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Salary comparison

Business Operations Specialists, All Other vs. Project Management Specialists: Who Earns More?

Project Management Specialists out-earn Business Operations Specialists, All Other by $19K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Business Operations Specialists, All Other land at $83,050 and Project Management Specialists at $102,320. The education gap is real: business operations specialists, all other programs typically require bachelor's degree, while project management specialist programs require bachelor's degree. Top-paying state for Business Operations Specialists, All Other is District of Columbia ($108,160); for Project Management Specialists it's Washington ($124,160).

Business Operations Specialists, All Other
Project Management Specialists
Median salary
$83,050
$102,320
Hourly rate
$39.93/hr
$49.19/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$47,880
$61,580
Senior level (90th %)
$150,010
$167,970
Education required
Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
U.S. employment
1,087,090
1,066,670
Job growth (10-year)
3%
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 Business Operations Specialists, All Other median pay.

State
Business Operations Specialists, All Other
Project Management Specialists
District of Columbia
$108,160
$104,900
Maryland
$101,500
$104,040
Washington
$100,360
$124,160
Delaware
$95,040
$122,190
Massachusetts
$93,270
$114,190
Colorado
$92,520
$110,050
New Jersey
$91,060
$122,980
Rhode Island
$88,130
$104,680
California
$87,570
$120,910
Connecticut
$85,530
$105,240
Virginia
$85,200
$120,840
New York
$83,450
$121,040
Illinois
$82,070
$103,470
New Mexico
$79,100
$106,970
Oregon
$77,170
$105,480

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Business Operations Specialists, All Other or Project Management Specialists?

Project Management Specialists earn more nationally. The median is $83,050 for Business Operations Specialists, All Other versus $102,320 for Project Management Specialists, a difference of $19K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Business Operations Specialists, All Other or Project Management Specialists?

Project Management Specialists has the better 10-year outlook at 5.6% projected growth, compared to 3% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Business Operations Specialists, All Other or Project Management Specialists?

Business Operations Specialists, All Other typically requires bachelor's degree. Project Management Specialists requires bachelor's degree. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Business Operations Specialists, All Other get paid the most?

District of Columbia is the top-paying state for Business Operations Specialists, All Other at $108,160/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Business Operations Specialists, All Other vs. Project Management Specialists pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In District of Columbia, Business Operations Specialists, All Other earn $108,160 vs. $104,900 for Project Management Specialists. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Business Operations Specialists, All Other salary breakdownView →Full Project Management Specialists salary breakdownView →Best cities for Business Operations Specialists, All Other by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Project Management Specialists by take-home payExplore →How to become a business operations specialists, all otherGuide →How to become a project management specialistsGuide →