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Job outlook for project team leads in the United States
Project team lead job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected project team lead job growth rate is 10% from 2018-2028.
About 83,100 new jobs for project team leads are projected over the next decade.
Project team lead salaries have increased 10% for project team leads in the last 5 years.
There are over 8,459 project team leads currently employed in the United States.
There are 125,539 active project team lead job openings in the US.
The average project team lead salary is $105,306.
Are project team lead jobs in demand?
Project team lead job and salary trends over time
Project team lead jobs over time
Project team lead job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 8,459 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 22,469 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 14,810 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 6,317 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 5,289 | 0.00% |
Average project team lead salary over time
Project team lead salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $105,306 | $50.63 | +3.4% |
| 2024 | $101,836 | $48.96 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $99,530 | $47.85 | +2.0% |
| 2022 | $97,590 | $46.92 | +2.3% |
| 2021 | $95,385 | $45.86 | +1.5% |
Project team lead jobs by state
Most common states for project team leads
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 573 | 83% |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 546 | 41% |
| 3 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 357 | 34% |
| 4 | Alaska | 739,795 | 255 | 34% |
| 5 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 337 | 32% |
| 6 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 177 | 31% |
| 7 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 1,700 | 28% |
| 8 | Delaware | 961,939 | 274 | 28% |
| 9 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 202 | 27% |
| 10 | Vermont | 623,657 | 171 | 27% |
| 11 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,882 | 25% |
| 12 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 780 | 25% |
| 13 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 219 | 25% |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 3,011 | 24% |
| 15 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 734 | 24% |
| 16 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 467 | 24% |
| 17 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 412 | 24% |
| 18 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,254 | 22% |
| 19 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 913 | 22% |
| 20 | Hawaii | 1,427,538 | 293 | 21% |
Most common cities for project team leads
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fairfax | 1 | 4% | $120,355 |
| 2 | East Lansing | 1 | 2% | $99,576 |
| 3 | Parsippany-Troy Hills | 1 | 2% | $99,830 |
| 4 | Waltham | 1 | 2% | $105,861 |
| 5 | Columbus | 2 | 1% | $96,419 |
| 6 | Grand Rapids | 1 | 1% | $98,955 |
| 7 | Portland | 1 | 1% | $94,321 |
| 8 | Detroit | 2 | 0% | $100,339 |
| 9 | Boston | 1 | 0% | $105,971 |
| 10 | Charlotte | 1 | 0% | $108,587 |
| 11 | Urban Honolulu | 1 | 0% | $103,226 |
Project Team Lead job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of project team lead experts
Ohio State University
Duke University
Wofford College
Lorain County Community College
Western Kentucky University
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Franklin and Marshall College
University of Arkansas
Angelo State University
Columbia International University
St. John's University
Wittenberg University
Temple University
Dr. Laura Deeter PhD
Professor of Practice: Horticulture and Crop ScienceOhio State University
Applied Horticulture And Horticultural Business Services
What will help Project Team Leads increase their earning potential?
Dr. Laura Deeter PhD: There are more than enough positions out there to find one with a good starting salary. Apply for as many as you can.
Be willing to relocate to another city or state.
Michael Munger
Director of Undergraduate Studies, Director, PPE ProgramDuke University
Department of Political Science
What skills stand out on Project Team Lead resumes?
Michael Munger: Political science is an ancient career synergy, one that explores the connections between ethical considerations and engineering policy that works. Someone who majors in Political Science is able to make arguments about the questions that have plagued philosophers for thousands of years while using the latest data techniques to scrape online sources of information on social media. So political science instructors have to combine ethics, knowledge of esoteric procedures and laws, and statistics!
What soft skills should all Project Team Leads possess?
Michael Munger: Working in groups. And that's hard to teach. The best teacher is experience. Often, students learn the most when their group fails or the other members don't pull their weight. The ability to work in unstructured environments and still achieve group success is a big part of many jobs. And Political Science teaches that.
Dr. Smriti Bhargava Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of EconomicsWofford College
Economics Department
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Project Team Lead job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Smriti Bhargava Ph.D.: This is a hard question to answer given the uncertainty that exists. One trend that is likely to stay is the possibility of working remotely or working-from-home. More and more companies are gravitating towards this trend, and this may open many exciting and flexible opportunities for new graduates and current workers. It may also take a while for the job market to heat up again and to create new jobs.
Tammy Bosley Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Program Coordinator for Communication StudiesLorain County Community College
Arts & Humanities Division
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Project Team Leads in the next 3-5 years?
Tammy Bosley Ph.D.: I think we'll continue to use digital platforms such as Zoom, WebEx, and Teams. We'll likely see improved options in these platforms, such as enhanced breakout rooms, better file-sharing capabilities, and synchronous document creation/editing. If we continue to work from home, these platforms will also need to do well on smartphones.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Project Team Leads in the next 5 years?
Tammy Bosley Ph.D.: The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicted that communication jobs would increase at the same rate as other professions. Communication is a general degree. Students who major in the discipline usually choose a specialty such as public relations, health communication, international communication, etc. to navigate employment opportunities successfully. Given the challenges everyone is facing in today's culture, communication graduates will be essential to meet the demands of a post COVID society.
What experience really stands out on Project Team Lead resumes?
Kara Glenn: Results. Prove the impact your work made on a project.
What Project Team Lead skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Kara Glenn: Focus on the digital sphere. Learn more about SEO, Paid Social Media Advertising, AdWords, Head mapping, and user experience.
What experience really stands out on Project Team Lead resumes?
