# Project Management Specialists

> 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.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/project-management-specialists
- SOC code: 13-1082.00
- Career family: Business and finance
- Median annual pay: $102,320 (10th percentile $61,580, 90th percentile $167,970)
- Projected growth: Faster than average, +6.7%
- Openings a year: 76,500
- Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code ECS)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 8 |
| Investigative (I) | 29 |
| Artistic (A) | 10 |
| Social (S) | 39 |
| Enterprising (E) | 88 |
| Conventional (C) | 76 |

## What you'd do

- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 93/100)
- Getting Information (importance 90/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 86/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 84/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 84/100)
- Scheduling Work and Activities (importance 79/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 78/100)
- Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others (importance 77/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 75/100)
- Analyzing Data or Information (importance 74/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Monitoring, Writing, Active Learning, Coordination, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Time Management

## Knowledge

English Language, Administration and Management, Administrative, Customer and Personal Service, Computers and Electronics, Communications and Media, Personnel and Human Resources, Mathematics, Economics and Accounting, Education and Training

## Also called

Design Project Management Specialist, Fiber Project Manager, HR Project Manager (Human Resources Project Manager), Implementation Project Manager, Movie Project Management Specialist, Planning Development Specialist, Project Administrator (Project Admin), Project Controller, Project Coordinator, Project Delivery Manager

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Business Administration, Management and Operations](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5202) (CIP 5202, 2,372 colleges)
- [Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1110) (CIP 1110, 1,184 colleges)
- [Business/Commerce, General](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5201) (CIP 5201, 975 colleges)
- [Construction Management](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5220) (CIP 5220, 185 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Carnegie Mellon University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/carnegie-mellon-university-406) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $97,419 | $160,783 | $19,000 |
| [University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor-main-campus-2956) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $96,806 | $144,654 | $19,500 |
| [University of California-Berkeley CAL](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-california-berkeley-cal-2881) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $94,811 | $144,599 | $10,656 |
| [Rochester Institute of Technology](https://www.collegesref.com/college/rochester-institute-of-technology-2250) | Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | $99,592 | $138,679 | $26,124 |
| [University of Pennsylvania UPENN](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-pennsylvania-upenn-3009) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $108,743 | $136,806 | $19,250 |
| [Emory University-Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/emory-university-main-campus-916) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $87,830 | $136,731 | $15,000 |
| [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill-main-campus-2990) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $88,182 | $135,874 | $9,250 |
| [Baylor University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/baylor-university-194) | Business/Commerce, General | $75,807 | $124,434 | $12,000 |

## Related careers

- [Information Technology Project Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/information-technology-project-managers): $116,580 median pay
- [Management Analysts](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/management-analysts): $101,860 median pay
- [Computer and Information Systems Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/computer-and-information-systems-managers): $175,140 median pay
- [Logisticians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/logisticians): $82,320 median pay
- [Administrative Services Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/administrative-services-managers): $114,130 median pay
- [General and Operations Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/general-and-operations-managers): $105,770 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.