National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Project Managers earn a national median of $98,580/year vs Real Estate Agents at $61,480/year. Project Managers earn 38% more nationally. The gap is $37,100 per year — or $3,092 per month.
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Project Manager
$98,580
national median/year
$8,215/mo • $47/hr
VS
Real Estate Agent
$61,480
national median/year
$5,123/mo • $30/hr
Annual salary gap
$37,100
Project Managers earn 38% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $420,539.
Best states for Real Estate Agents
vs Project Managers
Hawaii+$-11,840
Nevada+$-23,840
Maine+$-25,840
Nebraska+$-25,840
South Carolina+$-25,840
Best states for Project Managers
vs Real Estate Agents
Massachusetts+$43,840
Connecticut+$41,840
Washington+$41,840
California+$39,840
Virginia+$39,840
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Project Managers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Project Managers is $98,580 versus $61,480 for Real Estate Agents — a difference of $37,100 per year or $3,092 per month.
The national median salary gap between Project Managers and Real Estate Agents is $37,100 per year. Project Managers earn 38% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $420,539.
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 Real Estate Agents the highest median salary at $82,480 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. Project Management Specialists and Real Estate Sales Agents 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 Real Estate Agents earn approximately $30 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.
