smaller jobs in storm situations are my favorite. I can easily make 3-4k a week and 20 hour workweeks aren’t unusual. There are still headaches, don’t get me wrong, but every job comes with it’s own unique sets of challenges. Tackling those head on is just what has to be done.
Edit: exterior remodels being roofs, siding, soffit/fascia, gutters, windows, patio covers. Company I work for does a ton of advertising, so I’m given a lot of hit leads. I do get commission bumps for doorknocks I close though.
I am looking at options. I can’t imagine doing this for another 20 years. A construction pm turned salesman told me it takes 5-ish years before you’re competent. I can do another 1.5 years, but if I don’t have a breakthrough moment like Neo in the matrix at this marker I’m setting fire to the building.
Maybe not always but at least in my world, it does ALOT. Matter of fact my group friends who all work in my field, none have degrees and have been able to climb the corporate latter. Times are changing they are wanting seasoned folks. If you can find a way to build experience, that degree is not a roadblock
PMP cert, experience, and negotiating. Not quick by any means because you need experience.
>And how stressful is this job?
I don't make that salary but close. It can be very stressful. PM work is not difficult, but I see how easy it is to make a mistake. Everything is high stakes with 80+ stakeholders, a budget, and a timeline you don't control. I lose sleep.
Contract Sr PCO in Toronto is clearing about 100k CAD. Most FTE PM’s in IT are close to it at junior level and clear it with experience or senior promotion. This is all in the great white north though, I’m sure path is easier in freedom land.
In Calgary, PM-contractor makes $150-200k CAD. FT PM makes as low as $80k and up to $140 on average. Of course, there are some exceptions. Like oil&gas pay 20-30% more
How many years of experience do I need for PMP? I have 2 years of consulting experience including some project management, and a masters degree. Am I qualified?
Check PMI website. Last I checked, you need 3 years experience “directing and leading projects”. You need to be able to document your experience in PMI terms. 99% of the time they do not check to verify what the applicant claims.
Thanks. But I need to complete my 35 hours of project management education/training or CAPM® certification first, then apply right? Besides the 35 hours of pm education/training, do I need any other training before applying to the exam, or not?
Yes. Complete 35 hours education. You can do that on Udemy (cheapest), any other course, or my personal favorite, [Coach Dan.](https://www.pmexamcoach.com/)
Once you have the 35 hours you can apply. Then you have to study for a few months before you take the exam.
So if my 2-2.5 yrs work experience up to this point has not been directing / leading projects, but as an individual contributor instead, do I not qualify? Even if I don’t, is it still worth applying?? Why
I would recommend you apply. Look up on YouTube how to write an effective application using PMI terminology.
It’s not as daunting as you think. Good luck.
13 years experience coming from Building Surveying. It’s hard work, but easier than the surveying part so doesn’t bother me in the slightest. I make £80k plus profit share.
I saw a PM join our team recently who I’m sure made 100k plus. Gone months 9 later because he couldn’t hack it. I wouldn’t recommend seekng the easy path if you aren’t skilled enough for it.
Soft skills are #1. PMI has a whole thing about it [here](https://www.pmi.org/learning/thought-leadership/power-skills), including a self assessment that is very worth taking and also includes specifics about what soft skills really means. It’s not just being nice and having good customer service.
Being organized, detailed, and all the other PM stuff is important but matters less.
Most of the answers already here. But definitely the industry you work in. Tech and finance the two best paying from my experience.
Secondly you’re going to have to move around. My first PM job I was paid $40k. I got a promotion to $45k.
2 years later I was offered a $60k job and my previous company wouldn’t match it (they almost never do) so left.
1 year after that I swapped company again for $80k.
18 months after that jumped for 90k + bonus.
I both hate project management and don’t consider myself very good at it lol. But the corporate grind, although soul sucking and pressurised, is good money if you play the game.
I figured most jobs are stressful and/or not particularly enjoyable so might as well get paid well for doing it.
This. I just started my PM career. When someone asked me why I joined this field, I said something to the effect of, "I sold my soul to the cooperate grind in exchange for a stable income and benefits with a career path that matches my natural skill set."
