National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Accountants earn a national median of $79,880/year vs Project Managers at $98,580/year. Project Managers earn 23% more nationally. The gap is $18,700 per year — or $1,558 per month.
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Accountant
$79,880
national median/year
$6,657/mo • $38/hr
VS
Project Manager
$98,580
national median/year
$8,215/mo • $47/hr
Annual salary gap
$18,700
Project Managers earn 23% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $211,970.
Best states for Project Managers
vs Accountants
Washington+$30,000
Massachusetts+$26,000
Virginia+$26,000
California+$24,000
Colorado+$24,000
Best states for Accountants
vs Project Managers
Arkansas+$-10,000
Mississippi+$-10,000
West Virginia+$-10,000
Kentucky+$-12,000
Louisiana+$-12,000
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Project Managers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Accountants is $79,880 versus $98,580 for Project Managers — a difference of $18,700 per year or $1,558 per month.
The national median salary gap between Accountants and Project Managers is $18,700 per year. Project Managers earn 23% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $211,970.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Accountants the highest median salary at $98,320 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Project Managers the highest median salary at $122,320 per year.
Salary is one factor — Project Managers earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Accountants and Auditors and Project Management Specialists both have different educational paths, licensing requirements, and long-term growth projections. Use salary as a starting point, not the only factor.
Based on a standard 2,080-hour work year, Accountants earn approximately $38 per hour nationally and Project Managers earn approximately $47 per hour. Actual hourly rates vary based on overtime, part-time work, and whether the role is salaried or hourly.
Methodology: Salary data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024-2025. Figures represent median annual wages for wage and salary workers. Self-employed excluded. Hourly rates calculated at 2,080 hours per year. State salary figures from same BLS OES dataset. Updated annually.
