Project Management Specialists Salary
The median pay for a project management specialists in Salinas, CA is $102,400/year ($49.23/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $62K at the entry level to $160K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 109.04), so that salary is closer to $93,910 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,684/month, about 42.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $102K get you in Salinas?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Salinas’s Regional Price Parity (109.04). 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 Salinas
Project management specialists pay in Salinas tracks closely to the national median, $102K locally vs. $102K nationwide, a 0% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,684/month, which is 43.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 109.04), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for project management specialists in metros near Salinas, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $108K | $95K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $135K | $117K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $117K | $105K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $135K | $122K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Salinas, CA
Entry-level project management specialists (10th percentile) start around $62K. Mid-career wages sit at $102K. Top earners bring in $160K or more, a $98K 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 Salinas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a project management specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Salinas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $102K, rent takes 43.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,684/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for project management specialists in Salinas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new project management specialists typically earn — is $62K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,710/month. At HUD’s $2,684/month FMR, rent would take 72% 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 Salinas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $102K locally vs. $102K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Salinas compare to the national average for project management specialists?
Salinas pays $102K median vs. the U.S. average of $102K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 109.04), the purchasing-power equivalent is $94K — below the national median.
How much do project management specialists make in Salinas, CA?
The median is $102,400 a year, that works out to about $49 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $61,840, and experienced project management specialists can clear $159,870. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $102K enough to live in Salinas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,230/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,684/month, which eats 43.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a project management specialists salary go in Salinas?
Salinas has a Regional Price Parity of 109.04 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median project management specialists salary is worth about $93,910 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.