National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Project Managers earn a national median of $98,580/year vs Social Workers at $54,150/year. Project Managers earn 45% more nationally. The gap is $44,430 per year — or $3,703 per month.
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Project Manager
$98,580
national median/year
$8,215/mo • $47/hr
VS
Social Worker
$54,150
national median/year
$4,513/mo • $26/hr
Annual salary gap
$44,430
Project Managers earn 45% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $503,627.
Best states for Social Workers
vs Project Managers
Alaska+$-30,000
West Virginia+$-30,000
Arkansas+$-32,000
Hawaii+$-32,000
Maine+$-32,000
Best states for Project Managers
vs Social Workers
Massachusetts+$56,000
New York+$56,000
Virginia+$56,000
Washington+$56,000
California+$54,000
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Project Managers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Project Managers is $98,580 versus $54,150 for Social Workers — a difference of $44,430 per year or $3,703 per month.
The national median salary gap between Project Managers and Social Workers is $44,430 per year. Project Managers earn 45% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $503,627.
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 Social Workers the highest median salary at $68,320 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. Project Management Specialists and Child, Family, and School Social Workers 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 Social Workers earn approximately $26 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.
