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Senior designer/project manager salary
Average senior designer/project manager salary
$81,747
Average Senior Designer/Project Manager Salary
The average salary for a Senior Designer/Project Manager in the United States is $81,747 per year, translating to approximately $39 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as location, years of experience, and industry. For instance, states like California and New York often offer higher salaries due to their demand for skilled professionals.
Where Can a Senior Designer/Project Manager Earn More?
To maximize earning potential, consider relocating to cities with a higher demand for design and project management expertise. Cities such as San Francisco and New York are among the highest paying locations for this role. Additionally, industries like technology, finance, and healthcare tend to offer more competitive salaries. Understanding these dynamics can help you make informed career decisions and seek opportunities that align with your financial goals.
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Where can a Senior Designer/Project Manager earn more?
Average senior designer/project manager salary by state
The average senior designer/project manager salary in California, Hawaii, and Idaho are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average senior designer/project manager salary states are Indiana, Mississippi, and Georgia.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for senior designer/project managers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $109,699 | $52.74 |
| 2 | Oregon | $92,285 | $44.37 |
| 3 | Texas | $92,340 | $44.39 |
| 4 | Hawaii | $103,892 | $49.95 |
| 5 | Washington | $88,844 | $42.71 |
| 6 | New York | $93,666 | $45.03 |
| 7 | New Mexico | $93,554 | $44.98 |
| 8 | Idaho | $95,744 | $46.03 |
| 9 | Montana | $85,765 | $41.23 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $81,545 | $39.20 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $81,528 | $39.20 |
| 12 | Illinois | $82,456 | $39.64 |
| 13 | West Virginia | $94,343 | $45.36 |
| 14 | Maryland | $87,247 | $41.95 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $80,197 | $38.56 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $83,158 | $39.98 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $83,126 | $39.96 |
| 18 | Nevada | $82,853 | $39.83 |
| 19 | Maine | $82,803 | $39.81 |
| 20 | Michigan | $80,755 | $38.82 |
| 21 | Connecticut | $85,343 | $41.03 |
| 22 | Ohio | $77,711 | $37.36 |
| 23 | Tennessee | $76,453 | $36.76 |
| 24 | Alaska | $82,902 | $39.86 |
| 25 | South Carolina | $80,878 | $38.88 |
| 26 | Virginia | $78,129 | $37.56 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $72,470 | $34.84 |
| 28 | Delaware | $77,896 | $37.45 |
| 29 | Vermont | $73,661 | $35.41 |
| 30 | North Dakota | $72,403 | $34.81 |
| 31 | District of Columbia | $73,270 | $35.23 |
| 32 | Wyoming | $70,856 | $34.07 |
| 33 | South Dakota | $75,051 | $36.08 |
| 34 | New Jersey | $78,102 | $37.55 |
| 35 | Arizona | $73,007 | $35.10 |
| 36 | Colorado | $74,957 | $36.04 |
| 37 | Oklahoma | $72,762 | $34.98 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $69,269 | $33.30 |
| 39 | Utah | $69,143 | $33.24 |
| 40 | Alabama | $68,299 | $32.84 |
| 41 | Missouri | $70,515 | $33.90 |
| 42 | Minnesota | $67,399 | $32.40 |
| 43 | Georgia | $66,730 | $32.08 |
| 44 | Kentucky | $68,093 | $32.74 |
| 45 | Indiana | $67,143 | $32.28 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $69,345 | $33.34 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $65,958 | $31.71 |
| 48 | Florida | $68,419 | $32.89 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $66,895 | $32.16 |
| 50 | Iowa | $66,346 | $31.90 |
| 51 | Kansas | $63,875 | $30.71 |
Highest paying cities for senior designer/project managers
The highest-paying cities for senior designer/project managers are San Francisco, CA, New York, NY, and Arlington, TX.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $121,240 | $58.29 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $94,077 | $45.23 |
| 3 | Arlington, TX | $92,404 | $44.42 |
| 4 | Portland, OR | $91,384 | $43.93 |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | $89,713 | $43.13 |
| 6 | Baltimore, MD | $87,514 | $42.07 |
| 7 | Boston, MA | $83,117 | $39.96 |
| 8 | Chicago, IL | $82,742 | $39.78 |
| 9 | Detroit, MI | $81,129 | $39.00 |
| 10 | Arlington, VA | $78,715 | $37.84 |
| 11 | Cleveland, OH | $78,489 | $37.74 |
| 12 | Denver, CO | $74,896 | $36.01 |
| 13 | Washington, DC | $73,231 | $35.21 |
| 14 | Raleigh, NC | $73,186 | $35.19 |
| 15 | Kansas City, MO | $69,777 | $33.55 |
| 16 | Tampa, FL | $69,004 | $33.17 |
| 17 | Minneapolis, MN | $67,408 | $32.41 |
| 18 | Indianapolis, IN | $67,076 | $32.25 |
| 19 | Iowa City, IA | $67,000 | $32.21 |
| 20 | Atlanta, GA | $66,872 | $32.15 |
Senior designer/project manager salary details
A senior designer/project manager's salary ranges from $56,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $119,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a senior designer/project manager's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $119,000 | $9,917 | $57 |
| 75th Percentile | $99,000 | $8,250 | $48 |
| Average | $81,747 | $6,812 | $39 |
| 25th Percentile | $67,000 | $5,583 | $32 |
| 10th Percentile | $56,000 | $4,667 | $27 |
Highest paying senior designer/project manager jobs
The highest paying types of senior designer/project managers are controls project manager, senior project manager, and senior designer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction Superintendent | $87,486 | $7,291 | $42.06 | 34,822 |
| Construction Coordinator | $60,160 | $5,013 | $28.92 | 51,167 |
| General Contractor | $66,602 | $5,550 | $32.02 | 66,218 |
| Project Superintendent | $97,517 | $8,126 | $46.88 | 71,449 |
| Field Manager | $68,695 | $5,725 | $33.03 | 79,908 |
| Designer | $66,347 | $5,529 | $31.90 | 52,433 |
Top companies hiring senior designer/project managers now:
Which companies pay senior designer/project managers the most?
