Data Project Manager Salary in the United States

How much does a Data Project Manager make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Data Project Manager in the United States is $143,047 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $69.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $175,779
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $130,593 to $160,180
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $119,254

Key Factors That Influence Data Project Manager Salaries

A Data Project 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 Data Project Manager Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Data Project 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): $137,200
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $137,750
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $138,668
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $139,952
  • Expert (over 8 years): $141,788
Levels Salary
Entry Level Data Project Manager$137,200
Intermediate Level Data Project Manager$137,750
Senior Level Data Project Manager$138,668
Specialist Level Data Project Manager$139,952
Expert Level Data Project Manager$141,788

Top Paying Cities for Data Project 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: $180,425
  • San Francisco: $178,450
  • Oakland: $174,689

What Skills Can Increase a Data Project Manager's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 9.53% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Scrum (Mentioned in 1.25% Job Postings): Using an agile process for managing the lifecycle development of software products.
  • Continuous Improvement (Mentioned in 1.01% Job Postings): A continual improvement process, also often called a continuous improvement process (abbreviated as CIP or CI), is an ongoing effort to improve products, services, or processes. These efforts can seek "incremental" improvement over time or "breakthrough" improvement all at once. Delivery (customer valued) processes are constantly evaluated and improved in the light of their efficiency, effectiveness and flexibility. Some see CIPs as a meta-process for most management systems (such as business process management, quality management, project management, and program management). W. Edwards Deming, a pioneer of the field, saw it as part of the 'system' whereby feedback from the process and customer were evaluated against organisational goals. The fact that it can be called a management process does not mean that it needs to be executed by 'management'; but rather merely that it makes decisions about the implementation of the delivery process and the design of the delivery process itself.
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 9.53%
Scrum 1.25%
Continuous Improvement 1.01%

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 Data Project Manager's salary.

  • Software Development: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Scrum: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Product Development: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Software Development $154,491
8%
Scrum $153,060
7%
Product Development $153,060
7%

Data Project Manager Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Data Project Manager roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 68% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Software & Networking and Pharmaceuticals sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, Data Project Manager positions in Transportation or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Data Project Manager as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Data Project Manager

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking$185,961$89.030%
Pharmaceuticals$178,809$86.025%
Financial Services$171,656$83.020%
Internet$165,935$80.016%
Biotechnology$164,504$79.015%

How Education impacts a Data Project Manager's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Data Project 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 Data Project Manager with a Bachelor's Degree is between $143,102 and $154,962).

Data Project Manager Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Data Project Manager
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.3%
High School 4.0%
Associates 3.4%
Bachelors 37.5%
Masters 51.7%
Doctorate 3.1%

Data Project Manager Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Data Project 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 September 01, 2026
$130,593
Average $143,047/year
$160,180
$10,883
Average $11,921/month
$13,348
$2,511
Average $2,751/week
$3,080
$63
Average $69/hour
$77
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $160,180 $13,348 $3,080 $77
Average $143,047 $11,921 $2,751 $69
25th Percentile $130,593 $10,883 $2,511 $63

Most common benefits for Data Project Manager

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Data Project Manager

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

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FAQ about Data Project Manager

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Data Project Manager?

The Software & Networking industry offers the highest average compensation for Data Project Manager roles, with salaries approximately 30% above the market median.

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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