Project Management Specialists Salary
The median pay for a project management specialists in Louisiana is $84,850/year ($40.79/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $56K at the entry level to $144K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.28), which stretches that salary to about $97,216 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,191/month, or 22.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Louisiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $85K get you in Louisiana?
About project management specialists
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What this looks like in Louisiana
Pay for project management specialists in Louisiana runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $102K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,191/month, 22% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.28 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Louisiana can be a reasonable trade-off for project management specialistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisiana
Entry-level project management specialists (10th percentile) start around $56K. Mid-career wages sit at $85K. Top earners bring in $144K or more, a $87K spread from bottom to top.
Project Management Specialists salary by metro in Louisiana
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington | $97K | +14% | 480 |
| Lake Charles | $93K | +9% | 350 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | $91K | +7% | 340 |
| Baton Rouge | $87K | +2% | 2,290 |
| New Orleans-Metairie | $85K | +1% | 2,090 |
| Lafayette | $81K | -5% | 660 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $80K | -6% | 480 |
| Monroe | $79K | -7% | 250 |
| Alexandria | $78K | -8% | 150 |
| Hammond | $76K | -10% | 100 |
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Louisiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a project management specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisiana?
Yes — at the median salary of $85K, rent takes 22% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,191/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for project management specialists in Louisiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new project management specialists typically earn — is $56K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,384/month. At HUD’s $1,191/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 Louisiana?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $85K here vs. $102K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Louisiana compare to the national average for project management specialists?
Louisiana pays $85K median vs. the U.S. average of $102K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $97K — below the national median.
How much do project management specialists make in Louisiana?
The median is $84,850 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $56,400, and experienced project management specialists can clear $143,780. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $85K enough to live in Louisiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,421/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,191/month, which eats 22% 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 Louisiana?
Louisiana has a Regional Price Parity of 87.28 (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 $97,216 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.