How To Become A Project Coordinator: What It Is and Career Path

Q: How long does it take to become a Project Coordinator?

It takes 5 years of professional experience to become a project coordinator. That is the time it takes to learn specific project coordinator skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education. If you include the normal education requirements to complete a college degree, then it takes 8 to 10 years years to become a project coordinator.

Q: How do I become a project coordinator with no experience?

To become a project coordinator with no experience in the role, you'll need a certain level of experience within your industry. If you are highly organized with excellent communication skills and wish to plan, initiate, delegate, budget, and control projects, you can apply for project coordinator positions.

Q: Is project coordinator a good job?

Project coordinator is a good job for people who enjoy problem-solving and overseeing teams to achieve goals promptly. A project coordinator is responsible for the planning, execution, and completion of a project. It's a job that is not only growing but pays nicely also. That's because it takes time to work up to this level of managing multiple teams.

Q: What is the career path for a project coordinator?

The career path for project coordinators typically combines a bachelor's degree and work experience. Project coordinators can work in a variety of fields and come from different backgrounds. Not all coordinators require a college degree.

Q: What is the difference between a project coordinator and a project manager?

The difference between a project coordinator and a project manager is that the manager ultimately has more responsibility and delegates tasks to the coordinator. The coordinator then reports to the manager, and the two work together to complete projects within budget.

Q: Project Coordinator vs. Project Manager

A project coordinator helps a company with administrative tasks for specific projects and makes sure that everything is running smoothly, while a project manager provides leadership to project coordinators and team members and oversees all aspects of a project.

What is a project coordinator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Matthew Gilbert,

Brian Starr Ph.D.

A project coordinator is responsible for organizing and overseeing various aspects of a project, ensuring that deadlines are met and goals are achieved. They work closely with project managers, team members, and stakeholders to ensure that everyone is on the same page. Project coordinators create schedules, track progress, communicate with team members and manage budgets. They also identify potential issues and develop contingency plans. Strong communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills are essential for success.

What general advice would you give to a project coordinator?

Matthew Gilbert

Lecturer of Marketing, Coastal Carolina University

The unique circumstances caused by COVID-19 have impacted every area of our lives. New graduates will likely find themselves in a more challenging situation than was the case previously. Given this, I encourage graduates who are just beginning their careers to be ACES: adaptive, communicative, effective, and supportive. ACES is a slang term meaning being highly regarded; in the context of the suggested acronym, consider the following explanation.

Adaptive: Remain open to top unexpected opportunities. Venturing into a new normal requires flexibility and openness; this could mean taking a job that wasn't considered, but recognizing it could yield skills, connections, and experience that could be useful in future endeavors.

Communicative: Leverage LinkedIn to network professionally and politely for opportunities, but don't connect with someone and immediately ask for a job. Call your contacts and catch up without a specific agenda; you never know what ideas might emerge. Email individuals, you respect for insights and advice.

Effective: Make use of your time to learn new skills or acquire certifications that demonstrate the value you can add to an organization. Consider volunteering for a cause close to your heart; it makes you feel better, but you could connect personally and/or professionally with new people.

Supportive: Finding a job in a normal year is challenging enough, but in a pandemic, it's an entirely different experience. Keep in contact with your friends and fellow graduates; even a short message asking how they're doing or inviting them to a social distance coffee together could brighten a day you didn't know was dark for someone else.

ScoreProject CoordinatorUS Average

Salary

3.9

Avg. Salary $50,375

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

8.0

Growth rate -8%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

4.2

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.64%

Asian 5.28%

Black or African American 9.70%

Hispanic or Latino 19.09%

Unknown 4.73%

White 60.57%

Gender

female 62.26%

male 37.74%

Age - 48

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 48

Stress level

8.0

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.7

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.2

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a project coordinator?

Pros

Exposure to various industries and projects
Opportunity for career advancement
Chance to work on high-profile projects
Collaborative work environment
Good salary and benefits

Cons

High stress levels due to tight deadlines and project demands
Involvement in conflicts between team members or stakeholders
Communication challenges due to the involvement of various stakeholders
Difficulties in managing project scope, budget, and schedule
Potential for lack of job stability due to reliance on project-based employment

Key steps to become a project coordinator

Explore project coordinator education requirements

Most common project coordinator degrees

Bachelor's

66.1 %

Associate

14.0 %

Master's

11.9 %

Start to develop specific project coordinator skills

Skills	Percentages
Project Management	15.49%
Customer Service	10.58%
PowerPoint	7.38%
Data Entry	5.36%
Purchase Orders	4.76%

Complete relevant project coordinator training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New project coordinators learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a project coordinator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real project coordinator resumes.

