Best Cities for Project Management Specialistss

Cities ranked by purchasing power — where project management specialistss get the most value from their salary after accounting for cost of living. A score above 1.00 means better than national average.

How we calculate this: City Score = (Local Salary ÷ National Median) ÷ (Local Cost ÷ National Avg Cost). A score of 1.20 means 20% better purchasing power than average.

#	Location	Score	Raw Salary	Adjusted Salary	Rent/Income
1	DelawareState	1.18	$122,190	$120,980	13%
2	New MexicoState	1.14	$106,970	$116,272	12%
3	VirginiaState	1.14	$120,840	$116,754	16%
4	AlabamaState	1.13	$100,820	$115,752	11%
5	WashingtonState	1.13	$124,160	$115,713	18%
6	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MIMetro	1.13	$105,350	$115,515	14%
7	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WAMetro	1.11	$130,380	$114,068	20%
8	New JerseyState	1.10	$122,980	$113,033	18%
9	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CAMetro	1.10	$135,120	$112,413	28%
10	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVMetro	1.10	$127,030	$112,615	19%
11	KansasState	1.09	$100,010	$111,122	12%
12	CaliforniaState	1.07	$120,910	$109,223	22%
13	GeorgiaState	1.07	$102,140	$109,358	17%
14	MichiganState	1.07	$100,970	$109,393	13%
15	West VirginiaState	1.07	$91,780	$109,002	11%
16	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SCMetro	1.07	$105,200	$109,812	17%
17	IowaState	1.06	$96,540	$108,229	12%
18	Kansas City, MO-KSMetro	1.06	$101,050	$108,890	15%
19	New YorkState	1.05	$121,040	$107,591	18%
20	Pittsburgh, PAMetro	1.05	$99,320	$107,373	14%
21	IllinoisState	1.04	$103,470	$106,232	15%
22	MissouriState	1.04	$94,660	$106,840	13%
23	North CarolinaState	1.04	$100,820	$106,801	15%
24	OhioState	1.04	$95,770	$105,940	13%
25	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GAMetro	1.04	$103,400	$106,818	19%
26	IndianaState	1.03	$95,020	$104,994	13%
27	MassachusettsState	1.03	$114,190	$105,244	24%
28	WisconsinState	1.03	$97,580	$105,720	13%
29	Columbus, OHMetro	1.03	$98,660	$105,519	16%
30	ColoradoState	1.02	$110,050	$104,412	20%
31	Rhode IslandState	1.02	$104,680	$104,159	17%
32	North DakotaState	1.01	$96,160	$103,844	12%
33	PennsylvaniaState	1.01	$100,150	$103,247	16%
34	South CarolinaState	1.01	$95,040	$103,304	16%
35	TexasState	1.01	$98,440	$102,971	17%
36	MaineState	1.00	$101,830	$102,034	15%
37	OregonState	1.00	$105,480	$102,408	18%
38	WyomingState	0.99	$94,080	$101,161	13%
39	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NHMetro	0.99	$114,990	$101,313	27%
40	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TXMetro	0.99	$98,900	$101,749	19%
41	MinnesotaState	0.98	$97,860	$99,857	16%
42	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MDMetro	0.98	$104,160	$100,638	18%
43	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WAMetro	0.98	$108,340	$100,501	20%
44	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TXMetro	0.98	$92,130	$100,141	17%
45	IdahoState	0.97	$95,630	$99,098	15%
46	NevadaState	0.97	$99,940	$99,741	17%
47	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FLMetro	0.97	$97,780	$99,269	21%
48	ArizonaState	0.96	$99,050	$98,167	18%
49	ConnecticutState	0.96	$105,240	$97,807	18%
50	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MDMetro	0.96	$103,720	$98,034	19%
51	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WIMetro	0.96	$97,860	$98,352	18%
52	OklahomaState	0.95	$86,240	$97,446	13%
53	FloridaState	0.94	$98,070	$96,621	21%
54	UtahState	0.94	$96,720	$96,527	19%
55	AlaskaState	0.93	$99,580	$95,475	16%
56	MarylandState	0.93	$104,040	$95,275	19%
57	LouisianaState	0.92	$84,850	$94,173	15%
58	TennesseeState	0.92	$85,890	$93,869	18%
59	MississippiState	0.91	$78,870	$93,007	14%
60	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CAMetro	0.91	$108,310	$92,970	25%
61	District of ColumbiaState	0.90	$104,900	$91,776	24%
62	KentuckyState	0.90	$81,700	$92,316	14%
63	MontanaState	0.89	$87,890	$91,172	15%
64	South DakotaState	0.89	$82,250	$90,584	14%
65	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FLMetro	0.89	$98,720	$90,986	25%
66	ArkansasState	0.87	$77,170	$89,421	14%
67	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TNMetro	0.87	$85,990	$89,387	22%
68	NebraskaState	0.86	$80,150	$87,596	16%
69	New HampshireState	0.84	$90,890	$85,745	21%
70	VermontState	0.77	$80,800	$78,829	21%
71	HawaiiState	0.69	$78,000	$70,909	37%

Data Sources: Salary: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS). Cost of Living: BEA Regional Price Parities (2024). Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FY2025).