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The average salary for a Project Manager, Lead Developer is approximately $106,238 per year, or around $51 per hour. This figure can vary significantly based on factors like geographic location, industry, and years of experience. In states such as California and New York, salaries tend to be higher due to the cost of living and demand for skilled professionals.
Certain cities offer higher salaries for this role. For instance, San Francisco and Seattle often rank among the top-paying locations, driven by the technology sector's growth. Additionally, industries like software development and finance tend to provide more competitive compensation packages.
Industries such as technology, finance, and consulting frequently report higher salaries for project managers who also take on development responsibilities. Understanding these dynamics can help you target your job search effectively and maximize your earning potential.
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The highest-paying states for project managers, lead developer are California, Washington, and Maryland. The lowest average project manager, lead developer salary states are Kansas, Hawaii, and Arkansas.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $118,568 | $57.00 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $111,131 | $53.43 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $107,337 | $51.60 |
| 4 | California | $119,754 | $57.57 |
| 5 | Vermont | $113,967 | $54.79 |
| 6 | Oregon | $106,777 | $51.34 |
| 7 | Alaska | $103,701 | $49.86 |
| 8 | Maryland | $114,323 | $54.96 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $95,492 | $45.91 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $108,917 | $52.36 |
| 11 | Texas | $100,578 | $48.35 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $110,643 | $53.19 |
| 13 | Nevada | $96,544 | $46.42 |
| 14 | Montana | $95,712 | $46.02 |
| 15 | New York | $105,646 | $50.79 |
| 16 | Idaho | $94,412 | $45.39 |
| 17 | District of Columbia | $99,537 | $47.85 |
| 18 | Delaware | $103,989 | $49.99 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $96,057 | $46.18 |
| 20 | South Dakota | $95,266 | $45.80 |
| 21 | Maine | $100,281 | $48.21 |
| 22 | Virginia | $96,129 | $46.22 |
| 23 | New Jersey | $102,507 | $49.28 |
| 24 | New Mexico | $91,654 | $44.06 |
| 25 | South Carolina | $96,882 | $46.58 |
| 26 | West Virginia | $94,122 | $45.25 |
| 27 | Ohio | $86,390 | $41.53 |
| 28 | Florida | $95,787 | $46.05 |
| 29 | Utah | $85,360 | $41.04 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $92,646 | $44.54 |
| 31 | Wyoming | $87,691 | $42.16 |
| 32 | Illinois | $93,557 | $44.98 |
| 33 | Michigan | $86,392 | $41.53 |
| 34 | Indiana | $89,169 | $42.87 |
| 35 | Kentucky | $89,505 | $43.03 |
| 36 | Oklahoma | $87,518 | $42.08 |
| 37 | Arizona | $88,988 | $42.78 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $80,185 | $38.55 |
| 39 | North Dakota | $86,110 | $41.40 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $88,363 | $42.48 |
| 41 | Georgia | $86,119 | $41.40 |
| 42 | Wisconsin | $83,569 | $40.18 |
| 43 | Kansas | $80,976 | $38.93 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $77,816 | $37.41 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $77,734 | $37.37 |
| 46 | Iowa | $85,454 | $41.08 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $75,570 | $36.33 |
| 48 | Colorado | $82,133 | $39.49 |
| 49 | Missouri | $76,085 | $36.58 |
| 50 | Alabama | $81,529 | $39.20 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $82,289 | $39.56 |
The highest-paying cities for project managers, lead developer are Seattle, WA, Baltimore, MD, and Irvine, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $119,365 | $57.39 |
| 2 | Baltimore, MD | $114,757 | $55.17 |
| 3 | Irvine, CA | $114,207 | $54.91 |
| 4 | Hartford, CT | $110,716 | $53.23 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $109,048 | $52.43 |
| 6 | Houston, TX | $101,289 | $48.70 |
| 7 | Alexandria, VA | $97,344 | $46.80 |
| 8 | Greensboro, NC | $96,135 | $46.22 |
| 9 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | $95,646 | $45.98 |
| 10 | Greenville, SC | $95,641 | $45.98 |
| 11 | Harrisburg, PA | $94,999 | $45.67 |
| 12 | Chicago, IL | $93,962 | $45.17 |