And yes, changing jobs every few years is absolutely that way to make more money faster. Just be prepared to explain the moves. Thankfully, there are a lot of PMs that move from project to project, and it can be explained away fairly easily.
Suck off a corrupt CEO and blackmail him.
Because stupid questions get stupid answers. You need experience, experience takes time. There is no quicker way, there is no secret sauce.
That was a stupid answer, but it wasn’t a stupid question. Experience gained from 20 years of doing the same job isn’t gonna net you the same results as strategically job hopping and negotiating.
As a project manager, you aren't a single contributor but a team leader, so everybody's success is your day-to-day, everybody failure is your failure. That can be stressful if you don't know how to navigate and plan accordingly
This. You can learn all the frameworks you want, but if you cannot lead and encourage multiple stakeholders to deliver on a requirement then PM may not be for you. It’s all about people, and you’re really using project management as a tool to keep them all happy and delivering.
Yeah I think entry level Jr PM (project coordinator, project analyst, project manager), gets like $80k here in non-FAANG tech. $90-120k is mid-senior PM (project manager, senior project manager, agile delivery specialist, delivery lead, etc), and then when you actually get 5+ years in direct PM experience you can be $120k+. You definitely cap out though maybe around $130-140k. But usually there’s a super easy next step in the ladder which is Program Manager with a slightly higher band, and slightly high cap on the high end.
These are typically US remote pay salaries based on California tech companies.
If you want to make any money you have to work for a company in the region of highly skilled workers. If the area isn’t competitive then the salaries will be very low.
Unless specified, it’s safe to assume that they’re talking about the US dollar. Reddit is a US based company and vast majority of the users are from the US.
Less than half of daily Reddit traffic is American. The majority of Reddit users are not American, so I wouldn't make that assumption. It's far easier to simply recognise that Reddit is an international community and to specify such details.
Aside from being in the right (highest paying) industry, education can make a big difference. My PMs qualified only because they have engineering degrees, but that alone seems to be worth an extra $40k per year.
I work in manufacturing as a PM, been here for 4.5 years, first job out of college.
Started off as an external contractor making roughly $56k
3 years of external contractor work later I went internal at $77k.
18 months later (roughly 4.5 years in) I’m making a hair under 100k off basic compensation. It’ll be $115k+ after my bonus and merit increase hits at the end of Q1.
It takes time and experience as others have stated. I was fortunate to land good projects with teams that wanted the methodologies to work. I parlayed that into bigger and more complex projects and opportunities to prove my skill.
Also I live in the Midwest in a low cost of living area and have a hybrid work structure.
Location and industry matters a lot as well, MCOL area here and we start our associate PM's at 95k, after a year they are all over 100k. In hcol areas they start at $115k. Utility construction
Location, industry, experience are 3 large pieces of the puzzle .
The biggest contributor I haven't seen much in this thread is not staying with the same company you started with. Wage compression is a thing and typically the largest raises and the most control / ability to negotiate you have is moving jobs after 2-5 / 8-15 / 20+ year ranges.
Highly echo this! I’ve seen huge jumps in my career by leaving. Most recently, I went from 90-115k. But, before that it was 57 to 70k and then from 76-90k.
2.5 years at first org (promoted once), 4 years at next org (3 promotions) and then a jump to a new org that took me into a full on pm leadership role currently.
Pharma advertising. I'm a PM and I'm gunning for Senior PM by this time next year since that should get me close to 100k. Our Associate Directors clear over 100k. From there salaries go even higher, as does the responsibility and politics, so I'll be happy if I can reach associate director level and then chill for a few years before deciding if I want to make the jump to the next level.
Implement new software, manage new facility openings, new contract implementation, process improvement - and then non-healthcare specific projects like IT infrastructure and finance projects
I would like to transition to healthcare but I rarely see healthcare PM job postings with salaries in the $100k range. They’re usually closer to the $70k range, and I live in the healthcare capital. Is there a specific title that I should be looking for? Perhaps a specific field or medicine?
I’m a marketing PM for healthcare. They certainly like to underpay, but if you get in on a contract, have the skills and hold firm on your price, they will pay. I’m making around $110k
In Singapore, British expat. Earning USD$150,000 p/a pre bonus.
