Best states for a custom project manager

Q: What is the best state for custom project managers?

The best state to be a custom project manager is Rhode Island based on custom project manager salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for custom project managers?

The highest paying state for custom project managers is North Dakota based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for custom project managers?

The worst state for custom project managers is South Carolina, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Quoted expert

Elisa Chan

Rank 1 - 10
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Are you thinking of becoming a custom project manager and really want to work at Hewlett Packard Enterprise? Turns out, your chances to become a custom project manager are better in some states than others.Our research found that Rhode Island is the best state for custom project managers, while Rhode Island and Connecticut are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Rhode Island has a median salary of $112,721 and Rhode Island has the highest median salary among all 50 states for custom project managers.

The median salary for custom project managers in Rhode Island is $112,721. Compare that to the median salary in South Carolina of $78,663, which ranked worst for custom project managers, and you can see how your location is important for your career.We found that the South is best for custom project managers, and the Northeast is the worst. San Francisco, CA is the best city in the country for custom project manager jobs, where as Rhode Island is the best state in the country.

10 best states for custom project managers in 2026

1. Rhode Island
Total custom project manager jobs: 283
Average annual salary: $112,721
Lowest 10 percent earn: $88,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $143,000
Location Quotient:
1.15
Custom project manager jobs in Rhode Island
2. Massachusetts
Total custom project manager jobs: 2,249
Average annual salary: $107,857
Lowest 10 percent earn: $84,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $137,000
Location Quotient:
1.21
Custom project manager jobs in Massachusetts
3. Montana
Total custom project manager jobs: 218
Average annual salary: $109,035
Lowest 10 percent earn: $83,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $142,000
Location Quotient:
0.94
Custom project manager jobs in Montana
4. Connecticut
Total custom project manager jobs: 587
Average annual salary: $112,612
Lowest 10 percent earn: $87,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $145,000
Location Quotient:
0.88
Custom project manager jobs in Connecticut
5. Wisconsin
Total custom project manager jobs: 1,027
Average annual salary: $105,818
Lowest 10 percent earn: $81,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $136,000
Location Quotient:
0.92
Custom project manager jobs in Wisconsin
6. Virginia
Total custom project manager jobs: 2,873
Average annual salary: $102,357
Lowest 10 percent earn: $79,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $132,000
Location Quotient:
1.51
Custom project manager jobs in Virginia
7. Delaware
Total custom project manager jobs: 264
Average annual salary: $102,611
Lowest 10 percent earn: $78,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $133,000
Location Quotient:
1.04
Custom project manager jobs in Delaware
8. District of Columbia
Total custom project manager jobs: 837
Average annual salary: $110,324
Lowest 10 percent earn: $84,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $143,000
Location Quotient:
2.47
Custom project manager jobs in District of Columbia
9. California
Total custom project manager jobs: 7,687
Average annual salary: $108,655
Lowest 10 percent earn: $79,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $147,000
Location Quotient:
1.3
Custom project manager jobs in California
10. Pennsylvania
Total custom project manager jobs: 1,978
Average annual salary: $103,406
Lowest 10 percent earn: $79,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $134,000
Location Quotient:
0.84
Custom project manager jobs in Pennsylvania

Custom project manager jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a custom project manager

