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Salary comparison

Accountants and Auditors vs. Project Management Specialists: Who Earns More?

Project Management Specialistss out-earn Accountants and Auditorss by $19K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Accountants and Auditorss land at $83,680 and Project Management Specialistss at $102,320. The education gap is real: accountants and auditor programs typically require bachelor's degree, while project management specialist programs require bachelor's degree. Top-paying state for Accountants and Auditorss is District of Columbia ($111,530); for Project Management Specialistss it's Washington ($124,160).

Accountants and Auditors
Project Management Specialists
Median salary
$83,680
$102,320
Hourly rate
$40.23/hr
$49.19/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$56,020
$61,580
Senior level (90th %)
$144,090
$167,970
Education required
Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
U.S. employment
1,449,500
1,066,670
Job growth (10-year)
4.6%
5.6%
Category
Business & Finance
Business & Finance
Top-paying state
District of Columbia
Washington

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Accountants and Auditors median pay.

State
Accountants and Auditors
Project Management Specialists
District of Columbia
$111,530
$104,900
New York
$102,640
$121,040
New Jersey
$100,830
$122,980
Massachusetts
$99,460
$114,190
Connecticut
$97,550
$105,240
California
$97,050
$120,910
Colorado
$97,030
$110,050
Washington
$96,550
$124,160
Rhode Island
$95,820
$104,680
Delaware
$95,020
$122,190
Virginia
$93,290
$120,840
Maryland
$89,370
$104,040
Oregon
$85,800
$105,480
Illinois
$80,230
$103,470
New Mexico
$78,580
$106,970

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Accountants and Auditorss or Project Management Specialistss?

Project Management Specialistss earn more nationally. The median is $83,680 for Accountants and Auditorss versus $102,320 for Project Management Specialistss, a difference of $19K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Accountants and Auditors or Project Management Specialists?

Project Management Specialists has the better 10-year outlook at 5.6% projected growth, compared to 4.6% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Accountants and Auditors or Project Management Specialists?

Accountants and Auditors typically requires bachelor's degree. Project Management Specialists requires bachelor's degree. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Accountants and Auditorss get paid the most?

District of Columbia is the top-paying state for Accountants and Auditorss at $111,530/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Accountants and Auditors vs. Project Management Specialists pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In District of Columbia, Accountants and Auditorss earn $111,530 vs. $104,900 for Project Management Specialistss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Accountants and Auditors salary breakdownView →Full Project Management Specialists salary breakdownView →Best cities for Accountants and Auditorss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Project Management Specialistss by take-home payExplore →How to become a accountants and auditorsGuide →How to become a project management specialistsGuide →