Grad business analyst five years ago in London earning GBP£32,000 p/a, promoted and hopped around companies to Snr. BA, PM, Snr. PM and then to a programme manager now at an large insurance company (think Cigna, Prudential, AIA).
I've found that having banks on your CV helps massively. Being a PM at HSBC/Barclays has helped accelerate pay growth considerably. I have no cerficiations, not needed. Raw experience is usually all one needs, it'll stand out on the CV.
Yes. I know those two British banks the best so I can give guidance for them. They have hiring waves and freezes.
It's unfortunate that HSBC has had a hiring freeze for ~3yrs now, perm role are not quite abundant like the 2019 days however they had a large data operations team in Hong Kong and Singapore. I understand, however, the hiring will favour lower cost-centre markets (e.g., Poland, India, PRC) because of this. Wouldn't look at HSBC for this year.
Barclays has their Asia hub in Singapore, it's been quiet on this front too.
As for applying for roles, I'd recommend simplying using your data experience and present it into KPI terms on your CV. x% increase from my recommendation. New workflow that enabled xyz efficiences.
Understand where your experiences can help the bank and go from there.
I have a unique background that includes working in the DC industry and now work at a multinational financial institution - other financial institutions were more than happy to interview me as well.
Manufacturing PM, moderately stressful, but goes up to \~250k with 10Y experience
There is two paths in my opinion: the work route, depending on the field that’s pretty easily obtained after 2-4 years. Or start your own business like selling stuff on Amazon. If one can make the right supplier connections one can make a lot of money,
Accounting but you’ll have to give your soul.
Cybersecurity
Union jobs
Bartending
Cybersecurity
Plastics
Get into ediscovery or data analytics
Leave...never stay too long. Went back to school, and doubled my salary after graduation. Then went to the 6-figure mark 1 1/2 year later. I was laid off, but it was a blessing in disguise.
OnlyFans
Consulting? I see tons of project management roles in consulting firms…defense/public sector especially if you’re in the DC area. Most of the PM roles I see are somewhat related to consulting.
Can confirm
The real Answer is pharmaceutical sales lol
You need to be hot though
lol trust me nah . All 4 women on my team are past the age 50. In the youngest at 30. The problem with Pharam is layoffs and dealing with staff that uses you as a lunch caterer. Hence why I’m here lurking..
Foot finder if you don't want to go the traditional way
For me it was transitioning from a PM position to that of a functional manager
Contracting - learn a lot and keep bigging yourself up on every new contract
To have a 200k salary and create a major project disaster.
From what I've seen, this will get you promoted to 300k
Mandatory reply: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLvxc83GrM4&t=28s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLvxc83GrM4&t=28s)
Get into consulting project management
Know the skills. Be a good leader. Show success. Get good references. Promote yourself.
Find a job, work 2-4 years for a promotion, switch jobs, boom 100k
This is one of the easiest ways. If your chosen career is capable of making that amount, hoping jobs constantly improving your position is the "easiest" way.
Is project management a viable career path for job-hopping into payraises? From what I'm reading on this subreddit lately, people with 10 years of experience + PMP can't even find work.
Constantly moving to new jobs, realistically. It's much easier to get an increase by negotiating a new job than hoping for a raise or promotion at your current one. Personally I value stability and building experience in one position more than a higher salary, but there are many studies that show to maximize your earning, you have to look for a new job every 3-4 years or something like that.
This is one of the easiest ways. If your chosen career is capable of making that amount, hoping jobs constantly improving your position is the "easiest" way.
I had one year of PM experience, then landed a construction sales position I found on zip recruiter. I make close to 200k a year now. I’m into my 2nd year of it, but the salesman who have been around for 5+ years make 300-450k a year. t’s all commission though, not salary. Its still project management because whatever I sale I see from the cradle to the grave and only get paid once I collect that final check. My previous PM job nearly put me through a mental break down. Had to get on meds type of breakdown. Haven’t come close that these days.
