Business · Best cities

Best cities for project managers

PMP-track or technical PM, mid-career. Scores combine cost-of-living-adjusted take-home pay (45%), hiring velocity from live postings (40%), and salary growth (15%).

Top pick: Atlanta, GA — Atlanta: middle-of-the-pack on after-tax, COL-adjusted income, a deep hiring market with strong senior pipeline.

01
GA
Atlanta
Atlanta: middle-of-the-pack on after-tax, COL-adjusted income, a deep hiring market with strong senior pipeline.
Score
64/100
Median pay
$103k
Real take-home
$70k
after tax, COL-adj.
Velocity
75/100
COL 109·Rent $1,825·4.9% state+local·Full Atlanta profile →
02
TX
Austin
Austin: middle-of-the-pack on after-tax, COL-adjusted income, a deep hiring market with strong senior pipeline.
Score
62/100
Median pay
$102k
Real take-home
$67k
after tax, COL-adj.
Velocity
83/100
COL 119·Rent $1,604·No state tax·Full Austin profile →
03
NC
Charlotte
Charlotte: middle-of-the-pack on after-tax, COL-adjusted income, a steady but unspectacular hiring market.
Score
62/100
Median pay
$105k
Real take-home
$75k
after tax, COL-adj.
Velocity
69/100
COL 104·Rent $1,733·4.3% state+local·Full Charlotte profile →
04
WA
Seattle
Seattle: middle-of-the-pack on after-tax, COL-adjusted income, a deep hiring market with strong senior pipeline.
Score
62/100
Median pay
$122k
Real take-home
$62k
after tax, COL-adj.
Velocity
83/100
COL 152·Rent $2,208·No state tax·Full Seattle profile →
05
TX
Houston
Houston: top-tier real take-home for project managers after rent and tax, a thinner hiring market — fewer employers to choose from, and above-average salary growth.
Score
62/100
Median pay
$112k
Real take-home
$85k
after tax, COL-adj.
Velocity
20/100
COL 102·Rent $1,619·No state tax·Full Houston profile →
06
VA
Richmond
Richmond: top-tier real take-home for project managers after rent and tax, a steady but unspectacular hiring market.
Score
61/100
Median pay
$98k
Real take-home
$80k
after tax, COL-adj.
Velocity
20/100
COL 96·Rent $1,736·No state tax·Full Richmond profile →
07
MN
Minneapolis
Minneapolis: top-tier real take-home for project managers after rent and tax, a steady but unspectacular hiring market.
Score
60/100
Median pay
$112k
Real take-home
$82k
after tax, COL-adj.
Velocity
20/100
COL 106·Rent $1,698·No state tax·Full Minneapolis profile →
08
NC
Raleigh
Raleigh: middle-of-the-pack on after-tax, COL-adjusted income, a steady but unspectacular hiring market.
Score
59/100
Median pay
$102k
Real take-home
$74k
after tax, COL-adj.
Velocity
70/100
COL 103·Rent $1,674·4.3% state+local·Full Raleigh profile →
09
PA
Philadelphia
Philadelphia: top-tier real take-home for project managers after rent and tax, a steady but unspectacular hiring market.
Score
59/100
Median pay
$108k
Real take-home
$82k
after tax, COL-adj.
Velocity
20/100
COL 102·Rent $1,901·No state tax·Full Philadelphia profile →
10
CO
Denver
Denver: middle-of-the-pack on after-tax, COL-adjusted income, a deep hiring market with strong senior pipeline.
Score
54/100
Median pay
$117k
Real take-home
$67k
after tax, COL-adj.
Velocity
74/100
COL 128·Rent $1,887·3.9% state+local·Full Denver profile →
11
AZ
Phoenix
Phoenix: middle-of-the-pack on after-tax, COL-adjusted income, a steady but unspectacular hiring market.
Score
49/100
Median pay
$101k
Real take-home
$72k
after tax, COL-adj.
Velocity
39/100
COL 107·Rent $1,741·2.2% state+local·Full Phoenix profile →
12
IL
Chicago
Chicago: middle-of-the-pack on after-tax, COL-adjusted income, a steady but unspectacular hiring market.
Score
49/100
Median pay
$105k
Real take-home
$64k
after tax, COL-adj.
Velocity
64/100
COL 121·Rent $2,219·4.9% state+local·Full Chicago profile →
13
TX
Dallas
Dallas: top-tier real take-home for project managers after rent and tax, a thinner hiring market — fewer employers to choose from, and above-average salary growth.
Score
49/100
Median pay
$110k
Real take-home
$76k
after tax, COL-adj.
Velocity
20/100
COL 112·Rent $1,660·No state tax·Full Dallas profile →
14
CA
San Francisco
San Francisco: pay doesn't stretch far once cost of living lands, a deep hiring market with strong senior pipeline.
Score
47/100
Median pay
$135k
Real take-home
$48k
after tax, COL-adj.
Velocity
82/100
COL 195·Rent $3,206·7.2% state+local·Full San Francisco profile →
15
NY
New York
New York: pay doesn't stretch far once cost of living lands, a steady but unspectacular hiring market, and above-average salary growth.
Score
44/100
Median pay
$127k
Real take-home
$46k
after tax, COL-adj.
Velocity
74/100
COL 187·Rent $3,406·9.0% state+local·Full New York profile →
16
DC
Washington
Washington: middle-of-the-pack on after-tax, COL-adjusted income, a thinner hiring market — fewer employers to choose from, and above-average salary growth.
Score
39/100
Median pay
$132k
Real take-home
$66k
after tax, COL-adj.
Velocity
20/100
COL 152·Rent $2,375·No state tax·Full Washington profile →
17
TN
Nashville
Nashville: middle-of-the-pack on after-tax, COL-adjusted income, a steady but unspectacular hiring market.
Score
38/100
Median pay
$86k
Real take-home
$64k
after tax, COL-adj.
Velocity
64/100
COL 108·Rent $1,784·No state tax·Full Nashville profile →
18
FL
Miami
Miami: pay doesn't stretch far once cost of living lands, a steady but unspectacular hiring market.
Score
32/100
Median pay
$102k
Real take-home
$58k
after tax, COL-adj.
Velocity
62/100
COL 138·Rent $2,683·No state tax·Full Miami profile →
19
MA
Boston
Boston: pay doesn't stretch far once cost of living lands, a thinner hiring market — fewer employers to choose from, and above-average salary growth.
Score
32/100
Median pay
$122k
Real take-home
$58k
after tax, COL-adj.
Velocity
20/100
COL 162·Rent $3,184·No state tax·Full Boston profile →
20
CA
Los Angeles
Los Angeles: pay doesn't stretch far once cost of living lands, a thinner hiring market — fewer employers to choose from.
Score
16/100
Median pay
$122k
Real take-home
$50k
after tax, COL-adj.
Velocity
20/100
COL 173·Rent $2,892·6.9% state+local·Full Los Angeles profile →

← All role rankings·How we score