Peter Woolley Ph.D.: It depends on who is doing the hiring. (a.) Experience with budget management and any analysis is usually considered a big plus. Everyone runs on a budget. Someone's got to understand it and get the most out of it. I always recommend everyone take as many public finance courses as they can stand. (b.) Experience in a supervisory position is a standout. Emphasize any assignments you had looking after other people. And don't say you were assigned to train new employees. Say you were hand-picked to orient, onboard, and train new employees.
What Project Team Lead skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Peter Woolley Ph.D.: There is a universe of knowledge that each of us lacks. If you need or want to take a gap year, use it to figure out who you want to work for and at what level, and learn everything available about that organization or agency or job. If there's anything that's a mismatch for the job you want, take the gap year to fix it. There are lots of affordable and compact continuing-ed opportunities to showcase on your resume.
Dr. Stephanie McNulty Ph.D.
Chair and Associate Professor of GovernmentFranklin and Marshall College
Government Department
How do you envision technology impacting Project Team Leads in the next 5 years?
Dr. Stephanie McNulty Ph.D.: I expect that the workforce will continue to embrace the technologies that we are relying on now well into the future. We demonstrate that we are equally productive when working at home; we are holding all conferences and workshops online now. As a professor, I do not love teaching on Zoom, but I can create a sense of connection with my online students. We are developing and maintaining relationships in an online environment that many of us did not think possible, one year ago. For this reason, I expect organizations to recognize that some (not all) of our activities can be done virtually and can reduce costs for the organization. A side effect may be the reduction of work travel, which would also help the environment.
What type of skills will young Project Team Leads need?
Lori Birrell: Being an independent worker is a crucial skill for those entering the library science field. Those who are flexible and comfortable with taking the initiative can apply their skills and knowledge background to a variety of tasks and positions. Communication, being detail-oriented, and leadership are also essential skills to bring to the workforce. Librarians interact daily-regardless of their status-with a wide variety of stakeholders. Those professionals who are most successful will be those who can advocate for their work and its impact on the organization and society.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Project Team Leads?
Dr. Jesse Taylor Ph.D.: The answer to this depends mostly on how we define enduring. Will graduates be affected in the next five years? Almost certainly. Will they be affected in twenty years? Probably, but it's much harder to predict things on this scale. However, I will say that a large portion of mathematicians is employed by government agencies: public schools (K-12 and colleges/universities) and the National Security Agency (NSA). Like many companies, these entities are experiencing a substantial amount of hiring freezes, layoffs, etc.
That means that new graduates will likely have a tough time finding initial employment. That can have a very far-reaching effect on a person's earning potential throughout their lifetime. Also, I think that the pandemic is changing the landscape of our economy. We are shifting to remote work and virtual solutions at an increased pace, especially for jobs that require a college degree.
Some of these shifts will likely revert to previous practices when a vaccine is developed, and the pandemic gets more under control. However, it's hard to imagine that everything will go back to the way it was. Which of these changes will stay and will go is hard to predict, but today's graduates are entering a workforce fraught with uncertainty. Whether direct or indirect, I think that this pandemic will affect today's graduates in an enduring way
Dr. Brian Simmons
Associate ProvostColumbia International University
School of Education and the School of Business and Professional Studies
What experience really stands out on Project Team Lead resumes?
Dr. Brian Simmons: The context you mentioned was "starting a career with a leadership degree." Here at Columbia International University, we offer several graduate leadership degrees, including a Masters in Organizational Leadership and a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership. These degrees are designed with working adults in mind. Many of these working adults are already leaders in their respective fields, looking for new places of service and advancement opportunities in their current employment places. So, work experience without gaps is essential on a resume. Also, course work and degree programs that teach practical skills aligned with job responsibilities in the world of work will benefit these degree programs' grads because you do not know what you do not know! Finally, high GPAs in these degree programs will set the best and brightest high performing students apart from the rest.
Joseph Trainor Ph.D.
Associate Professor and ChairpersonSt. John's University
Department of Accountancy
What type of skills will young Project Team Leads need?
Joseph Trainor Ph.D.: The type of skills expected by young graduates in accounting is moving increasingly into the technology area. The AICPA's new model for CPA licensure (CPA Evolution) recognizes the important role that technology has had, and will continue to have, on the accounting profession. To be competitive in the job market, accounting students need to have real-world technology skills, including some knowledge and practical ability in tools for things such as data-analyzation, data-visualization, and robotic process automation.
Students should focus on the underlying concepts of these technologies, rather than a particular software package. Finally, accounting students must be able to effectively use Excel, including advanced functions. Excel is one of the basic tools in an accountant's toolbox, so proficiency in using Excel is a must for any accountant.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Project Team Leads to find work opportunities?
Nancy McHugh Ph.D.: I think that there are opportunities in most parts of the country. It is more about what sort of work students are looking for. A lot of philosophy majors go to law school or into non-profit work. There are opportunities for that everywhere. We've had several students go into public health graduate programs, which also has lots of geographic options. That so many of us are learning to work well-remotely is opening up a lot of options for where people live that are not as tied to the location of one's employment. Thus, I'd say most locations can be ideal locations. It is a matter of what individuals are looking for.
What type of skills will young Project Team Leads need?
Elizabeth Gordon: Preparing accounting students for their future means focusing their education on developing their critical thinking, decision making, and judgment, and truly thinking like an accountant requires critical thinking skills to be able to make judgments, to create and to use the information to solve problems and make good decisions. After all, accounting is not about rote memorization or data processing - tasks that do not require a university education. A university accounting education should foster curious and adaptive problem solvers with strong analytical skills and technical knowledge of accounting.