Project Management Specialists Salary
The median pay for a project management specialists in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC is $85,490/year ($41.1/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $53K at the entry level to $160K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.49), which stretches that salary to about $96,610 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,095/month, or 19.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $85K get you in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton’s Regional Price Parity (88.49). 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton
Pay for project management specialists in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $102K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,095/month, 20.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $105K | $108K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $102K | $104K |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $105K | $107K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $100K | $107K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
Entry-level project management specialists (10th percentile) start around $53K. Mid-career wages sit at $85K. Top earners bring in $160K or more, a $107K 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
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a project management specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Yes — at the median salary of $85K, rent takes 20.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,095/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for project management specialists in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new project management specialists typically earn — is $53K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,170/month. At HUD’s $1,095/month FMR, rent would take 35% 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $85K here vs. $102K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton compare to the national average for project management specialists?
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton pays $85K median vs. the U.S. average of $102K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $97K — below the national median.
How much do project management specialists make in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
The median is $85,490 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,840, and experienced project management specialists can clear $159,810. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $85K enough to live in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,390/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,095/month, which eats 20.3% 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton has a Regional Price Parity of 88.49 (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 $96,610 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.