At The Digital Project Manager, we analyzed data of employment in project management including average annual salaries, employment numbers, and jobs per 1,000 people across the United States in project management positions.
Whether you like to admit it or not, securing a job in project management is not only defined by the skills and expertise of professionals but also by the opportunities available in different parts of the country.
Regional differences in salary, employment numbers, and job density play a significant role in shaping a project manager's career trajectory.
We analyzed the current status of careers in project management, below are the full findings from our research.
The Best 10 States for Project Management Jobs
California is the best state to work in project management
- California
- New York
- Texas
- New Jersey
- Virginia
- Washington
- Maryland
- Colorado
- Massachusetts
- District of Columbia
The 10 Worst States for Project Management Jobs
South Dakota is the worst state to work in project management
- South Dakota
- Hawaii
- West Virginia
- Vermont
- Montana
- Mississippi
- Arkansas
- Nebraska
- Louisiana
- Kansas
California Leads All States
California offers the highest salaries and the most job opportunities
California ranks as our top state, boasting a high average annual salary of $117,410 in 2023, with a steady increase in both total employment and jobs per 1,000 people.
The state’s thriving technology and entertainment industries contribute significantly to the demand for project managers, offering numerous opportunities in major cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles.
High Salaries Are a Key Differentiator
California, New York, New Jersey and Washington offer the highest salaries
States like New York, New Jersey, and Washington perform well primarily because of their high salaries, even if their employment metrics are not the highest. Salary accounts for 50% of the weighted score, giving these states a competitive edge.
New Jersey came out as the state with the highest average salary across the 3 years considered at $131,413 with Washington a distant 2nd at $118,143.
Southern States Offer the Lowest Salaries
As a geographic region, project managers get paid the least in the South
Southern states like Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi tend to have lower salaries, which significantly impacts their overall ranking, despite moderate growth in employment opportunities.
South Dakota and Hawaii Place Last
South Dakota and Hawaii offer the lowest combined job opportunities and salaries for project managers
While South Dakota has shown improvement in job availability, with a notable increase in jobs per 1,000 people, its average salary is the lowest across all states.
Hawaii ranks second to last facing challenges in offering competitive salaries and sufficient employment opportunities. With an economy heavily reliant on tourism and hospitality, it struggles to provide many opportunities for project management roles compared to other states.
States with Strong Project Management Culture
New Mexico
New Mexico offers some of the highest average salaries for project managers (nearly $109,000 on average), it's clear that certain local economies prioritize project management expertise as a key driver of growth.
Massachusetts
Meanwhile, Massachusetts is renowned for its robust tech and healthcare sectors, which naturally demand skilled project management to drive project success.
California and Texas
On the other hand, regions like California and Texas are notable for their sheer volume of project management positions.
California is a tech powerhouse, with Silicon Valley drawing in a constant demand for project managers who can navigate the ever-evolving tech landscape. It emerges as the leading state for PM specialists.
This is largely due to its significant employment numbers, with 114,640 individuals employed in 2023, and a competitive average annual salary of $117,410. The strong demand for professionals can be attributed to the state's thriving tech industry, as well as its robust entertainment and construction sectors.
Similarly, Texas, with its diverse industries ranging from energy to tech, presents a fertile ground for project managers looking to leverage their skills in varied contexts. The Lone Star state's allure also includes a burgeoning job market, with Texas leading in total employment for project management specialists.
Conclusion
For project managers navigating their career paths, this research serves as a compass, providing actionable insights into where the best opportunities lie.
Positioning yourself geographically and being open to relocating will significantly increase your job and salary prospects.
While the spotlight is on the top 10 states, there are many others that offer strong opportunities for career development in project management.
Regardless of where you work, data shows that professionals using project management software are more likely to be organized, have greater productivity, and achieve higher levels of project success.
Methodology
To rank each U.S. state we collected data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics from 2021 to 2023 for “Project Management Specialist” roles across all 50 states and included District of Columbia.
All metrics were normalized to a consistent scale (0 to 1) using Min-Max scaling to ensure comparability across states and years.
A weighted composite score was created using a weighting for each metric, based on our knowledge of the importance of each to those searching for roles.
