Project Management Specialists Salary
The median pay for a project management specialists in Columbia, MO is $80,870/year ($38.88/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $130K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.44), which stretches that salary to about $90,418 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,160/month, or 22.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $81K get you in Columbia?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbia’s Regional Price Parity (89.44). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About project management specialists
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What this looks like in Columbia
Pay for project management specialists in Columbia runs about 21% below the U.S. median of $102K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,160/month, 22.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.44 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Columbia can be a reasonable trade-off for project management specialistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for project management specialists in metros near Columbia, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $101K | $106K |
| Kansas City | $101K | $109K |
| Springfield | $78K | $88K |
| Jefferson City | $80K | $91K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbia, MO
Entry-level project management specialists (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $81K. Top earners bring in $130K or more, a $78K spread from bottom to top.
Project Management Specialists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Project Management Specialists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $124K | +21% | 36,240 |
| New Jersey | $123K | +20% | 28,300 |
| Delaware | $122K | +19% | 1,770 |
| New York | $121K | +18% | 68,020 |
| California | $121K | +18% | 114,380 |
| Virginia | $121K | +18% | 43,860 |
| Massachusetts | $114K | +12% | 21,960 |
| Colorado | $110K | +8% | 32,390 |
| New Mexico | $107K | +5% | 4,330 |
| Oregon | $105K | +3% | 19,380 |
| Connecticut | $105K | +3% | 8,410 |
| District of Columbia | $105K | +3% | 5,170 |
| Rhode Island | $105K | +2% | 3,880 |
| Maryland | $104K | +2% | 30,530 |
| Illinois | $103K | +1% | 27,180 |
| Georgia | $102K | -0% | 28,900 |
| Maine | $102K | -0% | 2,620 |
| Michigan | $101K | -1% | 25,330 |
| Alabama | $101K | -1% | 3,190 |
| North Carolina | $101K | -1% | 36,200 |
| Pennsylvania | $100K | -2% | 36,150 |
| Kansas | $100K | -2% | 6,030 |
| Nevada | $100K | -2% | 8,290 |
| Alaska | $100K | -3% | 1,950 |
| Arizona | $99K | -3% | 22,920 |
| Texas | $98K | -4% | 138,960 |
| Florida | $98K | -4% | 76,370 |
| Minnesota | $98K | -4% | 18,850 |
| Wisconsin | $98K | -5% | 21,610 |
| Utah | $97K | -5% | 16,450 |
| Iowa | $97K | -6% | 6,720 |
| North Dakota | $96K | -6% | 2,020 |
| Ohio | $96K | -6% | 34,260 |
| Idaho | $96K | -7% | 5,750 |
| South Carolina | $95K | -7% | 17,040 |
| Indiana | $95K | -7% | 11,970 |
| Missouri | $95K | -7% | 21,460 |
| Wyoming | $94K | -8% | 1,180 |
| West Virginia | $92K | -10% | 2,520 |
| New Hampshire | $91K | -11% | 3,840 |
| Montana | $88K | -14% | 2,940 |
| Oklahoma | $86K | -16% | 11,220 |
| Tennessee | $86K | -16% | 20,780 |
| Louisiana | $85K | -17% | 8,050 |
| South Dakota | $82K | -20% | 1,310 |
| Kentucky | $82K | -20% | 10,250 |
| Vermont | $81K | -21% | 1,190 |
| Nebraska | $80K | -22% | 3,190 |
| Mississippi | $79K | -23% | 4,320 |
| Hawaii | $78K | -24% | 1,560 |
| Arkansas | $77K | -25% | 5,510 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track project management specialists salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a project management specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbia?
Yes — at the median salary of $81K, rent takes 22.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,160/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for project management specialists in Columbia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new project management specialists typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,090/month. At HUD’s $1,160/month FMR, rent would take 38% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is project management specialist a high-paying job in Columbia?
Local pay runs 21% below the national median — $81K here vs. $102K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Columbia compare to the national average for project management specialists?
Columbia pays $81K median vs. the U.S. average of $102K — that’s -21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.44), the purchasing-power equivalent is $90K — below the national median.
How much do project management specialists make in Columbia, MO?
The median is $80,870 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,500, and experienced project management specialists can clear $129,560. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $81K enough to live in Columbia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,184/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,160/month, which eats 22.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a project management specialists salary go in Columbia?
Columbia has a Regional Price Parity of 89.44 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median project management specialists salary is worth about $90,418 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do project management specialists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.