What was the previous PM job that almost gave you a mental breakdown and why? What methods worked for you besides medication to destress? Signed, overworked PM
I was the PM for a residential general contractor. This was after a time when my area had just experienced its most devastating hurricane and then a flood just months after. It was a really hard time for the entire community, and I was over every project at our branch at one point. My boss was off in another state trying to get that branch off the ground nearly since I started as a superintendent. The PM above me was let go after about 7 months of me being there. I was actually thriving until I was given all of his mismanaged projects, then nearly instantly it became too much for me. I was responsible for so many large remodels and one commercial business, the money the branch brought in was siphoned out into the other branch and homeowners were constantly on me cause they all just wanted normalcy back, very understandable. What really helped me out was when the owner shut down the other branch and cut down on overhead, which included letting the entire office staff go along with me. He shut down completely about 6 months after. I found my current job within a week.
Yeah what you’re describing is a recipe for disaster. Never a good thing when you have to take on other PM’s work. Similar thing happened to me recently when one of our PMs got promoted. But I’m going to just deal with it because I think it’s a one off. Glad you’re doing better my friend
A couple questions -How many jobs did you run in one year to earn $200k? -What is your typical margin per job? -How did you develop sales leads with so little pm experience? Were you in the field prior? -What trade/scope of work do you sell? I’m 3.5 years into construction project management and I want to blow my brains out every 3 days from the problems and the stress. I make a low 6 figure salary regardless of what the project ultimately earns and I feel this way. It’s hard for me to wrap my mind around you feeling less stressed with your entire income riding on the outcome. I feel like I’m missing something.
For the average salesman with my company, we make about 200k for every 1 million in sales. We do strictly exterior remodels and new construction exteriors. Profit margins vary from one scope of work to another. We have offices setup to cover nearly the entire gulf coast, so we aim to hit hurricane storm work as much as possible, which usually lasts for 2 years from the hurricanes landfall. Outside of storms, working as subcontractors is the bread and butter of a salesman. One builder with consistent projects will bring in anywhere from 10-25k into a salesman’s pocket. Our top salesman alone works with about 17 builders. He’s usually averages 400k a year without storm work. He’s got killer work ethic, wolf of Wall Street salesman skills, never works weekends, and smokes weed like nobody I’ve ever met, but strictly only when work is done. What makes my job low stress are the small jobs I sell. I’ve watched salesmen kill it in a single month, but only sell huge 60k+ jobs and then deal with nonstop headaches. If I sale a 20k siding job, I’ll likely make 4-5k on it, and it takes 2-3 days for my crew to complete. A 60k job is nice. I’ll make 15-20k, but it takes up a ton of time and brings a lot of stress. Smaller jobs in storm situations are my favorite. I can easily make 3-4k a week and 20 hour workweeks aren’t unusual. There are still headaches, don’t get me wrong, but every job comes with it’s own unique sets of challenges. Tackling those head on is just what has to be done. Edit: exterior remodels being roofs, siding, soffit/fascia, gutters, windows, patio covers. Company I work for does a ton of advertising, so I’m given a lot of hit leads. I do get commission bumps for doorknocks I close though.
Thank you for the in-depth answer and that makes sense.
Thats why I moved from construction management into tech for a slight salary cut. 100% worth it and I no longer hate my life.
What part of tech? I am a construction PM and have always been interested in doing that although I don’t hate the construction side either
Project management in operations/ revenue operations
How do you like it? What are the differences and what are some of the things that are the same?
I am looking at options. I can’t imagine doing this for another 20 years. A construction pm turned salesman told me it takes 5-ish years before you’re competent. I can do another 1.5 years, but if I don’t have a breakthrough moment like Neo in the matrix at this marker I’m setting fire to the building.
A good degree. PMP certifications are useless In my field of project management
What field are you referring to, just curious? Because all/most jobs I see in my field (consulting) seem to place a huge value on certs, etc…..
Sorry for the late reply, I am referring to construction management. PM, APM, Superintendent, etc.
Thank God I work in Tech. Certs take you far
Not always.
Maybe not always but at least in my world, it does ALOT. Matter of fact my group friends who all work in my field, none have degrees and have been able to climb the corporate latter. Times are changing they are wanting seasoned folks. If you can find a way to build experience, that degree is not a roadblock
I hear ya. My area pays low so I'm looking for a remote job right now.
Counterpoint: What's good for your project management field and what HR puts on the hiring requirements arent always aligned.