- Salary was given the highest weight of 50%
- Total employment was given a weight of 30%
- Jobs per 1000 residents was given a 20% weight
These scores were used to rank each state, highlighting their strengths in compensation, job availability, and workforce size.
The Data
State | Score | Av. Salary 2021 > 2023 | Av. Number Employed 2021 > 2023 | Av. Jobs per 1000 residents 2021 > 2023 |
California | 0.72 | $115,177 | 99,937 | 5.74 |
New York | 0.64 | $115,903 | 61,587 | 6.80 |
Texas | 0.60 | $96,453 | 99,840 | 7.70 |
New Jersey | 0.60 | $131,413 | 20,137 | 4.95 |
Virginia | 0.57 | $113,697 | 32,703 | 8.43 |
Washington | 0.53 | $118,143 | 20,610 | 6.09 |
Maryland | 0.51 | $101,877 | 29,823 | 11.37 |
Colorado | 0.49 | $102,810 | 27,483 | 10.02 |
Massachusetts | 0.47 | $107,990 | 25,100 | 7.10 |
District of Columbia | 0.46 | $108,463 | 6,250 | 9.13 |
Florida | 0.45 | $95,720 | 58,643 | 6.40 |
New Mexico | 0.39 | $108,993 | 4,330 | 5.30 |
Illinois | 0.37 | $101,453 | 26,167 | 4.49 |
Georgia | 0.37 | $102,920 | 21,983 | 4.77 |
North Carolina | 0.37 | $100,683 | 24,160 | 5.22 |
Delaware | 0.36 | $110,013 | 1,713 | 3.76 |
Oregon | 0.36 | $93,447 | 16,987 | 8.99 |
Rhode Island | 0.34 | $102,327 | 3,047 | 6.40 |
Arizona | 0.33 | $91,773 | 22,697 | 7.53 |
Connecticut | 0.33 | $102,987 | 7,313 | 4.49 |
Minnesota | 0.32 | $96,963 | 15,930 | 5.65 |
Pennsylvania | 0.32 | $93,887 | 28,097 | 4.85 |
Michigan | 0.31 | $94,387 | 22,590 | 5.36 |
Ohio | 0.31 | $89,980 | 30,383 | 5.69 |
Wisconsin | 0.30 | $94,417 | 15,673 | 5.55 |
Alaska | 0.30 | $102,890 | 1,197 | 3.93 |
Utah | 0.29 | $90,207 | 12,393 | 7.65 |
Missouri | 0.28 | $90,890 | 17,307 | 6.16 |
Alabama | 0.27 | $106,850 | 675 | 0.34 |
New Hampshire | 0.26 | $92,887 | 3,890 | 5.93 |
Wyoming | 0.26 | $100,183 | 823 | 3.07 |
South Carolina | 0.22 | $92,920 | 7,463 | 3.44 |
Oklahoma | 0.21 | $88,493 | 7,677 | 4.77 |
Idaho | 0.19 | $85,727 | 4,347 | 5.44 |
Nevada | 0.19 | $90,643 | 4,510 | 3.19 |
Iowa | 0.17 | $87,547 | 5,413 | 3.56 |
North Dakota | 0.16 | $87,207 | 1,573 | 3.87 |
Kentucky | 0.16 | $84,840 | 7,560 | 3.98 |
Indiana | 0.16 | $85,570 | 9,603 | 3.12 |
Tennessee | 0.15 | $82,270 | 12,220 | 3.90 |
Maine | 0.15 | $86,413 | 2,110 | 3.47 |
Kansas | 0.15 | $90,217 | 2,310 | 1.68 |
Louisiana | 0.12 | $83,577 | 4,863 | 2.65 |
Nebraska | 0.12 | $84,913 | 2,217 | 2.26 |
Arkansas | 0.11 | $79,500 | 5,040 | 4.08 |
Mississippi | 0.10 | $83,917 | 2,073 | 1.84 |
Montana | 0.09 | $79,233 | 1,857 | 3.80 |
Vermont | 0.09 | $81,500 | 753 | 2.59 |
West Virginia | 0.09 | $82,137 | 1,417 | 2.09 |
Hawaii | 0.06 | $79,947 | 1,150 | 1.98 |
South Dakota | 0.05 | $77,217 | 960 | 2.20 |