Research project coordinator duties and responsibilities

Create and lead Smartsheet training for team members.
Manage timely delivery of regular deliverables to the CIO.
Project manages all aspects of office redesign to include; new furniture, layout, logistics, and telephony requirements.
Manage FTP site for all projects and coordinate with all consultants and clients to help upload and download auto cad drawings.

Prepare your project coordinator resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your project coordinator resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a project coordinator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable project coordinator resume templates

Build a professional project coordinator resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your project coordinator resume.

Apply for project coordinator jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a project coordinator job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first project coordinator job

Laura Avilés Colton

Project Coordinator

After years of crafting unforgettable guest experiences, I transitioned into a role that allowed me to channel my passion for creating memorable moments into promoting entire destinations. Starting my career in hospitality, I honed my customer service skills, learned to navigate high-pressure environments, and developed a keen eye for detail. The hospitality industry demands not only exceptional interpersonal skills but also a strong sense of organization to ensure seamless operations and guest satisfaction.

Recognizing my aptitude for organization and leadership, I transitioned into the role of an office coordinator for a Destination Marketing Organization (Discover Puerto Rico). In this capacity, I had the opportunity to fine-tune my organizational skills, managing administrative tasks, streamlining workflows, and facilitating effective communication within the office. This experience not only reinforced my ability to handle multiple responsibilities but also highlighted my knack for creating efficient systems.

As I continued to excel in my role as an office coordinator, the next natural progression was into project coordination. My background in hospitality added a unique dimension to my approach, bringing a customer-centric perspective to project management.

Becoming a Project Coordinator allowed me to leverage my extensive experience in both hospitality and office coordination. I found myself orchestrating projects with the precision and attention to detail developed in the hospitality industry, while also implementing efficient office management practices to ensure smooth project workflows. The challenges of project coordination resonate with my love for dynamic environments, and my leadership skills have found a perfect outlet in guiding teams toward shared goals.

In this role, I not only draw upon my past experiences but continually strive to learn and adapt, ensuring that I stay at the forefront of effective project management practices. The journey from hospitality to office coordination and finally to Project Coordinator has been a fulfilling progression that has allowed me to synthesize my diverse skill set into a role where I can make a significant impact and contribute to the success of complex projects.

How do project coordinators rate their job?

5/5

Based on 2 ratings

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Project coordinator reviews

5.0

A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2020

Pros

I believe being genuine and true to yourself, is an essential combination for people in my field. Skills such as Leadership, Critical thinking, problem solving, communication and presentation skills, managing time and people at the same time, networking, planning and many more, are developed as we attain experience in this field. The usage of clear and concise communication to interact professionally with co-workers, supervisors and to the managers. Working in a team with people from diverse backgrounds with a deep understanding and awareness of differences in both individuals and organizations. I am focused and attentive to details when addressing high-volume tasks to meet the deadlines. I am inspired by making a positive impact to whatever task is assigned. These qualities and skills will help to support your company’s mission and I could become a great asset to your company, while reflecting positively on the professionalism in its employees.

Cons

So, basically I do not if my work is organized or systematic. I would redo my work in that case. I always like it in a systematic way. I also do not like if someone is planning according to the schedule. I always have my work schedule and work according to that.

5.0

A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2019

Pros

Managing projects & expanding my computer & soft skills.

Cons

The people I work with.

Project coordinator FAQs

What is a project coordinator and how to become one

What general advice would you give to a project coordinator?

What are the pros and cons of being a project coordinator?

Project coordinator career paths

Key steps to become a project coordinator

Explore project coordinator education requirements

Most common project coordinator degrees

Start to develop specific project coordinator skills

Complete relevant project coordinator training and internships

Research project coordinator duties and responsibilities

Prepare your project coordinator resume

Choose from 10+ customizable project coordinator resume templates

Apply for project coordinator jobs

How did you land your first project coordinator job

Average project coordinator salary

How do project coordinators rate their job?

Project coordinator reviews

Project coordinator FAQs

How long does it take to become a Project Coordinator?

How do I become a project coordinator with no experience?

Is project coordinator a good job?

What is the career path for a project coordinator?

What is the difference between a project coordinator and a project manager?

Project Coordinator vs. Project Manager

Search for project coordinator jobs

Project coordinator jobs by state