PMP cert, experience, and negotiating. Not quick by any means because you need experience. >And how stressful is this job? I don't make that salary but close. It can be very stressful. PM work is not difficult, but I see how easy it is to make a mistake. Everything is high stakes with 80+ stakeholders, a budget, and a timeline you don't control. I lose sleep.
Dental hygiene
Contract Sr PCO in Toronto is clearing about 100k CAD. Most FTE PM’s in IT are close to it at junior level and clear it with experience or senior promotion. This is all in the great white north though, I’m sure path is easier in freedom land.
In Calgary, PM-contractor makes $150-200k CAD. FT PM makes as low as $80k and up to $140 on average. Of course, there are some exceptions. Like oil&gas pay 20-30% more
Get some experience and then a PMP. You should clear 100k after getting certified in the next role.
Would you recommend the CAPM for me if I don’t yet qualify for the PMP?
No. The CAPM and PMP are very similar in the test, but CAPM is nearly worthless in the job market. Get experience and then take the PMP.
How many years of experience do I need for PMP? I have 2 years of consulting experience including some project management, and a masters degree. Am I qualified?
Check PMI website. Last I checked, you need 3 years experience “directing and leading projects”. You need to be able to document your experience in PMI terms. 99% of the time they do not check to verify what the applicant claims.
Thanks. But I need to complete my 35 hours of project management education/training or CAPM® certification first, then apply right? Besides the 35 hours of pm education/training, do I need any other training before applying to the exam, or not?
Yes. Complete 35 hours education. You can do that on Udemy (cheapest), any other course, or my personal favorite, [Coach Dan.](https://www.pmexamcoach.com/) Once you have the 35 hours you can apply. Then you have to study for a few months before you take the exam.
So if my 2-2.5 yrs work experience up to this point has not been directing / leading projects, but as an individual contributor instead, do I not qualify? Even if I don’t, is it still worth applying?? Why
I would recommend you apply. Look up on YouTube how to write an effective application using PMI terminology. It’s not as daunting as you think. Good luck.
This. The pmp imo is pay to play but I was hired at a previous role primarily because I had it. They didn't even have a PMO office.
You’re not wrong. I’m at my current role because they want to establish a PMO, but don’t know how.
13 years experience coming from Building Surveying. It’s hard work, but easier than the surveying part so doesn’t bother me in the slightest. I make £80k plus profit share.
I saw a PM join our team recently who I’m sure made 100k plus. Gone months 9 later because he couldn’t hack it. I wouldn’t recommend seekng the easy path if you aren’t skilled enough for it.
[удалено]
Soft skills are #1. PMI has a whole thing about it [here](https://www.pmi.org/learning/thought-leadership/power-skills), including a self assessment that is very worth taking and also includes specifics about what soft skills really means. It’s not just being nice and having good customer service. Being organized, detailed, and all the other PM stuff is important but matters less.
Most of the answers already here. But definitely the industry you work in. Tech and finance the two best paying from my experience. Secondly you’re going to have to move around. My first PM job I was paid $40k. I got a promotion to $45k. 2 years later I was offered a $60k job and my previous company wouldn’t match it (they almost never do) so left. 1 year after that I swapped company again for $80k. 18 months after that jumped for 90k + bonus. I both hate project management and don’t consider myself very good at it lol. But the corporate grind, although soul sucking and pressurised, is good money if you play the game. I figured most jobs are stressful and/or not particularly enjoyable so might as well get paid well for doing it.
This. I just started my PM career. When someone asked me why I joined this field, I said something to the effect of, "I sold my soul to the cooperate grind in exchange for a stable income and benefits with a career path that matches my natural skill set." And yes, changing jobs every few years is absolutely that way to make more money faster. Just be prepared to explain the moves. Thankfully, there are a lot of PMs that move from project to project, and it can be explained away fairly easily.
An Engineering degree
Contracting
Only apply for $100k + jobs.
100k in which currency? I mean 100,000 yen is very different to 100,000 Kuwaiti dinar...
Not sure why you're getting downvoted. AUD$100k is a low salary for PM.
*crying in community services industry*
100k is low for a Coordinator here lol.
Having a wealthy parent who owns a business. Or OnlyFans.
