Project Management Specialists Salary
The median pay for a project management specialists in Virginia is $120,840/year ($58.1/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $68K at the entry level to $180K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $127,482 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,646/month, or 22.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $121K get you in Virginia?
About project management specialists
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What this looks like in Virginia
Virginia sits well above the national pay line for project management specialists, local pay runs about 18% higher than the U.S. median of $102K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,646/month, 22.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Virginia offers a genuinely strong financial position for project management specialistss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia
Entry-level project management specialists (10th percentile) start around $68K. Mid-career wages sit at $121K. Top earners bring in $180K or more, a $112K spread from bottom to top.
Project Management Specialists salary by metro in Virginia
9 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $105K | -13% | 6,040 |
| Richmond | $102K | -15% | 6,380 |
| Charlottesville | $98K | -19% | 1,010 |
| Winchester | $97K | -20% | 320 |
| Lynchburg | $95K | -22% | 740 |
| Roanoke | $91K | -25% | 930 |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft | $89K | -26% | 220 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford | $85K | -30% | 380 |
| Harrisonburg | $85K | -30% | 330 |
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a project management specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
Yes — at the median salary of $121K, rent takes 22.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for project management specialists in Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new project management specialists typically earn — is $68K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,081/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 40% 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 Virginia?
Local pay is 18% above the national median — $121K here vs. $102K nationally.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for project management specialists?
Virginia pays $121K median vs. the U.S. average of $102K — that’s +18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $127K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do project management specialists make in Virginia?
The median is $120,840 a year, that works out to about $58 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $68,020, and experienced project management specialists can clear $179,970. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $121K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,243/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 22.7% 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 Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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 $127,482 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.