National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Project Managers earn a national median of $98,580/year vs Human Resources Managers at $136,350/year. Human Resources Managers earn 38% more nationally. The gap is $37,770 per year — or $3,148 per month.
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Project Manager
$98,580
national median/year
$8,215/mo • $47/hr
VS
Human Resources Manager
$136,350
national median/year
$11,363/mo • $66/hr
Annual salary gap
$37,770
Human Resources Managers earn 38% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $428,134.
Best states for Human Resources Managers
vs Project Managers
California+$50,030
New York+$50,030
Virginia+$50,030
Maryland+$46,030
New Jersey+$46,030
Best states for Project Managers
vs Human Resources Managers
Mississippi+$-20,030
North Dakota+$-20,030
West Virginia+$-20,030
Wyoming+$-20,030
Arkansas+$-24,030
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Human Resources Managers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Project Managers is $98,580 versus $136,350 for Human Resources Managers — a difference of $37,770 per year or $3,148 per month.
The national median salary gap between Project Managers and Human Resources Managers is $37,770 per year. Human Resources Managers earn 38% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $428,134.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Project Managers the highest median salary at $122,320 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Human Resources Managers the highest median salary at $172,350 per year.
Salary is one factor — Human Resources Managers earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Project Management Specialists and Human Resources Managers 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, Project Managers earn approximately $47 per hour nationally and Human Resources Managers earn approximately $66 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.
