Know your market value with insights across roles — from individual contributors to executive pay and overall company compensation trends.
Access a suite of powerful calculators to make data-driven career decisions.
Automate pay cycles, manage job architectures, and ensure pay equity with AI-powered compensation platforms.
Access validated salary benchmarks, labor market trends, and minimum wage data to stay competitive.
Participate in and purchase industry-specific salary surveys to obtain the most accurate, peer-reported pay data.
As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Project Director in California is $189,901 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $91.
However, a Project Director's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
Recruit with AI
Smart Recruiting
Project Director Salaries by Percentile
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $209,247 | $17,437 | $4,024 | $101 |
| Average | $189,901 | $15,825 | $3,652 | $91 |
| 25th Percentile | $175,048 | $14,587 | $3,366 | $84 |
JPI - San Diego, CA
Spyder Construction - Dana Point, CA
Camp Construction Services - Los Angeles, CA
Camp Construction Services - Irvine, CA
A Project Director'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 and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
Experience is a primary driver of a Project Director'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:
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Project M... Level Project Director | $143,665 |
| Project M... Level Project Director | $169,427 |
| Project M... Level Project Director | $120,865 |
| Project M... Level Project Director | $161,705 |
| Project D... Level Project Director | $188,479 |
What Am I Worth?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Project Directors. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
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:
For Project Director roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 50% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Telecom and Energy & Utilities sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 25% above the average. In contrast, Project Director positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Project Director as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
| Industry Sector | Average Annual Salary | Average Hourly Rate | Pay vs.Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telecom | $237,377 | $114.0 | 25% |
| Energy & Utilities | $227,882 | $110.0 | 20% |
| Aerospace & Defense | $218,386 | $105.0 | 15% |
| Chemicals | $208,891 | $100.0 | 10% |
| Financial Services | $208,891 | $100.0 | 10% |
Understanding how a Project Director'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.
| Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75th Percentile | $209,247 | $17,437 | $4,024 | $101 |
| Average | $189,901 | $15,825 | $3,652 | $91 |
| 25th Percentile | $175,048 | $14,587 | $3,366 | $84 |
Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Project Director job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
We Are Social
Los Angeles, CA
We Are Social | Los Angeles, CA
Job Description. Job Description. THE ROLE. We are looking for a Project Director to join our Agency Delivery and Operations department. This role is a hyb... more
11 Days Ago
AC Martin, Inc.
Los Angeles, CA
AC Martin, Inc. | Los Angeles, CA
AC Martin, Inc. is an innovative, award-winning architecture and interior design firm with offices in Los Angeles, Sacramento, the Bay Area, and San Diego.... more
9 Days Ago
ARCADIS
Los Angeles, CA
ARCADIS | Los Angeles, CA
Arcadis is the world's leading company delivering sustainable design, engineering, and consultancy solutions for natural and built assets.We are more than ... more
9 Days Ago
McCarthy Building
San Francisco, CA
McCarthy Building | San Francisco, CA
Position Summary:The Project Director role is an exciting, challenging role that will manage multiple large scale commercial construction projects. The Dir... more
9 Days Ago
Centric Software
Campbell, CA
Centric Software | Campbell, CA
About Centric Software:Centric Software is a global leader, providing an innovative and AI-enabled product-concept-to-commercialization platform for retail... more
9 Days Ago
Gensler
San Jose, CA
Gensler | San Jose, CA
Your RoleAs Project Director in the Gensler Silicon Valley Office, you will bring your years of project leadership and client relationship skills to build ... more
9 Days Ago
Get a Salary Increase
Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.
Search Job Openings
Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.
Adjust Employee Salary
Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.
Price My Industry Jobs
Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.
Use Salary.com's Cost of Living Calculator to find out what income you need to maintain your standard of living in a different city and how much more or less money you need to budget for basic expenses.
Explore Cost of Living CalculatorSalary.com experts will help you thrive your workplaces.
Salary.com provides salary survey data for thousands of industry Jobs.
Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.
Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:
