Project Management Specialists in California. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
What the numbers say
The median wage for Project Management Specialists in California was $111,300 in 2024, about 10% above the national median of $100,946.
The spread between the bottom and top of the pay range is wide. At the 10th percentile, the figure sits at $65,160. At the 90th, it reaches $178,250. Top earners make roughly 2.7 times what those at the entry end do. That gap reflects how much experience, industry, and the size of the projects someone manages can move the number.
California's cost of living runs about 15% above the national baseline. After adjusting for that, the in-state median lands closer to $96,900 in national-baseline dollars, which puts it just below the US median rather than above it. The headline premium narrows considerably once you account for what the money actually buys.
BLS projects employment for this occupation to grow 5.6% between 2024 and 2034, a pace it classifies as faster than average. California already employs 113,980 Project Management Specialists, one of the largest state-level counts in the country, so even moderate growth translates to a meaningful number of new positions over that period.
Salary distribution
Where California project management specialists fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $85,620 and $155,850, with a median of $120,910.
Project Management Specialists in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 1,089 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $150,261. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 140 | $87,464 |
| Level II — qualified | 271 | $121,035 |
| Level III — experienced | 257 | $150,426 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 380 | $183,391 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Project Management Specialists in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intuit Inc. | Staff Product Manager | 121 | $180,000 |
| Amazon.com Services LLC | Program Manager III | 48 | $149,359 |
| LinkedIn Corporation | Staff Technical Program Manager | 43 | $154,000 |
| PayPal, Inc. | Sr Product Manager | 40 | $200,000 |
| LINKEDIN CORPORATION | Product Manager | 27 | $150,426 |
| Apple Inc. | Engineering Project/Program | 19 | $179,171 |
| eBay Inc. | Sr. Product Manager 1 - Technical | 19 | $190,000 |
| Deloitte Consulting LLP | Manager | 17 | $175,200 |
| ASML US, LP | Technical Project Lead 2 | 12 | $132,600 |
| COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS US CORP | Senior Manager JC45 - Project Management Specialists | 12 | $164,715 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Strategic Project Lead at Mercor.io Corporation$120,000San FranciscoWage Level IIDecided —I-200-26084-729298
- AI PRODUCT MANAGER at MANNA AI INC.$87,464CAWage Level IDecided —I-200-26085-730856
- Senior Salesforce Architect at Insight Global, LLC$150,218Mountain ViewWage Level IIIDecided —I-200-26084-729202
- PROJECT/PROGRAM MANAGER at CAPTION HEALTH, INC.$179,421San JoseWage Level IVDecided —I-200-26084-729505
- Project Manager at Colliers Engineering & Design, Inc.$136,000San MateoWage Level IDecided —I-200-26084-729909
- Founding Product Manager at Amari AI Inc.$200,000San FranciscoWage Level IIIDecided Mar 31, 2026I-203-26084-727458
- Sr. Enterprise Product Manager, GTM Applications at Snowflake Inc.$150,218DublinWage Level IIIDecided Mar 31, 2026I-200-26083-727159
- Staff Product Manager at Intuit Inc.$185,400Mountain ViewWage Level IVDecided Mar 30, 2026I-200-26082-723548
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
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Project Management Specialists pay by experience level in California
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Project Management Specialists specialties in California
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 661 certified offers. The most common variant is Product Manager at a median of $179,171.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product Manager | Intuit Inc. | 249 | $179,171 |
| Project Manager | TECH MAHINDRA (AMERICAS), INC | 110 | $114,107 |
| Program Manager | Amazon.com Services LLC | 71 | $136,419 |
| Staff Technical Program Manager | LinkedIn Corporation | 54 | $170,000 |
| Project Management Specialist | AIO APP Inc. | 35 | $92,955 |
| Manager | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 34 | $178,337 |
| Technical Project Manager | ASML US, LP | 26 | $139,483 |
| Project Engineer | Cumming Management Group, Inc. | 20 | $90,400 |
| Sr. Product Manager 1 - Technical | eBay Inc. | 19 | $192,123 |
| Strategic Operations Lead, AI Data Operations | LinkedIn Corporation | 16 | $190,711 |
| DIRECTOR, CLIENT SERVICES | AFFINITY SOLUTIONS, INC. | 14 | $215,716 |
| Senior Consultant | BALBOA BAY PARTNERS LLC | 13 | $130,853 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Project Management Specialists in California, by industry
Median offered wage across 1,050 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Technology and software leads with a median of $157,373.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology and software | Intuit Inc. | 479 | $157,373 |
| Professional services | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 178 | $127,925 |
| Manufacturing | Apple Inc. | 161 | $150,000 |
| Retail and wholesale | Amazon.com Services LLC | 93 | $150,426 |
| Finance and insurance | PayPal, Inc. | 88 | $185,200 |
| Real estate | EVERGREEN X INVESTMENTS LLC | 12 | $117,840 |
| Education | Institute for Education, Research, and Scholarships | 8 | $98,386 |
| Transportation and logistics | UNIUNI LOGISTICS INC. | 7 | $67,974 |
| Healthcare | MOLINA HEALTHCARE, INC. | 7 | $150,426 |
| Media and entertainment | Sega Of America, Inc | 7 | $97,343 |
| Nonprofit and civic | Open Philanthropy Project LLC | 5 | $110,000 |
| Energy and utilities | EDF Renewables, Inc. | 3 | $90,168 |
| Government and public sector | Justice Action Center | 2 | $113,840 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in California over the past 3 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2025 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
Less than 5 years
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
Common tasks (O*NET)
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+5.6%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Explore coursesTop metros in California
Metro-level salary data for project management specialists in major California metropolitan areas.
- San Jose$135,120
- San Francisco$135,040
- Sacramento$124,350
- San Diego$117,460
- Los Angeles$108,310
- Riverside$100,770
Compare Project Management Specialists pay across nearby states
Considering a move? Compare California with another state
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Project Management Specialists in California?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Project Management Specialists in California is $120,910.
- How does California compare to the national median for Project Management Specialists?
- The California median is +15.2% versus the BLS national figure of $104,968.
- What is the salary range for Project Management Specialists in California?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $69,180 and the 90th-percentile at $188,560, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Project Management Specialists a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 5.6% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Project Management Specialists?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.