| 13 | Minneapolis, MN | $92,667 | $44.55 |
| 14 | Indianapolis, IN | $88,701 | $42.64 |
| 15 | Cleveland, OH | $88,676 | $42.63 |
| 16 | Jackson, MS | $88,669 | $42.63 |
| 17 | Detroit, MI | $86,747 | $41.71 |
| 18 | Atlanta, GA | $85,761 | $41.23 |
| 19 | Des Moines, IA | $84,758 | $40.75 |
| 20 | Baton Rouge, LA | $82,536 | $39.68 |
A project manager, lead developer's salary ranges from $79,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $141,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $141,000 | $11,750 | $68 |
| 75th Percentile | $123,000 | $10,250 | $59 |
| Average | $106,238 | $8,853 | $51 |
| 25th Percentile | $91,000 | $7,583 | $44 |
| 10th Percentile | $79,000 | $6,583 | $38 |
The highest paying types of project managers, lead developer are software development manager, senior/lead developer, and lead developer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Developer Analyst | $85,279 | $7,107 | $41.00 | 219,524 |
| Software Development Manager | $134,747 | $11,229 | $64.78 | 265,464 |
| Systems Developer | $97,230 | $8,102 | $46.75 | 322,419 |
| Software Developer | $87,521 | $7,293 | $42.08 | 294,329 |
| Web Developer | $78,975 | $6,581 | $37.97 | 227,881 |
| Lead Software Developer | $115,072 | $9,589 | $55.32 | 309,029 |
Top companies hiring project managers, lead developer now:
Project manager, lead developer salaries at Robert Half and NextEra Energy are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average project manager, lead developer salary at companies like Vestas Blades America and Kimley-Horn are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Robert Half | $107,124 | $51.50 |
| 2 | Florida Power and Light | $98,522 | $47.37 |
| 3 | Vestas Blades America | $95,989 | $46.15 |
| 4 | Kimley-Horn | $93,892 | $45.14 |
| 5 | TriZetto Provider Solutions | $93,717 | $45.06 |
| 6 | Capgemini | $91,869 | $44.17 |
| 7 | REC | $78,984 | $37.97 |
| 8 | KPMG LLP | $69,390 | $33.36 |
The average project manager, lead developer salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Internet | $151,600 | $72.88 |
| 2 | Energy | $101,664 | $48.88 |
| 3 | Technology | $97,259 | $46.76 |
| 4 | Professional | $95,579 | $45.95 |
The average project manager, lead developer salary has risen by $19,723 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average project manager, lead developer earned $86,515 annually, but today, they earn $106,238 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for project managers, lead developer over the last decade.
Compare project manager, lead developer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare project manager, lead developer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $106,000 | $51.08 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $103,000 | $49.39 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $100,000 | $48.27 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $98,600 | $47.42 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $97,000 | $46.63 | +1.8% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Get It-Professional Services | Application Development Project Manager/Lead-Remote | WFH | Los Angeles, CA | 06/29/2025 | $150,000 |
| Get It-Professional Services | Application Development Project Manager/Lead-Remote | WFH | Los Angeles, CA | 05/26/2025 | $150,000 |
| Get It-Professional Services | Application Development Project Manager/Lead-Remote | WFH | Los Angeles, CA | 03/27/2025 | $150,000 |
| Actalent | Product Development Project Manager_Lead | Greensboro, NC | 02/21/2025 | $79,306 |
| Hitecglobal | SR. Business Project MGR-Field Leader Development | Boone, CO | 02/19/2025 | $76,650 |
| Northwestern Mutual | SR. Business Project MGR-Field Leader Development | Milwaukee, WI | 02/18/2025 | $76,650 |
| Northwestern Mutual Group | SR. Business Project MGR-Field Leader Development | Boone, CO | 02/17/2025 | $76,650 |
| Ellis | SR. Business Project/Program Manager-Leader Development | Boone, CO | 02/17/2025 | $76,650 |
| LVI Associates | Land Development Project Manager Lead | Nampa, ID | 01/29/2025 | $140,000 |
| Caci International | Nasa Artemis Lunar Gateway Software Project Manager & Lead Development Engineer | Houston, TX | 01/26/2025 | $98,500 |
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