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City manager salary
Average city manager salary
$76,188
Average City Manager Salary Overview
The average salary for a City Manager in the United States is $76,188 per year, translating to about $37 per hour. Factors such as location, experience, and the size of the municipality can significantly influence earnings. For instance, city managers in larger cities often command higher salaries due to increased responsibilities and budgetary complexities.
Salary Variance by State
Salaries for city managers vary widely across states, with some of the highest-paying states including California and New York. In these states, managers can earn upwards of $100,000 annually. Conversely, rural areas may offer lower compensation but often provide a lower cost of living.
Career Opportunities
A career as a city manager can provide a pathway to leadership roles within local government. Opportunities for advancement often exist in larger municipalities or specialized departments. For those interested in pursuing this field, gaining experience in public administration or local government can be invaluable.
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Where can a City Manager earn more?
City manager salary estimates from across the web
Average city manager salary by state
The average city manager salary in California, Washington, and Nevada are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average city manager salary states are Kansas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for city managers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $97,844 | $47.04 |
| 2 | New York | $94,079 | $45.23 |
| 3 | California | $108,870 | $52.34 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $90,786 | $43.65 |
| 5 | Washington | $107,683 | $51.77 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $96,401 | $46.35 |
| 7 | Virginia | $86,595 | $41.63 |
| 8 | Alaska | $83,554 | $40.17 |
| 9 | Texas | $76,278 | $36.67 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $85,262 | $40.99 |
| 11 | Delaware | $78,364 | $37.67 |
| 12 | Ohio | $71,483 | $34.37 |
| 13 | Arizona | $76,648 | $36.85 |
| 14 | Missouri | $66,093 | $31.78 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $65,989 | $31.73 |
| 16 | Oregon | $74,748 | $35.94 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $79,968 | $38.45 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $74,526 | $35.83 |
| 19 | New Mexico | $76,658 | $36.85 |
| 20 | Illinois | $67,523 | $32.46 |
| 21 | Maryland | $70,629 | $33.96 |
| 22 | Florida | $68,491 | $32.93 |
| 23 | Michigan | $67,627 | $32.51 |
| 24 | Minnesota | $68,569 | $32.97 |
| 25 | Hawaii | $75,613 | $36.35 |
| 26 | Utah | $57,276 | $27.54 |
| 27 | Louisiana | $65,512 | $31.50 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $58,250 | $28.00 |
| 29 | West Virginia | $61,638 | $29.63 |
| 30 | New Hampshire | $64,852 | $31.18 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $61,061 | $29.36 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $59,137 | $28.43 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $59,407 | $28.56 |
| 34 | North Dakota | $61,212 | $29.43 |
| 35 | Georgia | $56,353 | $27.09 |
| 36 | Montana | $58,113 | $27.94 |
| 37 | Indiana | $52,949 | $25.46 |
| 38 | Vermont | $61,625 | $29.63 |
| 39 | Kansas | $52,213 | $25.10 |
| 40 | Iowa | $52,420 | $25.20 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $50,202 | $24.14 |
| 42 | South Dakota | $54,460 | $26.18 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $50,075 | $24.07 |
| 44 | Alabama | $56,270 | $27.05 |
| 45 | Colorado | $59,393 | $28.55 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $53,559 | $25.75 |
| 47 | Wyoming | $54,739 | $26.32 |
| 48 | Idaho | $53,964 | $25.94 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $49,685 | $23.89 |
| 50 | Maine | $48,769 | $23.45 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $37,635 | $18.09 |
Highest paying cities for city managers
The highest-paying cities for city managers are Hayward, CA, Seattle, WA, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hayward, CA | $113,360 | $54.50 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $109,178 | $52.49 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $96,841 | $46.56 |
| 4 | Long Beach, NY | $94,461 | $45.41 |
| 5 | Virginia Beach, VA | $86,830 | $41.75 |
| 6 | Bridgeport, CT | $85,345 | $41.03 |
| 7 | Las Cruces, NM | $79,803 | $38.37 |
| 8 | Austin, TX | $78,157 | $37.58 |
| 9 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $75,827 | $36.46 |
| 10 | Portland, OR | $74,304 | $35.72 |
| 11 | Cleveland, OH | $73,927 | $35.54 |
| 12 | Baltimore, MD | $71,029 | $34.15 |
| 13 | Minnetonka, MN | $68,299 | $32.84 |
| 14 | Miami, FL | $68,138 | $32.76 |
| 15 | Chicago, IL | $67,994 | $32.69 |
| 16 | Eastpointe, MI | $67,824 | $32.61 |
| 17 | Philadelphia, PA | $66,430 | $31.94 |
| 18 | Denver, CO | $59,171 | $28.45 |
| 19 | Helena, MT | $58,480 | $28.12 |
| 20 | Atlanta, GA | $56,241 | $27.04 |
City manager salary details
A city manager's salary ranges from $40,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $142,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a city manager's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $142,000 | $11,833 | $68 |
| 75th Percentile | $106,000 | $8,833 | $51 |
| Average | $76,188 | $6,349 | $37 |
| 25th Percentile | $54,000 | $4,500 | $26 |
| 10th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
Highest paying city manager jobs
The highest paying types of city managers are president, chief executive officer, and vice president.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vice President | $158,637 | $13,220 | $76.27 | 119,530 |
| President | $192,329 | $16,027 | $92.47 | 49,413 |
| Chief Of Staff | $130,835 | $10,903 | $62.90 | 124,272 |
| Owner | $90,334 | $7,528 | $43.43 | 86,486 |
| Co-Owner | $86,704 | $7,225 | $41.68 | 52,915 |
| Chief Finance Officer | $143,947 | $11,996 | $69.21 | 145,184 |
Top companies hiring city managers now:
Which companies pay city managers the most?
