National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Police Officers earn a national median of $72,280/year vs Project Managers at $98,580/year. Project Managers earn 36% more nationally. The gap is $26,300 per year — or $2,192 per month.
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Police Officer
$72,280
national median/year
$6,023/mo • $35/hr
VS
Project Manager
$98,580
national median/year
$8,215/mo • $47/hr
Annual salary gap
$26,300
Project Managers earn 36% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $298,118.
Best states for Project Managers
vs Police Officers
Virginia+$44,000
North Carolina+$36,000
Texas+$36,000
Georgia+$34,000
New York+$34,000
Best states for Police Officers
vs Project Managers
Alaska+$-4,000
Hawaii+$-6,000
California+$-14,000
Wyoming+$-14,000
Nevada+$-16,000
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Project Managers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Police Officers is $72,280 versus $98,580 for Project Managers — a difference of $26,300 per year or $2,192 per month.
The national median salary gap between Police Officers and Project Managers is $26,300 per year. Project Managers earn 36% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $298,118.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Police Officers the highest median salary at $108,320 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. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers 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, Police Officers earn approximately $35 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.