I’ve always been fascinated by how creatively a project manager handles his job. No matter what industry these professionals are working in, they always handle the work efficiently and make sure the project is handled successfully.
Handling this job isn’t easy as it demands a strong set of skills. That’s why, the jobs in this field are usually very high-paying just like business analyst jobs. If you have strong organizational skills, leadership abilities, and problem-solving capabilities, this could be the ideal career for you.
If you’re also interested in picking this career path, I have compiled a list of the top 12 project management jobs with high salaries for you.
What Makes Project Management a Lucrative Career?
Roles in project management are much sought for in many different fields. Businesses are ready to pay top cash for experts able to effectively plan, run, and monitor projects. In project management, elements causing great pay are as follows:
- Industry Demand: Sectors like IT, construction, and healthcare have complex projects requiring skilled managers.
- Experience & Expertise: The more specialized your skills, the higher your earning potential.
- Certifications: PMP (Project Management Professional) and PRINCE2 certifications can significantly boost salaries.
Top 12 High-Paying Project Management Jobs:
Project management is a vast field and covers different professional sectors. So, the jobs I’ll be covering in the section below are related to multiple sectors and you can pick the one according to your passion and preferences.
1. Marketing Project Manager:
Average Salary: $85,000 – $120,000 per year
The first and foremost job title that I am going to discuss here is Marketing Project Manager. Marketing is a big field and companies have to handle it in a completely managed way.
So, they prefer hiring a project manager who’s experienced in the field of marketing. This job title includes overseeing all the marketing campaigns and initiatives being executed by a company.
As a manager, you’ll be required to handle both traditional and modern (digital) marketing campaigns. Keep in mind that more marketing-related responsibilities might be applied to you according to the nature and requirements of the company.
Key Responsibilities:
- Developing and implementing marketing campaigns.
- Managing the employees of the marketing wing.
- Creating detailed analytical performance reports.
- Developing and optimizing marketing budget.
Best For People:
- With a high knowledge of marketing.
- Interest in modern media.
- High creative skills.
2. IT Project Manager:
Average Salary: $100,000 – $140,000 per year
The field of Information Technology is very high-paying in general. So, the project managers in this field get some great paychecks as well. IT is also a very vast and complex field and each project has to be handled carefully. That’s where you, as an IT project manager, will come into the scene.
As an IT manager, you’ll have to overview the whole project and make sure it is built and delivered on time. You will have to manage the project budget and help team members collaborate with each other easily. The best thing about this job is that it does not require deep knowledge of IT. Only surface-level knowledge would be enough.
Key Responsibilities:
- Developing IT projects and assigning roles to team members.
- Managing and optimizing budget.
- Creating an environment of collaboration.
- Establish and maintain project timeline.
Best For People With:
- An interest in the IT industry.
- Deep analytical skills.
- Creativity and communication skills.
🔮 Pro Tip
Having basic knowledge of agile methodologies can set you apart from competitors.
3. Construction Project Manager:
Average Salary: $95,000 – $135,000 per year
If your interests lie more in the offline world rather than online, the construction project manager is one of the best project management jobs for you. This employment requires helping construction businesses manage and finish projects. Companies usually give the manager a building site to manage.
There are different projects that this job demands. For example, you will have to develop projects by collaborating with construction professionals including civil engineers. Also, handling workers and managing the budget comes under your authority as well.
Key Responsibilities:
- Project planning and execution
- Workforce management and collaboration
- Budget management
- Safety management
Best For People With:
- A knowledge of the construction field.
- Leadership skills
- Budget and workforce management skills
4. Project Management Consultant:
Average Salary: $80,000 – $135,000 per year
One of the best things about the PM field is that, sometimes, you don’t actually have to handle the role of a manager. You can become a project management consultant and provide your expertise indirectly to the companies. Sometimes, companies have proper business management teams but lack the guidance of an expert.
With the right skill set and knowledge, you can provide this guidance to the management team and help them deal with projects easily. You have to oversee the management wing and find operational faults. You need to develop team best practices to improve task efficiency.
Key Responsibilities:
- Use different project management tools for collaboration and management.
- Oversee the projects to identify and fix flaws.