City manager salaries at Apple and Uber Technologies are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average city manager salary at companies like Mastercard and Icma-rc are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apple | $143,742 | $69.11 |
| 2 | Uber Technologies | $122,727 | $59.00 |
| 3 | Mastercard | $110,563 | $53.16 |
| 4 | Icma-rc | $108,658 | $52.24 |
| 5 | Observable | $103,615 | $49.81 |
| 6 | UGI | $99,861 | $48.01 |
| 7 | Constellation Energy Partners | $98,082 | $47.15 |
| 8 | GPAC | $93,775 | $45.08 |
| 9 | Pacifi | $91,932 | $44.20 |
| 10 | Bank of America | $89,469 | $43.01 |
| 11 | Medical Billing | $87,946 | $42.28 |
| 12 | Abercrombie & Fitch Co | $79,007 | $37.98 |
| 13 | Ernst & Young | $78,565 | $37.77 |
| 14 | Cma | $77,936 | $37.47 |
| 15 | Victoria's Secret | $75,689 | $36.39 |
| 16 | City of Astoria | $71,957 | $34.59 |
| 17 | City of Baltimore | $71,703 | $34.47 |
| 18 | Crete Carrier | $68,852 | $33.10 |
| 19 | 1 8 3 Lanes | $68,637 | $33.00 |
| 20 | Remote Year | $66,573 | $32.01 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
City Manager salary by industry
The average city manager salary varies across industries:
- The average city manager salary in the start-up industry is $66,720, the highest of any industry.
- The average city manager salary in the finance industry is $57,275.
- City managers in the hospitality industry earn an average salary of $38,842, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for city managers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Start-up | $66,720 | $32.08 |
| 2 | Transportation | $57,275 | $27.54 |
| 3 | Government | $54,843 | $26.37 |
| 4 | Media | $49,178 | $23.64 |
| 5 | Hospitality | $38,842 | $18.67 |
High paying city manager jobs
City manager salary trends
The average city manager salary has risen by $7,801 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average city manager earned $68,387 annually, but today, they earn $76,188 a year. That works out to a 3% change in pay for city managers over the last decade.
Compare city manager salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average city manager salary over time
Compare city manager salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
City manager salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $76,200 | $36.63 | +0.8% |
| 2024 | $75,600 | $36.34 | -2.8% |
| 2023 | $77,700 | $37.35 | +3.3% |
| 2022 | $75,100 | $36.10 | +1.1% |
| 2021 | $74,200 | $35.70 | +3.4% |
Recently added city manager salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| International City Management | City Manager | Franklin, NH | 06/30/2025 | $160,000 |
| Dutch Bros Coffee | Broista-Heber City | Heber, UT | 06/28/2025 | $16,696 |
| International City Management | Assistant City Manager | Danville, VA | 06/27/2025 | $180,000 |
| International City Management | City Manager | Muskegon Heights, MI | 06/27/2025 | $100,000 |
| International City Management | Assistant City Manager | Clayton, MO | 06/27/2025 | $132,162 |
| Hornblower Group | Event Manager (Restaurant Manager)-City Cruises Hornblower | Newport Beach, CA | 06/27/2025 | $43,827 |
| Saia | Dockworker-Kansas City | Kansas City, KS | 06/26/2025 | $52,175 |
| Alcatraz Cruises | Event Manager (Restaurant Manager)-City Cruises Hornblower | Newport Beach, CA | 06/26/2025 | $43,827 |
| Hornblower | Event Manager (Restaurant Manager)-City Cruises Hornblower | Newport Beach, CA | 06/25/2025 | $43,827 |
| International City Management | City Manager | Blaine, MN | 06/21/2025 | $234,000 |
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