What the numbers say
About 7,300 Project Management Specialists work in the Nashville metro, making it a sizable market for the role in Tennessee. The 2024 median annual wage was $86,930, roughly 2.5% above the Tennessee median of $84,800. Against the national figure of $100,946, though, Nashville sits about 14% lower.
The spread between top and bottom earners is wide. The 10th percentile came in at $56,150 while the 90th hit $145,010. That is a gap of nearly $89,000 across the same job title in the same city. Experience, industry, and how senior someone is account for most of that distance. A project manager running IT implementations at a healthcare company will generally land in a different part of that range than one coordinating interior build-outs for a mid-size contractor.
The mean wage of $96,090 runs about $9,000 above the median, which tells us a smaller group of higher-paid specialists pulls the average up. That pattern is common in metros where a handful of large employers, healthcare systems or corporate headquarters, tend to pay senior managers well above the midpoint.
Nashville pays above the Tennessee statewide figure, but the gap is modest. The bigger story here is how far the local median sits below the national one. That $14,000 difference reflects what the market in this region pays for the role, not a ceiling on individual earning potential, since the 90th-percentile figure in Nashville clears six figures by a wide margin.
Salary distribution
Where Nashville 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 $71,020 and $110,390, with a median of $85,990.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
Less than 5 years
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
Common tasks (O*NET)
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How the Nashville metro compares to other major Tennessee metro areas for project management specialists.
- Memphis$85,130
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Project Management Specialists in Nashville, Tennessee?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, the median annual wage for Project Management Specialists in the Nashville metropolitan area is $85,990.
- Does Nashville pay more than the Tennessee state average for Project Management Specialists?
- The Nashville metro median is +0.1% versus the Tennessee state median of $85,890.
- How does Nashville compare to the national median for Project Management Specialists?
- The Nashville metro median is -18.1% versus the BLS national figure of $104,968.
- What is the salary range for Project Management Specialists in Nashville?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $57,390 and the 90th-percentile at $136,470 for the Nashville metro area.
- 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. BLS metro estimates reflect the Nashville CBSA boundary 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.