National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Teachers earn a national median of $63,680/year vs Project Managers at $98,580/year. Project Managers earn 55% more nationally. The gap is $34,900 per year — or $2,908 per month.
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Teacher
$63,680
national median/year
$5,307/mo • $31/hr
VS
Project Manager
$98,580
national median/year
$8,215/mo • $47/hr
Annual salary gap
$34,900
Project Managers earn 55% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $395,602.
Best states for Project Managers
vs Teachers
Virginia+$45,980
Washington+$43,000
Colorado+$42,580
Texas+$40,000
California+$36,330
Best states for Teachers
vs Project Managers
Wyoming+$-14,140
Rhode Island+$-17,000
West Virginia+$-18,450
Mississippi+$-21,490
Nebraska+$-22,000
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Project Managers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Teachers is $63,680 versus $98,580 for Project Managers — a difference of $34,900 per year or $2,908 per month.
The national median salary gap between Teachers and Project Managers is $34,900 per year. Project Managers earn 55% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $395,602.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, New York pays Teachers the highest median salary at $89,240 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Project Managers the highest median salary at $122,320 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. Elementary and Middle School Teachers and Project Management Specialists 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, Teachers earn approximately $31 per hour nationally and Project Managers earn approximately $47 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.
