National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Nurses earn a national median of $89,010/year vs Project Managers at $98,580/year. Project Managers earn 11% more nationally. The gap is $9,570 per year — or $798 per month.
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Nurse
$89,010
national median/year
$7,418/mo • $43/hr
VS
Project Manager
$98,580
national median/year
$8,215/mo • $47/hr
Annual salary gap
$9,570
Project Managers earn 11% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $108,479.
Best states for Project Managers
vs Nurses
Virginia+$30,000
Maryland+$23,000
Massachusetts+$20,000
Texas+$20,000
New York+$19,000
Best states for Nurses
vs Project Managers
Hawaii+$16,000
California+$9,150
Alaska+$5,920
Nevada+$1,000
Oregon+$-3,000
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Project Managers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Nurses is $89,010 versus $98,580 for Project Managers — a difference of $9,570 per year or $798 per month.
The national median salary gap between Nurses and Project Managers is $9,570 per year. Project Managers earn 11% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $108,479.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Nurses the highest median salary at $131,470 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. Registered Nurses 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, Nurses earn approximately $43 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.
