National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Project Managers earn a national median of $98,580/year vs Operations Managers at $107,580/year. Operations Managers earn 9% more nationally. The gap is $9,000 per year — or $750 per month.
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Project Manager
$98,580
national median/year
$8,215/mo • $47/hr
VS
Operations Manager
$107,580
national median/year
$8,965/mo • $52/hr
Annual salary gap
$9,000
Operations Managers earn 9% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $102,018.
Best states for Operations Managers
vs Project Managers
New York+$18,260
California+$16,260
Hawaii+$14,260
Maryland+$14,260
New Jersey+$14,260
Best states for Project Managers
vs Operations Managers
Mississippi+$-2,260
North Dakota+$-2,260
Alaska+$-4,260
Arkansas+$-4,260
Louisiana+$-4,260
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Operations Managers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Project Managers is $98,580 versus $107,580 for Operations Managers — a difference of $9,000 per year or $750 per month.
The national median salary gap between Project Managers and Operations Managers is $9,000 per year. Operations Managers earn 9% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $102,018.
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 Operations Managers the highest median salary at $138,580 per year.
Salary is one factor — Operations Managers earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Project Management Specialists and General and Operations 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 Operations Managers earn approximately $52 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.
