Everyone wants a job that is rewarding both mentally and financially. Project Management is a great career path for those with meticulous multitasking and leading capabilities. Whether you’re an aspiring Project Manager or already have a PMP® certificate, you’re probably here because you need more insight on which PMP® jobs to choose. Read on to learn about the top 10 highest-paying jobs you can seek in the project management industry.
A Little On PMP® Certification
A 2019 survey by the Project Management Institute (PMI) interviewed around 9,000 project managers. The research found that the average project manager devoid of a PMP® certification in the States made $100,247. That’s actually a pretty great pay, right?
Hold your horses. The average project management professional WITH a PMP® certification usually makes $123,314. That’s a staggering 23% increase compared to a non-PMP®-certified professional.
If you’re a project manager looking for higher pay, a PMP® certification can boost your career to new heights. According to the PMI, a project management professional who oversees different aspects of leading, directing, and coordinating cross-functional teams should definitely get a PMP® certification.
To learn how you can pass your PMP® certification exam in the next six weeks, sign up for a free class to get a study plan + valuable tips & tricks!
PMP® Jobs with the Highest Pay
A PMP®-certified project manager has the luxury of working with different industries. The level of expertise of a project manager can offer a high amount of remuneration as well.
However, it also depends on your years of experience and skills in a specialized field. With the appropriate certification in the project scopes, you can land PMP® jobs with an average annual pay of up to more than $100k, considering the geographic location.
Construction Project Manager
From planning and coordinating both physical and administrative tasks to monitoring the project and its stakeholders, a construction project manager, also known as a road warrior, must deal with it all. They need to juggle multiple sites amidst time constraints and unfavorable conditions.
The job also includes overseeing construction sites and managing team productivity under budget constraints. Be it the renewal of old infrastructures or developing new ones, both tasks call for construction managers to lead the team.
An individual with a bachelor’s degree in construction management, civil engineering, or building science is ideal for a career in construction management.
A construction project manager can earn up to $150k. In average, they can earn an average salary of more than $81k annually.
Engineering Project Manager
Engineers may be some of the smartest people on earth (for the most part), but more often than not, they get all caught up in the milieu and fail to see the bigger picture. That is where an engineering project manager comes in and ensures that their engineers give full attention to details and complete the task at hand within the deadline.
An engineering project manager supervises large-scale projects, maintains optimal productivity, and delivers it within monetary limitations. They also handle the client end and ensure their requirements are being met. A successful project demands quality and consistency in terms of delivery, and an engineering project manager ensures just that.
The job responsibilities include managing all-over project design, parameters and creating reports that conform to stakeholders’ regulations. These project managers work closely with engineers to find solutions to problems as they arise, which is why these professionals need to be quick thinkers.
As the job requirements state, they must possess expertise in engineering principles and be familiar with engineering applications. Someone with an engineering background or a bachelor’s degree in a related field is ideal for the position.
An engineering project manager can earn up to almost $177k and an average of over $99k annually.
PMO Manager
Among all the PMP® Jobs, a PMO Manager is perhaps the highest in demand and pay. A PMO manager oversees and guides the overall project functionalities in an organization to meet its benchmark.
A job in this field requires extensive knowledge of all processes of the PMP® role and the PMBOK®. The role involves creating a standard that aligns with the organizational goals, identifies bottlenecks in the project, and makes necessary changes to adapt accordingly.
As a PMO, you will also have to make strategic decisions, report metrics, and convey project information to your higher-ups. Training new project managers is also one of the prime responsibilities.
A job in this sector can be quite rewarding, with your salary ranging up to $100k-$200k. The average PMO manager makes around $94k annually.
Aerospace Project Manager
The design and production of aeronautical products can be pretty complex. As such, aerospace project managers are also in demand. Project managers in this sector are highly needed to avoid project delays and quality issues that consequently result in budget surpass.
The responsibilities involve and executing complex projects. An aerospace project manager acquires security clearance on projects that traditionally require copyrighted processes to avoid the increase in expense.
Someone with a degree in bachelor of science in fields related to aeronautical engineering, avionics, or aerospace can be a right fit for the job.
An aerospace project manager can earn up to higher than $110k and get average annual pay of around $85k.
Pharmaceutical Project Manager
The work of a pharmaceutical project manager involves monitoring the progress of drugs from conception till the launch in the market. Similar to many other project management jobs, this sector requires planning and marketing product launches.