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a custom project manager

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Rhode Island	$112,721	$88,000	1,059,639	283
2	Massachusetts	$107,857	$84,000	6,859,819	2,249
3	Montana	$109,035	$83,000	1,050,493	218
4	Connecticut	$112,612	$87,000	3,588,184	587
5	Wisconsin	$105,818	$81,000	5,795,483	1,027
6	Virginia	$102,357	$79,000	8,470,020	2,873
7	Delaware	$102,611	$78,000	961,939	264
8	District of Columbia	$110,324	$84,000	693,972	837
9	California	$108,655	$79,000	39,536,653	7,687
10	Pennsylvania	$103,406	$79,000	12,805,537	1,978
11	Washington	$99,761	$74,000	7,405,743	2,657
12	Ohio	$96,566	$74,000	11,658,609	1,965
13	Minnesota	$97,914	$76,000	5,576,606	1,321
14	New Jersey	$102,715	$79,000	9,005,644	1,647
15	Nevada	$98,621	$72,000	2,998,039	394
16	Texas	$95,268	$74,000	28,304,596	4,567
17	Missouri	$102,154	$78,000	6,113,532	953
18	Kansas	$101,238	$78,000	2,913,123	467
19	Alaska	$100,284	$86,000	739,795	137
20	Michigan	$94,731	$72,000	9,962,311	1,352
21	New York	$97,082	$74,000	19,849,399	2,684
22	Idaho	$93,364	$69,000	1,716,943	309
23	Georgia	$92,984	$73,000	10,429,379	2,017
24	Iowa	$95,894	$74,000	3,145,711	503
25	Oregon	$93,680	$68,000	4,142,776	1,086
26	Arizona	$94,347	$70,000	7,016,270	1,011
27	New Hampshire	$91,242	$72,000	1,342,795	323
28	West Virginia	$90,650	$69,000	1,815,857	170
29	New Mexico	$87,258	$65,000	2,088,070	383
30	Florida	$92,829	$75,000	20,984,400	2,347
31	South Dakota	$89,365	$69,000	869,666	123
32	Alabama	$88,231	$69,000	4,874,747	554
33	Louisiana	$90,724	$71,000	4,684,333	345
34	Arkansas	$86,198	$67,000	3,004,279	354
35	North Carolina	$85,636	$66,000	10,273,419	1,797
36	Hawaii	$86,442	$75,000	1,427,538	160
37	Maryland	$83,643	$64,000	6,052,177	1,675
38	Indiana	$85,211	$65,000	6,666,818	943
39	Kentucky	$85,415	$66,000	4,454,189	460
40	Tennessee	$83,398	$64,000	6,715,984	1,010
41	Utah	$80,735	$60,000	3,101,833	705
42	Wyoming	$84,507	$64,000	579,315	99
43	Illinois	$84,888	$65,000	12,802,023	2,061
44	Vermont	$82,200	$65,000	623,657	145
45	Mississippi	$86,151	$67,000	2,984,100	208
46	North Dakota	$78,489	$62,000	755,393	184
47	Nebraska	$82,220	$63,000	1,920,076	394
48	Maine	$82,170	$66,000	1,335,907	209
49	Oklahoma	$82,976	$64,000	3,930,864	366
50	Colorado	$78,825	$60,000	5,607,154	982
51	South Carolina	$78,663	$61,000	5,024,369	596

Highest paying states for custom project managers

Rank	State	Avg. Custom Project Manager Salary
1	Rhode Island	$112,721
2	Massachusetts	$107,857
3	Montana	$109,035
4	Connecticut	$112,612
5	Wisconsin	$105,818
6	Virginia	$102,357
7	Delaware	$102,611
8	District of Columbia	$110,324
9	California	$108,655
10	Pennsylvania	$103,406
11	Washington	$99,761
12	Ohio	$96,566
13	Minnesota	$97,914
14	New Jersey	$102,715
15	Nevada	$98,621
16	Texas	$95,268
17	Missouri	$102,154
18	Kansas	$101,238
19	Alaska	$100,284
20	Michigan	$94,731
21	New York	$97,082
22	Idaho	$93,364
23	Georgia	$92,984
24	Iowa	$95,894
25	Oregon	$93,680
26	Arizona	$94,347
27	New Hampshire	$91,242
28	West Virginia	$90,650
29	New Mexico	$87,258
30	Florida	$92,829
31	South Dakota	$89,365
32	Alabama	$88,231
33	Louisiana	$90,724
34	Arkansas	$86,198
35	North Carolina	$85,636
36	Hawaii	$86,442
37	Maryland	$83,643
38	Indiana	$85,211
39	Kentucky	$85,415
40	Tennessee	$83,398
41	Utah	$80,735
42	Wyoming	$84,507
43	Illinois	$84,888
44	Vermont	$82,200
45	Mississippi	$86,151
46	North Dakota	$78,489
47	Nebraska	$82,220
48	Maine	$82,170
49	Oklahoma	$82,976
50	Colorado	$78,825
51	South Carolina	$78,663

Expert opinions on the best states for custom project managers

Are there any particularly good places in the United States for custom project managers to find work opportunities?
Elisa Chan
Assistant Professor of Marketing, New York Institute of Technology
Companies, big or small, will be looking for talents in e-commerce and digital marketing. But I think that there could be more demand from small/medium-sized companies looking for help in these areas.

Best states for a custom project manager

10 best states for custom project managers in 2026

1. Rhode Island

2. Massachusetts

3. Montana

4. Connecticut

5. Wisconsin

6. Virginia

7. Delaware

8. District of Columbia

9. California

10. Pennsylvania

Custom project manager jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a custom project manager

Detailed list of the best states for a custom project manager

Highest paying states for custom project managers

Expert opinions on the best states for custom project managers

Are there any particularly good places in the United States for custom project managers to find work opportunities?

Custom project manager best states FAQs

What is the best state for custom project managers?

What is the highest paying state for custom project managers?

What is the worst state for custom project managers?

Search for custom project manager jobs

Total custom project manager jobs:	283
Average annual salary:	$112,721
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$88,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$143,000
Location Quotient:	1.15