Project Management Specialists in California
Want to work as a Project Management Specialists in California? Here’s what you need to know. 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. Excludes “Management Occupations” (11-0000), “Logisticians” (13-1081), “Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners” (13-1121), and “Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks” (43-5061).
What do Project Management Specialists Make in California?
For project management specialists working in California, wages run about $111,300 per year (or about $53.51/hour).Earnings range from $65,160 at the 10th percentile to $178,250 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $65,160 | $31.33 |
| 25th percentile | $82,590 | $39.71 |
| Median (50th) | $111,300 | $53.51 |
| 75th percentile | $145,430 | $69.92 |
| 90th percentile | $178,250 | $85.70 |
The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in California compared to the national average — is 0.97.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, project management specialists earn a median of $64,559 per year ($31.04/hour), exceeding the California median.
Employment Outlook
Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 70,422 project management specialists across the United States. In California alone, approximately 113,980 people work in this role. That’s higher than the typical state, which employs around 9,240 project management specialists.
Top California Metros for Project Management Specialists
The largest metro-area employers of project management specialists in California.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 38,920 | $103,820 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 21,650 | $132,530 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 11,390 | $107,880 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 9,630 | $136,250 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 6,710 | $99,630 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 6,460 | $118,210 |
| Fresno, CA | 1,600 | $98,240 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 1,510 | $101,590 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 1,400 | $100,970 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 1,100 | $107,060 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 1,010 | $105,830 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 930 | $100,660 |
| Modesto, CA | 690 | $98,930 |
| Vallejo, CA | 670 | $108,640 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | 620 | $101,230 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 440 | $102,160 |
| Salinas, CA | 430 | $101,510 |
| Visalia, CA | 400 | $96,920 |
| Napa, CA | 330 | $106,720 |
| Chico, CA | 310 | $100,720 |
| Redding, CA | 250 | $95,990 |
| Merced, CA | 190 | $95,490 |
| El Centro, CA | 170 | $101,420 |
| Yuba City, CA | 140 | $100,150 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | 60 | $109,700 |
Top States for Project Management Specialists Employment
The table below shows the states where the most project management specialists work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| Texas | 116,240 |
| California | 113,980 |
| New York | 68,340 |
| Florida | 65,890 |
| Virginia | 46,960 |
| Washington | 35,660 |
| Pennsylvania | 34,130 |
| Ohio | 34,000 |
| Maryland | 32,840 |
| North Carolina | 32,570 |
| Colorado | 31,810 |
| Georgia | 29,180 |
| New Jersey | 26,850 |
| Michigan | 24,450 |
| Illinois | 23,850 |
| Arizona | 23,260 |
| Missouri | 20,490 |
| Wisconsin | 20,170 |
| Massachusetts | 19,790 |
| Tennessee | 18,650 |
Highest-Paying States for Project Management Specialists
The highest-paying states for project management specialists.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $117,030 |
| Virginia | $114,990 |
| Delaware | $114,310 |
| New Jersey | $113,320 |
| California | $111,300 |
| New York | $110,490 |
| Massachusetts | $108,630 |
| Colorado | $106,960 |
| Alaska | $105,360 |
| Connecticut | $104,990 |
Daily Tasks
Day-to-day, project management specialists typically:
- Assign duties or responsibilities to project personnel.
- Communicate with key stakeholders to determine project requirements and objectives.
- Confer with project personnel to identify and resolve problems.
- Create project status presentations for delivery to customers or project personnel.
- Develop or update project plans including information such as objectives, technologies, schedules, funding, and staffing.
- Identify project needs such as resources, staff, or finances by reviewing project objectives and schedules.
- Identify, review, or select vendors or consultants to meet project needs.
- Monitor costs incurred by project staff to identify budget issues.
- Monitor project milestones and deliverables.
- Monitor the performance of project team members to provide performance feedback.
- Negotiate with project stakeholders or suppliers to obtain resources or materials.
- Plan, schedule, or coordinate project activities to meet deadlines.
Tools & Technology
Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: Adobe Acrobat, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Apple macOS, Asana, Atlassian Confluence In-demand technologies: Microsoft Excel
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Programs that train for this career include:
- Business Administration & Management
- Business & Commerce
- Construction Management
- Information Technology
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Related Careers
Related occupations to project management specialists include:
- Computer and Information Systems Managers
- Training and Development Managers
- Construction Managers
- Architectural and Engineering Managers
- Natural Sciences Managers
- Logisticians
Also Known As
Design Project Management Specialist, Grant Assistant, Human Resources Project Manager (HR Project Manager), Implementation Project Manager, Implementations Management Specialist, Movie Project Management Specialist, Planning Development Specialist, Project Administrator, Project Communications Officer, Project Controller, Project Coordinator, Project Delivery Manager, Project Management Manager, Project Management Specialist, Project Management Technical Specialist.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 13-1082.00
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