Key takeaways
- BLS reports 1,046,300 project management specialist jobs in 2024 and projects 1,105,000 in 2034.
- The detailed projection is 5.6 percent growth, a gain of 58,700 jobs. The handbook rounds the rate to 6 percent.
- About 78,200 openings are projected each year from 2024 to 2034, including replacement needs.
- The 2024 national median annual wage was $100,750.
- BLS lists a bachelor's degree as typical entry education, but industries and project types need different domain knowledge.
Table of contents
What project management specialists employment and wage statistics show in 2026
The latest federal sources available in 2026 put the occupation at 1,046,300 jobs in 2024. BLS projects 1,105,000 jobs in 2034, an increase of 58,700.
The detailed projection rate is 5.6 percent. The Occupational Outlook Handbook displays 6 percent because it rounds to a whole number. These are consistent figures.
BLS projects about 78,200 openings per year. That total includes new positions and openings created when workers change occupations or leave the labor force.
| Statistic | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Employment, 2024 | 1,046,300 | BLS OOH and projections |
| Projected employment, 2034 | 1,105,000 | BLS OOH and projections |
| Projected numeric change | 58,700 | BLS projections |
| Detailed projected growth | 5.6% | BLS projections |
| Rounded projected growth | 6% | BLS OOH |
| Average annual openings | 78,200 | BLS OOH |
| Median annual wage, 2024 | $100,750 | BLS OOH |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | BLS projections |
| Self-employed share, 2024 | 1.8% | BLS projections |
The project management specialist wage benchmark
The 2024 median annual wage was $100,750. A median is the midpoint of employee wages, not a universal offer or freelance billing rate.
Project scope, industry, location, technical domain, and responsibility for budgets or vendors change the market level. Employers should define those elements before choosing a range.
The latest OEWS release covers May 2025, but every statistic must retain its reference year. Publication in 2026 does not turn a 2024 median into a 2026 wage.
What a project management specialist does
BLS describes specialists as coordinating a project's budget, schedule, staffing, and other details. O*NET lists developing plans, monitoring milestones, assigning duties, reporting status, and communicating with stakeholders.
A job brief should identify project types, decision authority, budget responsibility, systems, reporting cadence, and handoffs. Candidates can then distinguish coordination from program leadership or administrative support.
BLS lists a bachelor's degree as typical entry education. That national category does not require every employer to use the same screening rule.
Onboarding implications for project management specialists
The first week should provide a current portfolio view, project charters, decision owners, risks, reporting templates, and access to planning systems.
A useful handoff distinguishes what the specialist may decide, what needs approval, and how overdue work is escalated. Unclear authority often causes more trouble than the choice of scheduling software.
Early checks can focus on accurate status reports, risk visibility, stakeholder follow-through, and the quality of the next agreed plan.
Limits of project management employment statistics
National data combines many industries and project types. It cannot price one software implementation, construction program, marketing launch, or client-service portfolio.
OEWS excludes self-employed workers, so the wage figures should not be used as contractor fee benchmarks.
Employment projections describe a national direction over ten years. They do not predict whether one employer will fill a role quickly.
Sources and methodology
We matched the topic to SOC 13-1082 and used the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook plus the underlying 2024 to 2034 projection table for headline figures. The detailed table reports 5.6 percent growth, while the handbook rounds it to 6 percent. The latest May 2025 OEWS release was checked for current survey context without relabeling 2024 figures. O*NET, SOC, BLS skills data, CareerOneStop, and the broader BLS overview support role-scope interpretation. Employee wages do not establish contractor billing rates.
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Project Management SpecialistsAugust 28, 2025. 2024 pay, employment, projected growth, openings, duties, education, and industry data.
- BLS Occupational projections and worker characteristicsAugust 28, 2025. SOC 13-1082 projection row and worker characteristics.
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2025 releaseMay 15, 2026. Latest OEWS national release and methods context.
- BLS May 2025 national occupation tableMay 15, 2026. National estimates by occupation.
- BLS May 2025 occupation profilesMay 2026. Current detailed occupation-profile index.
- BLS Project Management skills dataAugust 28, 2025. Skill score and 2024 to 2034 employment values.
- O*NET Project Management SpecialistsUpdated 2026. Tasks, skills, technology, and work activities for SOC 13-1082.
- BLS 2018 SOC definition 13-10822018 SOC. Federal definition and occupation boundary.
- CareerOneStop Project Management Specialists profileAccessed August 3, 2026. Department of Labor sponsored occupation and local-market profile.
- BLS Business and Financial Occupations overviewAugust 28, 2025. Broader occupational-group context.
Source count: 10. Last verification date: August 3, 2026.
Related research
FAQ
How many project management specialists work in the United States?
BLS reports 1,046,300 jobs in 2024 for SOC 13-1082.
What is the median wage?
The national median annual wage was $100,750 in 2024.
How fast is the occupation projected to grow?
The detailed projection is 5.6 percent from 2024 to 2034. The handbook rounds this to 6 percent.
How many openings are projected each year?
About 78,200 openings per year from 2024 to 2034.
Does the BLS wage equal a contractor rate?
No. OEWS employee wages exclude self-employed workers and do not represent contractor billing rates.
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