- Provide guidance about budget management.
- Deal with stakeholders and provide progress reports properly.
Best For People With:
- Creative analytical thinking.
- A deep knowledge of management.
- Considerable experience in the field.
🔮 Pro Tip
Consulting provides flexibility and, with experience, higher earning potential.
5. Health Services Project Manager:
Average Salary: $90,000 – $130,000 per year
Just like marketing and Information Technology, the healthcare sector is pretty vast as well. Healthcare institutions require the help of project managers to oversee and handle their projects. Health services project managers supervise projects for hospitals, clinics, and government healthcare initiatives.
Your main role will include overseeing different tasks and making sure they’re completed with maximum efficiency. These activities can range from scheduling staff to opening a hospital extension. These responsibilities differ by firm but focus on project completion.
Key Responsibilities:
- Developing projects and setting goals to achieve.
- Manage staff and budget.
- Execute compliance with healthcare laws and regulations.
- Manage risk involved in the tasks.
Best For People With:
- A background in the healthcare sector.
- Strong communication and organizational skills.
- Deep understanding of healthcare laws.
6. Financial Project Manager:
Average Salary: $100,000 – $140,000 per year
Another one of the best project management jobs is financial project manager. Some companies prefer hiring people to manage only a specific responsibility and a financial project manager is one of them.
As the job title explains, it includes handling the finances of a project and making sure it’s done within the budget. A financial PM is supposed to come up with an optimized budget for every task and make sure it is within the expenditure limits of the company.
He also tries to cut extra expenses in order to make savings for the company. Besides that, the expert has to handle the cash flow and make sure that the budget doesn’t fall short during the execution of the project.
Key Responsibilities:
- Developing an optimized budget for projects.
- Allocating financial resources to different teams properly.
- Using different techniques to save financial resources.
- Maintain a steady cash flow for the project.
Best For People With:
- Deep analytical thinking ability.
- Good financial management knowledge.
- Effective budget creation and management skills.
📍 FACTS
Financial PMs often work in banks, investment firms, or large corporations.
7. Supply Chain Project Manager:
Average Salary: $95,000 – $130,000 per year
As mentioned earlier, people sometimes need help with handling certain aspects of a business and supply chain is one of them. The way a company manages its supply chain can directly have an impact on the overall profit it makes.
So, as a supply chain project manager, you will be optimizing the supply chain so that companies can make more profit. It is a very interesting job where you get to oversee different aspects of a company’s supply chain.
Key Responsibilities:
- Develop and implement strategies for optimizing the supply chain.
- Spot and reduce unnecessary expenses.
- Plan and use the most efficient routes for logistics.
- Coordinate with stakeholders to report the supply chain performance.
Best For People With:
- Deep knowledge about the functionalities of a supply chain.
- Understanding of how logistics work.
- Good organizational and communicational skills.
8. Electrical Project Manager:
Average Salary: $105,000 – $145,000 per year
Nowadays, almost every small and big business operation runs on electricity. Professional electricians are available for electrical work, but corporations need a PM to organise. A company’s electrical department is your responsibility as an electrical project manager.
It can involve things like planning electrical installation and regulating safety precautions. You will also be responsible to communicate and coordinate with electrical engineers and general workers in order to handle the project smoothly. Besides that, completing tasks in the decided budget will also be a responsibility in this job title.
Key Responsibilities:
- Develop and implement detailed electrical projects.
- Maintain compliance with the best safety standards.
- Design an optimized budget for the electrical projects.
- Communicate and work with electrical engineers.
Best For People With:
- A decent knowledge of the electrical field.
- Effective communication skills.
- Understanding of the latest safety rules and regulations.
9. eDiscovery Project Manager:
Average Salary: $100,000 – $140,000 per year
Another one of the top project management jobs with a high salary is eDiscovery Project Manager. This job title is related to both law and electronically saved information. Many big companies have to keep a proper record of all the data they generate or use such as emails, messages, contracts, etc.
This data can come in handy while dealing with laws and regulations. In case a company is under a lawsuit, it has to provide all the relevant information as evidence. An eDiscovery Project Manager makes sure that he identifies, collects, and shares the right type of information with the legal team so that it can handle the lawsuit properly.
