City Manager Salary in the United States

How much does a City Manager make in the United States?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a City Manager in the United States is $116,737 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $56.

However, a City Manager's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $134,139
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $106,185 to $125,846
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $96,578
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View as table View as graph 25% $106,185 10% $96,578 90% $134,139 75% $125,846 $116,737 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

City Manager Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $125,846 $10,487 $2,420 $61
Average $116,737 $9,728 $2,245 $56
25th Percentile $106,185 $8,849 $2,042 $51
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Key Factors That Influence City Manager Salaries

A City Manager's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects City Manager Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a City Manager's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $97,038
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $116,067
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $153,414
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $184,133
  • Expert (over 8 years): $231,515
Levels Salary
Landman I... Level City Manager$97,038
City Mana... Level City Manager$116,067
Landman I... Level City Manager$153,414
Landman I... Level City Manager$184,133
Landman V... Level City Manager$231,515
$97,038 0 yr
$116,067 < 2 yrs
$153,414 2-4 yrs
$184,133 5-8 yrs
$231,515 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for City Managers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $147,240
  • San Francisco: $145,628
  • Oakland: $142,559

What Skills Can Increase a City Manager's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Negotiating (Mentioned in 11.24% Job Postings): Applying negotiation concepts and techniques in a dialogue between two or more parties to reach a win-win solution.
  • Due Diligence (Mentioned in 3.37% Job Postings): Due diligence is the investigation or exercise of care that a reasonable business or person is expected to take before entering into an agreement or contract with another party, or an act with a certain standard of care. It can be a legal obligation, but the term will more commonly apply to voluntary investigations. A common example of due diligence in various industries is the process through which a potential acquirer evaluates a target company or its assets for an acquisition. The theory behind due diligence holds that performing this type of investigation contributes significantly to informed decision making by enhancing the amount and quality of information available to decision makers and by ensuring that this information is systematically used to deliberate in a reflexive manner on the decision at hand and all its costs, benefits, and risks.
  • Advertising (Mentioned in 1.12% Job Postings): Advertising is a marketing communication that employs an openly sponsored, non-personal message to promote or sell a product, service or idea.:465 Sponsors of advertising are typically businesses wishing to promote their products or services. Advertising is differentiated from public relations in that an advertiser pays for and has control over the message. It differs from personal selling in that the message is non-personal, i.e., not directed to a particular individual.:661,672 Advertising is communicated through various mass media, including traditional media such as newspapers, magazines, television, radio, outdoor advertising or direct mail; and new media such as search results, blogs, social media, websites or text messages. The actual presentation of the message in a medium is referred to as an advertisement, or "ad" or advert for short. Commercial ads often seek to generate increased consumption of their products or services through "branding", which associates a product name or image with certain qualities in the minds of consumers. On the other hand, ads that intend to elicit an immediate sale are known as direct-response advertising. Non-commercial entities that advertise more than consumer products or services include political parties, interest groups, religious organizations and governmental agencies. Non-profit organizations may use free modes of persuasion, such as a public service announcement. Advertising may also help to reassure employees or shareholders that a company is viable or successful.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Negotiating 11.24%
Due Diligence 3.37%
Advertising 1.12%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a City Manager's salary.
  • Gathering Information: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
  • Operations Support: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
  • Teamwork: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Gathering Information
$131,913
13%
Operations Support
$129,578
11%
Teamwork
$124,909
7%
Oil and Gas Production
$124,909
7%
Presentation
$124,909
7%
Negotiating
$121,406
4%
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City Manager Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For City Manager roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 70% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Construction and Transportation sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, City Manager positions in Financial Services or Business Services typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view City Manager as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a City Manager

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Construction$151,758$73.030%
Transportation$140,084$67.020%
Energy & Utilities$128,411$62.010%

How Education impacts a City Manager's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many City Managers enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a City Manager with a Bachelor's Degree is between $110,793 and $116,713).

City Manager Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for City Manager
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 8.8%
High School 8.8%
Associates 5.9%
Bachelors 58.8%
Masters 5.9%
Doctorate 26.5%
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City Manager Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a City Manager's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on July 01, 2026

Salary Trends for City Manager

Salaries for a City Manager can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $93,718 in 2023 to around $87,983 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of City Manager salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of City Manager Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$93,718
2024
$90,709
2025
$87,983
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $93,718
2024 $90,709
2025 $87,983
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for City Manager

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for City Manager

Here are companies hiring for City Manager and their salaries, click below for more details.

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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