Project Management Specialists Salary
The median pay for a project management specialists in Illinois is $103,470/year ($49.75/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $65K at the entry level to $164K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.85), which stretches that salary to about $110,250 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,407/month, or 21.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Illinois. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $103K get you in Illinois?
About project management specialists
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What this looks like in Illinois
Project management specialists pay in Illinois tracks closely to the national median, $103K locally vs. $102K nationwide, a 1% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,407/month, 22.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.85 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Illinois
Entry-level project management specialists (10th percentile) start around $65K. Mid-career wages sit at $103K. Top earners bring in $164K or more, a $99K spread from bottom to top.
Project Management Specialists salary by metro in Illinois
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peoria | $124K | +20% | 730 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $105K | +2% | 21,040 |
| Decatur | $103K | -1% | 60 |
| Bloomington | $101K | -2% | 460 |
| Springfield | $100K | -3% | 490 |
| Kankakee | $96K | -7% | 70 |
| Rockford | $95K | -8% | 390 |
| Champaign-Urbana | $91K | -12% | 310 |
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Track project management specialists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Illinois numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a project management specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Illinois?
Yes — at the median salary of $103K, rent takes 22.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,407/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for project management specialists in Illinois?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new project management specialists typically earn — is $65K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,918/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 36% 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 Illinois?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $103K locally vs. $102K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Illinois compare to the national average for project management specialists?
Illinois pays $103K median vs. the U.S. average of $102K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $110K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do project management specialists make in Illinois?
The median is $103,470 a year, that works out to about $50 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $65,300, and experienced project management specialists can clear $163,910. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $103K enough to live in Illinois?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,338/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 22.2% 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 Illinois?
Illinois has a Regional Price Parity of 93.85 (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 $110,250 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.