Key Responsibilities:
- Oversee eDiscovery projects.
- Store and manage information and data efficiently.
- Provide the right type of information to the law professionals whenever needed.
- Collaborate with IT teams in order to store information safely.
Best For People With:
- A strong law background.
- An understanding of how information is stored safely on the Internet.
- Deep research and analytical skills.
📍 FACTS
Previously linked with law companies, eDiscovery project managers are now working in corporate sectors to efficiently manage digital evidence and compliance-related data.
10. PMO Manager:
Average Salary: $110,000 – $150,000 per year
Another interesting job title that pays handsomely in this field is PMO manager. Big companies usually have different managers to handle different aspects. Then, they need another well-experienced manager to oversee all of them.
A PMO manager is supposed to oversee these professionals and make sure that the PM wing of the company is working up to standards. He keeps an eye on the ongoing operations in different departments and makes sure that all the working operations and methodologies are being applied the right way in order to achieve the goals.
As an office manager, you will also have to communicate and work with different PMs and guide them wherever they need help. You’ll also be hearing issues that are arising in the management and help solve them as efficiently as possible.
Key Responsibilities:
- Define and apply project management standards and methodologies.
- Oversee multiple PMs working in different departments.
- Make sure that each project is being handled according to the set standards.
- Help managers solve any problems to maintain efficiency.
Best For People With:
- High expertise in the PM field.
- Strong leadership and problem-solving skills.
- Understanding the latest and the most efficient PM methodologies.
11. Manufacturing Project Manager:
Average Salary: $95,000 – $130,000 per year
If you want to work in a manufacturing company with your PM skills, becoming a manufacturing project manager will be the right fit for you. Project management roles like these pay well but need knowledge. You’ll manage multi-project manufacturing and ensure their success.
As a manufacturing PM, you’ll have to coordinate with different company departments including engineering, production, and supply chain. Besides project management, you will also have to oversee the quality checking department to maintain the quality standard of the product.
Key Responsibilities:
- Create comprehensive project plans.
- Develop and maintain a manufacturing budget.
- Coordinate with multiple teams including engineering and logistics.
- Identify and deal with potential risks involved in the manufacturing procedure.
Best For People With:
- In-depth knowledge of the manufacturing process.
- Good leadership and communication skills.
- Problem-solving skills.
12. Agile Project Manager:
Average Salary: $105,000 – $145,000 per year
Last but not least, picking the job title of agile project manager can be pretty beneficial as well. One of the main goals of almost every business is to be more efficient so that it can grow in the market faster. An expert in the field, this person knows how to boost teamwork and project efficiency utilising agile approaches.
As an agile PM, you’re supposed to implement some of the top agile practices so that projects can be completed faster and workers face very less obstacles while working. To do so, you will break down big goals into small and easily achievable tasks that teams can complete easily.
Key Responsibilities:
- Efficiently planning and organizing projects.
- Using the latest and the best agile practices to handle tasks.
- Effectively break down bigger goals into small projects and tasks.
- Track project performance and make changes in the practices if required.
Best For People With:
- Strong understanding of agile practices.
- Strong communication and leadership skills.
- The ability to be flexible and adaptable.
📍 FACT
This job is usually associated with the software development industry. However, other sectors can have this role as well.
Final Verdict
Project management is a huge field and you can find project management jobs that pay well in almost every sector. Companies are always on the lookout for talented individuals who can manage different aspects of the company in order to make it work more smoothly.
The discussed titles are some of the best ones in this regard. Analyze where your expertise and interests lie and then pick a relevant career path. Invest in your skills, earn certifications, and watch your career soar!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
What jobs does a project manager do?
A project manager’s primary job is to manage different aspects of a project in order to complete it successfully.
Is PM a hard job?
Yes, PM can be a challenging job since you have to handle multiple things in order to manage and complete a project.
What field of project management pays the most?
There are many project management jobs that pay a lot. You can make a lot of money as a PM consultant or finance PM. Their wages might reach $134,079 and $125,131.
What is 90% of a project manager’s job?
There are different responsibilities and roles involved in the PM’s job. However, communicating with people and organizing projects is the major part of this job.
