National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Project Managers earn a national median of $98,580/year vs Registered Nurses at $93,600/year. Project Managers earn 5% more nationally. The gap is $4,980 per year — or $415 per month.
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Project Manager
$98,580
national median/year
$8,215/mo • $47/hr
VS
Registered Nurse
$93,600
national median/year
$7,800/mo • $45/hr
Annual salary gap
$4,980
Project Managers earn 5% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $56,450.
Best states for Registered Nurses
vs Project Managers
Hawaii+$22,480
Alaska+$14,480
California+$10,980
Nevada+$10,080
Oregon+$8,080
Best states for Project Managers
vs Registered Nurses
Virginia+$20,320
Texas+$15,920
Georgia+$12,320
Delaware+$10,320
Illinois+$10,320
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Project Managers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Project Managers is $98,580 versus $93,600 for Registered Nurses — a difference of $4,980 per year or $415 per month.
The national median salary gap between Project Managers and Registered Nurses is $4,980 per year. Project Managers earn 5% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $56,450.
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 Registered Nurses the highest median salary at $133,300 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 Registered Nurses 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 Registered Nurses earn approximately $45 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.