The job entails working with pharmacists, biochemists and closely testing products to maintain legal and medical standards. The manager should have comprehensive knowledge of toxicology, as well as experience of working in biotech companies.
A pharmaceutical project manager can obtain certifications like ISO, LEED, Lean Process, and many more to climb up the ladder.
In the past two years, the average salary of this sector increased by more than $2k. The job offers a remuneration of up to $130k and average annual pay of around $89k.
Consulting Project Manager
Unlike other PMP® jobs, a consulting project manager has the blessing of juggling between different industries simultaneously. Since companies have started valuing project management for goal establishment, many of them are hiring consulting project managers to improve project management capabilities.
The sector can be labor-intensive, which explains the wide range of pay. Both small and large organizations need assistance managing projects. Thus, a consulting manager is required to guide the project managers. With the flexibility of shuffling multiple projects, a consulting project manager can give guidance to support PMO structures.
However, in this particular sector, you can work as either an independent consulting manager or work for a PMP®-specific project (which will restrict you to work with concurrent industries).
The remuneration of this job differs according to the number of work hours. A consulting project manager can get a job paying up to $150k annually with a 40-hour workweek.
Finance and Insurance Project Manager
You have to have tough skin to work in this sector because the job involves constant public scrutiny. This field involves constant system change and technological developments. So, this is the best fit for someone looking for a challenge.
The finance and insurance project manager needs to monitor changes and make instantaneous changes. Since the job entails challenges, the project manager should likely have the ability to think several steps forward. The job requirements include a background in accounting or finances or related fields and a basic understanding of Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL).
You will be working with business analysts and stakeholders to design a framework for projects and ensure a smooth delivery. Apart from that, reporting progress and monitoring resources as per PMO principles are also involved in this sector.
You will also require knowledge related to corporate systems and handling User Acceptance Testing (UAT).
The complexity of this job sector does pay off well, though. Finance and Insurance Project Managers can earn up to $105k and an average of around $71k annually.
Portfolio & Program Manager
This is yet another profitable job, consisting of planning, reporting, organizing, and executing many projects into one master project. A portfolio and program manager works with senior program managers and gathers inputs to develop a master structure.
You will work to improve the framework for organizational portfolios. You will also give an overview of not just a specified project but micromanage tasks. They will also provide strategic guidance to a complex project and report to C-level executives.
The salary ranges up to more than $140k and an average of more than $86k annually.
Information Technology Project Manager
Everything about this sector speaks of money. Highest pay among all the PMP® jobs, Information Technology Project manager’s role has its prerequisites including expertise in IT systems, software, data center management, and technical management.
The job requires you to involve your technical abilities with business understanding. You will often have to work with vendors and IT professionals to install or develop products.
The ones with bachelor’s degrees in Information Technology, computer science are fit for this sector. However, no need to lose faith if you’re aspiring for a career in this field and don’t have related degrees. You can opt for certifications on cybersecurity or network security.
With the appropriate certifications, job pay in this sector can go up to a whopping $178k and an average of $100k per year.
Resources Project Manager
A resources project manager works with natural resources such as coal, air, oil industry, etc. The nature of this job necessitates managing the highest production, reducing waste, and growing resources.
A resource project manager works with farmers, miners and the work environment consists of minefields and oil companies. The job requires working in remote and unfavorable work environments, thus justifying the pay. You will be required to have skills in geo and civil technical fields.
The average annual salary increased by $5k since 2018 in this field. The yearly pay can range up to an average of more than $134k.
How to Land High Paying PMP® Jobs
PMP® jobs comprise a level of expertise in establishing credibility and meeting standards enforced by PMI. If you’re someone aspiring to get a PMP® job, the first task is to get certified.
Some of the essential qualifications include APM PQ, PMP®, PRINCE2, CMI, and APM RPP. An average Project Management Professional can earn up to 25% more than someone without PMI certification.
However, you will need to gain experience according to your niche. As you enter the industry, earn a PMP® certification and gain expertise in the market, you can expand your networking reach and add on to your CV as you grow.
Final Words
Landing a high-paying job in this competitive world takes time and effort, so don’t get disheartened if it doesn’t work out on the first try.
Though many factors come into play in getting lucrative PMP® jobs, a PMP® certification is an appropriate place to start. Even in a perfect world, getting employed can be an unpleasant experience.
Which sector do you think is the best fit for you?