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Best states for a project manager, lead developer
Quoted expert
Dr. Stephen Frezza Ph.D.
- Rank 1 - 10
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- 41 - 51
It seems like project managers, lead developer are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for project managers, lead developer aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. Although there are abundant project manager, lead developer jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the Midwest. Washington is the best state in the country for project manager, lead developer jobs.
To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for project managers, lead developer.Washington is the best state, and Windsor is the city with the highest pay for project managers, lead developer.
10 best states for project managers, lead developer in 2025
1. Washington
Total project manager, lead developer jobs: 3,233 Average annual salary: $118,568 Lowest 10 percent earn: $85,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $164,000 Location Quotient: 1.4
2. Rhode Island
Total project manager, lead developer jobs: 567 Average annual salary: $111,131 Lowest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $152,000 Location Quotient: 1.48
3. New Hampshire
Total project manager, lead developer jobs: 706 Average annual salary: $107,337 Lowest 10 percent earn: $77,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $148,000 Location Quotient: 1.28
4. California
Total project manager, lead developer jobs: 10,613 Average annual salary: $119,754 Lowest 10 percent earn: $85,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $167,000 Location Quotient: 1.15
5. Vermont
Total project manager, lead developer jobs: 257 Average annual salary: $113,967 Lowest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $158,000 Location Quotient: 1.06
6. Oregon
Total project manager, lead developer jobs: 1,367 Average annual salary: $106,777 Lowest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $148,000 Location Quotient: 1.04
7. Alaska
Total project manager, lead developer jobs: 295 Average annual salary: $103,701 Lowest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $132,000 Location Quotient: 1.12
8. Maryland
Total project manager, lead developer jobs: 1,851 Average annual salary: $114,323 Lowest 10 percent earn: $84,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $155,000 Location Quotient: 0.92
9. Pennsylvania
Total project manager, lead developer jobs: 5,038 Average annual salary: $95,492 Lowest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $130,000 Location Quotient: 1.37
10. Massachusetts
Total project manager, lead developer jobs: 2,644 Average annual salary: $108,917 Lowest 10 percent earn: $79,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $149,000 Location Quotient: 0.91
Project manager, lead developer jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a project manager, lead developer
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a project manager, lead developer
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $118,568 | $85,000 | 7,405,743 | 3,233 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $111,131 | $81,000 | 1,059,639 | 567 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $107,337 | $77,000 | 1,342,795 | 706 |
| 4 | California | $119,754 | $85,000 | 39,536,653 | 10,613 |
| 5 | Vermont | $113,967 | $81,000 | 623,657 | 257 |
| 6 | Oregon | $106,777 | $76,000 | 4,142,776 | 1,367 |
| 7 | Alaska | $103,701 | $81,000 | 739,795 | 295 |
| 8 | Maryland | $114,323 | $84,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,851 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $95,492 | $70,000 | 12,805,537 | 5,038 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $108,917 | $79,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,644 |
| 11 | Texas | $100,578 | $74,000 | 28,304,596 | 6,658 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $110,643 | $80,000 | 3,588,184 | 820 |
| 13 | Nevada | $96,544 | $68,000 | 2,998,039 | 770 |
| 14 | Montana | $95,712 | $68,000 | 1,050,493 | 478 |
| 15 | New York | $105,646 | $77,000 | 19,849,399 | 3,869 |
| 16 | Idaho | $94,412 | $67,000 | 1,716,943 | 653 |
| 17 | District of Columbia | $99,537 | $73,000 | 693,972 | 1,081 |
| 18 | Delaware | $103,989 | $76,000 | 961,939 | 319 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $96,057 | $71,000 | 10,273,419 | 3,129 |
| 20 | South Dakota | $95,266 | $69,000 | 869,666 | 303 |
| 21 | Maine | $100,281 | $72,000 | 1,335,907 | 325 |
| 22 | Virginia | $96,129 | $71,000 | 8,470,020 | 3,676 |