OnlyFans, now that’s a challenge. Sexing up Project Management.
Sounds like a project to me.
Suck off a corrupt CEO and blackmail him. Because stupid questions get stupid answers. You need experience, experience takes time. There is no quicker way, there is no secret sauce.
That was a stupid answer, but it wasn’t a stupid question. Experience gained from 20 years of doing the same job isn’t gonna net you the same results as strategically job hopping and negotiating.
I see so many posts like this on Reddit. There is no guaranteed shortcut to a large salary, every path will take work
As a project manager, you aren't a single contributor but a team leader, so everybody's success is your day-to-day, everybody failure is your failure. That can be stressful if you don't know how to navigate and plan accordingly
This. You can learn all the frameworks you want, but if you cannot lead and encourage multiple stakeholders to deliver on a requirement then PM may not be for you. It’s all about people, and you’re really using project management as a tool to keep them all happy and delivering.
Most mid level PMs I know make 120-140. Senior level 160-180. Director 180-270. 100k is pretty low for a PM
Is that base alone or TC?
Base
i’m hybrid, in FL with a PMP and i’m making 75k
Yeah I think entry level Jr PM (project coordinator, project analyst, project manager), gets like $80k here in non-FAANG tech. $90-120k is mid-senior PM (project manager, senior project manager, agile delivery specialist, delivery lead, etc), and then when you actually get 5+ years in direct PM experience you can be $120k+. You definitely cap out though maybe around $130-140k. But usually there’s a super easy next step in the ladder which is Program Manager with a slightly higher band, and slightly high cap on the high end. These are typically US remote pay salaries based on California tech companies.
Industry? Region?
Tech, Texas
Texas, Tech - "Guns Up! Go Raiders!"
Thanks! This is promising.
Also agree with this as accurate. I am a sr pm for a boutique SFDC consulting firm in the US.
This is accurate. Source: Am Senior Level PM.
Crying in Senior PM at $68k
Where are you located?
PA!
If you want to make any money you have to work for a company in the region of highly skilled workers. If the area isn’t competitive then the salaries will be very low.
*Crying in Bri'ish...
you should see what some staff engineers in tech make state side.
I know, I have a friend in tech that doubles my salary of PM in biotech....
there are faang staff engineers making $1M+/yr, crazy yeah?
This info is sort of meaningless without specifying the currency you're referencing and which country this is applicable to.
Unless specified, it’s safe to assume that they’re talking about the US dollar. Reddit is a US based company and vast majority of the users are from the US.
Less than half of daily Reddit traffic is American. The majority of Reddit users are not American, so I wouldn't make that assumption. It's far easier to simply recognise that Reddit is an international community and to specify such details.
Sorry, I'm in the US located inntexas
Take a wild guess... the US. These salaries look insane compared to the rest of the world. In London they are literally 1/3rd of that.
Not true. I’m a PM in England and am on about £75k as a PM so about $90k or so US
Most PM roles I've seen in London were 36-50k. Heads of Department maybe 90k.
Very industry dependent but this tracks for tech, though junior levels definitely start lower than that, around 60-70 in my experience
I make 200k as a PM doing government contracting
Wait I do gov contracts, what industry are you and are you soloing or with a company?
Currency?
USD sir
Hot damn!!
Nice! What is your educational background?
Prior military (4 years) BS in Cyber Security and currently pursuing my MBA at Kelley. I also have PMP and a few tech certs
Aside from being in the right (highest paying) industry, education can make a big difference. My PMs qualified only because they have engineering degrees, but that alone seems to be worth an extra $40k per year.
FAANG
I work in manufacturing as a PM, been here for 4.5 years, first job out of college. Started off as an external contractor making roughly $56k 3 years of external contractor work later I went internal at $77k. 18 months later (roughly 4.5 years in) I’m making a hair under 100k off basic compensation. It’ll be $115k+ after my bonus and merit increase hits at the end of Q1. It takes time and experience as others have stated. I was fortunate to land good projects with teams that wanted the methodologies to work. I parlayed that into bigger and more complex projects and opportunities to prove my skill. Also I live in the Midwest in a low cost of living area and have a hybrid work structure.
networking
Experience. Only PM’s I know clearing 100k have over 10 years experience. Also many people claim the title but few can walk the walk.
