Project Management Specialists Salary
The median pay for a project management specialists in Lafayette, LA is $80,720/year ($38.81/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $53K at the entry level to $132K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.21), which stretches that salary to about $92,558 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,019/month, or 20% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $81K get you in Lafayette?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lafayette’s Regional Price Parity (87.21). 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 Lafayette
Pay for project management specialists in Lafayette runs about 21% below the U.S. median of $102K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,019/month, 19.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.21 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Lafayette 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 Lafayette, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | $87K | $95K |
| New Orleans-Metairie | $85K | $92K |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington | $97K | $105K |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $80K | $94K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lafayette, LA
Entry-level project management specialists (10th percentile) start around $53K. Mid-career wages sit at $81K. Top earners bring in $132K or more, a $80K 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 Lafayette?
Yes — at the median salary of $81K, rent takes 19.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,019/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for project management specialists in Lafayette?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new project management specialists typically earn — is $53K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,171/month. At HUD’s $1,019/month FMR, rent would take 32% 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 Lafayette?
Local pay runs 21% below the national median — $81K here vs. $102K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Lafayette compare to the national average for project management specialists?
Lafayette pays $81K median vs. the U.S. average of $102K — that’s -21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $93K — below the national median.
How much do project management specialists make in Lafayette, LA?
The median is $80,720 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,850, and experienced project management specialists can clear $132,480. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $81K enough to live in Lafayette?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,194/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,019/month, which eats 19.6% 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 Lafayette?
Lafayette has a Regional Price Parity of 87.21 (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 $92,558 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.