Senior designer/project manager salaries at Parsons and Portland General Electric are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average senior designer/project manager salary at companies like Michael Kors and FireEye are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Parsons | $124,729 | $59.97 |
| 2 | Portland General Electric | $115,526 | $55.54 |
| 3 | Michael Kors | $112,224 | $53.95 |
| 4 | FireEye | $108,236 | $52.04 |
| 5 | Sound Transit | $97,484 | $46.87 |
| 6 | RQ Construction | $96,774 | $46.53 |
| 7 | ViacomCBS | $96,235 | $46.27 |
| 8 | General Electric | $96,063 | $46.18 |
| 9 | STV Group | $93,282 | $44.85 |
| 10 | ERM | $92,345 | $44.40 |
| 11 | Lendlease | $92,006 | $44.23 |
| 12 | New York City Economic Development | $91,955 | $44.21 |
| 13 | City of Seattle | $91,712 | $44.09 |
| 14 | GLY Construction | $91,129 | $43.81 |
| 15 | OFS International | $90,626 | $43.57 |
| 16 | Dewberry | $90,055 | $43.30 |
| 17 | Stantec | $88,889 | $42.74 |
| 18 | Gresham Smith | $87,319 | $41.98 |
| 19 | AECOM | $87,183 | $41.91 |
| 20 | Kimley-Horn | $86,883 | $41.77 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Senior Designer/Project Manager salary by industry
The average senior designer/project manager salary varies across industries:
- The average senior designer/project manager salary in the professional industry is $83,180, the highest of any industry.
- The average senior designer/project manager salary in the finance industry is $79,104.
- Senior designer/project managers in the retail industry earn an average salary of $77,966, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for senior designer/project managers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professional | $83,180 | $39.99 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $79,104 | $38.03 |
| 3 | Telecommunication | $78,645 | $37.81 |
| 4 | Retail | $77,966 | $37.48 |
High paying senior designer/project manager jobs
Senior designer/project manager salary trends
The average senior designer/project manager salary has risen by $10,885 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average senior designer/project manager earned $70,862 annually, but today, they earn $81,747 a year. That works out to a 9% change in pay for senior designer/project managers over the last decade.
Compare senior designer/project manager salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average senior designer/project manager salary over time
Compare senior designer/project manager salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Senior designer/project manager salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $81,700 | $39.30 | +2.0% |
| 2025 | $80,100 | $38.52 | +2.0% |
| 2024 | $78,500 | $37.76 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | $76,900 | $36.95 | +2.3% |
| 2022 | $75,100 | $36.11 | +2.1% |
Recently added senior designer/project manager salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parsons | Senior Wastewater Design Project Manager | Pasadena, CA | 06/28/2025 | $128,700 |
| Nisource | Design & Construction SR Project Manager | Merrillville, IN | 06/24/2025 | $110,200 |
| Parsons | Senior Project Manager-Transportation Design | Raleigh, NC | 06/20/2025 | $128,700 |
| Ascent Environmental | Senior Project Manager-Urban Design and Planning | Sacramento, CA | 06/20/2025 | $120,000 |
| Shrewsusa | Senior Project Manager-Roadway Design | Denver, CO | 06/20/2025 | $135,000 |
| David Evans and Associates | Senior Rail Design Engineer/Project Manager | Seattle, WA | 06/17/2025 | $135,000 |
| Gensler | Design Manager/Project Manager-Workplace-Senior | New York, NY | 06/13/2025 | $110,000 |
| Get It-Professional Services | Sentinel-SR. Principal Project Manager-Design To Cost/Life Cycle Cost | Roy, UT | 06/10/2025 | $95,000 |
| GI Partners | SR. Design Manager/SR. Project Manager | Olympia, WA | 06/09/2025 | $175,000 |
| Interiors | Senior Project Manager-Interior Design | San Diego, CA | 06/05/2025 | $110,000 |
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