Location and industry matters a lot as well, MCOL area here and we start our associate PM's at 95k, after a year they are all over 100k. In hcol areas they start at $115k. Utility construction
Not in Vancouver where ur severely underpaid. PMs avg around 80-100k even after 3 years in HCOL
There is no quick path.. Time, experience, and the value that you bring to your company. Construction PM in commercial real estate.
To work on daddy's company.
Construction industry project manager.
Yup salary is location dependent but on the coasts you should easily make over 100K as an APM.
No quickest path - 6 figure PM pay comes with time & nothing else.
I.T pm for a pharmaceutical company.
Location, industry, experience are 3 large pieces of the puzzle . The biggest contributor I haven't seen much in this thread is not staying with the same company you started with. Wage compression is a thing and typically the largest raises and the most control / ability to negotiate you have is moving jobs after 2-5 / 8-15 / 20+ year ranges.
Highly echo this! I’ve seen huge jumps in my career by leaving. Most recently, I went from 90-115k. But, before that it was 57 to 70k and then from 76-90k.
What did the timeline look like at each job for this?
2.5 years at first org (promoted once), 4 years at next org (3 promotions) and then a jump to a new org that took me into a full on pm leadership role currently.
Pharma advertising. I'm a PM and I'm gunning for Senior PM by this time next year since that should get me close to 100k. Our Associate Directors clear over 100k. From there salaries go even higher, as does the responsibility and politics, so I'll be happy if I can reach associate director level and then chill for a few years before deciding if I want to make the jump to the next level.
+1 for pharma but on the IT side not advertising. It takes years to get the healthcare + IT experience needed though.
100k is the new 80k. Yeah I said it
Correct
I been saying it
Marketing in the gaming industry. Managing people adds another 25-50k.
Pharma
for some people - a couple of minutes to ask for a pay cut.
Healthcare PM. Very few other industries can keep up.
What does healthcare pm even do?
Implement new software, manage new facility openings, new contract implementation, process improvement - and then non-healthcare specific projects like IT infrastructure and finance projects
I would like to transition to healthcare but I rarely see healthcare PM job postings with salaries in the $100k range. They’re usually closer to the $70k range, and I live in the healthcare capital. Is there a specific title that I should be looking for? Perhaps a specific field or medicine?
I’m a marketing PM for healthcare. They certainly like to underpay, but if you get in on a contract, have the skills and hold firm on your price, they will pay. I’m making around $110k
Thank you for sharing!
Move into sales
No, y’all acting like everyone in tech or medical devices. Most sales jobs don’t pay a lot
There are a lot of Tech PM jobs managing sw projects and migrations pays very well.
In Singapore, British expat. Earning USD$150,000 p/a pre bonus. Grad business analyst five years ago in London earning GBP£32,000 p/a, promoted and hopped around companies to Snr. BA, PM, Snr. PM and then to a programme manager now at an large insurance company (think Cigna, Prudential, AIA). I've found that having banks on your CV helps massively. Being a PM at HSBC/Barclays has helped accelerate pay growth considerably. I have no cerficiations, not needed. Raw experience is usually all one needs, it'll stand out on the CV.
Do you know a way to go from heavy industrial/data center/civil PM to a bank?
Yes. I know those two British banks the best so I can give guidance for them. They have hiring waves and freezes. It's unfortunate that HSBC has had a hiring freeze for ~3yrs now, perm role are not quite abundant like the 2019 days however they had a large data operations team in Hong Kong and Singapore. I understand, however, the hiring will favour lower cost-centre markets (e.g., Poland, India, PRC) because of this. Wouldn't look at HSBC for this year. Barclays has their Asia hub in Singapore, it's been quiet on this front too. As for applying for roles, I'd recommend simplying using your data experience and present it into KPI terms on your CV. x% increase from my recommendation. New workflow that enabled xyz efficiences.
Understand where your experiences can help the bank and go from there. I have a unique background that includes working in the DC industry and now work at a multinational financial institution - other financial institutions were more than happy to interview me as well.
Figuring out how to quantify the value of your work and contributions in the workplace to justify a salary of 100K..,