| 23 | New Jersey | $102,507 | $75,000 | 9,005,644 | 2,129 |
| 24 | New Mexico | $91,654 | $66,000 | 2,088,070 | 689 |
| 25 | South Carolina | $96,882 | $72,000 | 5,024,369 | 834 |
| 26 | West Virginia | $94,122 | $69,000 | 1,815,857 | 293 |
| 27 | Ohio | $86,390 | $63,000 | 11,658,609 | 3,841 |
| 28 | Florida | $95,787 | $71,000 | 20,984,400 | 3,748 |
| 29 | Utah | $85,360 | $60,000 | 3,101,833 | 1,528 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $92,646 | $68,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,793 |
| 31 | Wyoming | $87,691 | $63,000 | 579,315 | 179 |
| 32 | Illinois | $93,557 | $68,000 | 12,802,023 | 3,081 |
| 33 | Michigan | $86,392 | $63,000 | 9,962,311 | 2,683 |
| 34 | Indiana | $89,169 | $65,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,614 |
| 35 | Kentucky | $89,505 | $65,000 | 4,454,189 | 753 |
| 36 | Oklahoma | $87,518 | $64,000 | 3,930,864 | 787 |
| 37 | Arizona | $88,988 | $64,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,512 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $80,185 | $65,000 | 1,427,538 | 347 |
| 39 | North Dakota | $86,110 | $64,000 | 755,393 | 262 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $88,363 | $65,000 | 2,984,100 | 274 |
| 41 | Georgia | $86,119 | $64,000 | 10,429,379 | 2,831 |
| 42 | Wisconsin | $83,569 | $61,000 | 5,795,483 | 1,581 |
| 43 | Kansas | $80,976 | $58,000 | 2,913,123 | 1,016 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $77,816 | $57,000 | 3,004,279 | 917 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $77,734 | $57,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,986 |
| 46 | Iowa | $85,454 | $62,000 | 3,145,711 | 851 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $75,570 | $54,000 | 1,920,076 | 770 |
| 48 | Colorado | $82,133 | $58,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,740 |
| 49 | Missouri | $76,085 | $55,000 | 6,113,532 | 2,004 |
| 50 | Alabama | $81,529 | $60,000 | 4,874,747 | 955 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $82,289 | $61,000 | 4,684,333 | 554 |
Highest paying states for project managers, lead developer
| Rank | State | Avg. Project Manager, Lead Developer Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $118,568 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $111,131 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $107,337 |
| 4 | California | $119,754 |
| 5 | Vermont | $113,967 |
| 6 | Oregon | $106,777 |
| 7 | Alaska | $103,701 |
| 8 | Maryland | $114,323 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $95,492 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $108,917 |
| 11 | Texas | $100,578 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $110,643 |
| 13 | Nevada | $96,544 |
| 14 | Montana | $95,712 |
| 15 | New York | $105,646 |
| 16 | Idaho | $94,412 |
| 17 | District of Columbia | $99,537 |
| 18 | Delaware | $103,989 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $96,057 |
| 20 | South Dakota | $95,266 |
| 21 | Maine | $100,281 |
| 22 | Virginia | $96,129 |
| 23 | New Jersey | $102,507 |
| 24 | New Mexico | $91,654 |
| 25 | South Carolina | $96,882 |
| 26 | West Virginia | $94,122 |
| 27 | Ohio | $86,390 |
| 28 | Florida | $95,787 |
| 29 | Utah | $85,360 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $92,646 |
| 31 | Wyoming | $87,691 |
| 32 | Illinois | $93,557 |
| 33 | Michigan | $86,392 |
| 34 | Indiana | $89,169 |
| 35 | Kentucky | $89,505 |
| 36 | Oklahoma | $87,518 |
| 37 | Arizona | $88,988 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $80,185 |
| 39 | North Dakota | $86,110 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $88,363 |
| 41 | Georgia | $86,119 |
| 42 | Wisconsin | $83,569 |
| 43 | Kansas | $80,976 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $77,816 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $77,734 |
| 46 | Iowa | $85,454 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $75,570 |
| 48 | Colorado | $82,133 |
| 49 | Missouri | $76,085 |
| 50 | Alabama | $81,529 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $82,289 |
Expert opinions on the best states for project managers, lead developer
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for project manager, lead developers to find work opportunities?
Dr. Stephen Frezza Ph.D.
Chair, Professor of Software Engineering, Gannon University
Computing is ubiquitous, and with more industries moving to remote work, location is becoming less critical. If the internet reaches a place reliably, computing jobs can be located there.
Project manager, lead developer best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025