A quick guide to project manager salaries
The project manager is a crucial role within a team, from planning and developing the project approach to coordinating the workforce and updating stakeholders on progress. It’s a job that requires a wide and varied selection of skills to be carried out successfully.
While a project manager salary will change throughout your career, working within security cleared sectors will help to ensure it remains lucrative. Choose a sector to specialise in that pays well and that you can see yourself in for an extended period.
Project management salary
The average project manager salary in the UK is £45,147 per year, according to Glassdoor, with around £3,644 in additional pay. Starting salaries tend to be around £28,000, but in security cleared industries can be significantly higher.
A senior project manager salary is £63,481 on average, but those with a security clearance can often command somewhere in the region of £72,000 a year. The sector, geographical location and your level of experience will all impact how much you can expect to get paid.
Bonuses can make up a large part of the cash compensation project managers receive, especially when they have an established track record of delivery. That means it’s among the project manager interview questions you can ask a potential employer, as it may affect your decision to take a particular job.
Project management salary by role
Project manager is a generic job title, with many roles within the discipline reflecting the specialisms of a position. For example, a systems project manager will be highly experienced with computer operating systems and large-scale business operating systems.
While they will still need the organisational and communication skills associated with an experienced project manager, their role is more specialist. The average base pay for this type of project manager is £44,360 per year.
Other project manager roles include IT project manager and engineering project manager. These compensate at an average of £49,988 and £53,426 annually, making them particularly lucrative areas of the discipline to go into.
Take a look at all the project manager jobs available to compare salaries by role.
Project management salary by sector
Security cleared sectors like central government, nuclear facilities, aerospace industries and telecommunications providers need project managers too. Putting together a project team, developing plans and delivering on their execution follows the same project management principles as elsewhere, but can come with a higher average salary.
The average annual project manager salaries in these sectors are:
- Central government - £48,154
- Nuclear facilities - £48,256
- Aerospace industries - £47,763
- Telecommunications - £48,256
As these are averages, those just starting out in project management cannot expect to command them straight away. With experience and continual professional development, it’s possible to achieve these figures and surpass them during a successful career.
What salary should I ask for in a project manager role?
Project manager job ads should always provide an indication of the salary on offer. You should weigh this against your level of experience, certifications and demonstrable skills you’ve developed throughout your career.
Understanding the different project manager salaries available in different sectors and at various stages in your career should act as a benchmark for pay negotiations. Always enquire into bonuses and any additional cash compensation to get the full picture of what to expect in return for taking a project manager role.
Peruse our selection of the latest project manager jobs now.