Portland · Occupational wage benchmark
Project Management Specialists Salary in Portland
What Project Management Specialists actually earn in the Portland metro area — the published BLS median, what it is worth after local costs, and how it ranks against other major metros.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2024 estimates (published April 2025)), Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro estimates for SOC 13-1082; cost-of-living adjustment from U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area (MARPP) (2024). Occupational wage benchmarks across all workers, not MBA-specific outcomes.
- Median annual wage
- $108,340
- Project Management Specialists in Portland
- Adjusted for cost of living
- $102,769
- Portland price level 105.4 (U.S. = 100)
- Rank among metros
- #10 of 49
- #26 after cost of living
- Workers employed
- 14,440
- in metro Portland
What Project Management Specialists earn in Portland, adjusted for what it costs to live there
A headline wage only means something next to local prices. Once local prices are accounted for, Portland drops 16 places — a higher headline wage is partly consumed by a higher cost of living.
| Metro | Median (nominal) | Adjusted for cost of living |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose | $135,120 | $122,366 |
| San Francisco | $135,040 | $116,803 |
| Seattle | $130,380 | $117,319 |
| Washington DC | $127,030 | $116,665 |
| New York | $126,660 | $112,524 |
| Sacramento | $124,350 | $116,574 |
| San Diego | $117,460 | $104,981 |
| Denver | $116,740 | $110,359 |
| Boston | $114,990 | $106,211 |
| Portland | $108,340 | $102,769 |
| Los Angeles | $108,310 | $95,372 |
| Hartford | $105,720 | $102,895 |
| Detroit | $105,350 | $105,037 |
| Chicago | $105,320 | $101,665 |
| Charlotte | $105,200 | $108,066 |
| Virginia Beach | $104,920 | $107,126 |
| Providence | $104,510 | $102,689 |
| Philadelphia | $104,160 | $101,566 |
| Baltimore | $103,720 | $99,266 |
| Atlanta | $103,400 | $103,340 |
Nominal medians: BLS OEWS, May 2024 estimates (published April 2025) — occupational wage benchmarks across all workers, not MBA-specific outcomes. Adjusted column: SalaryMBA estimate, computed as nominal ÷ (metro RPP ÷ 100) using BEA MARPP 2024 regional price parities.
The national pay range for Project Management Specialists
BLS publishes the full percentile distribution nationally. The spread within the occupation is usually far wider than the gap between metros.
| Percentile (national) | Annual wage | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $61,580 | Entry / early-career end |
| 25th percentile | $78,440 | |
| Median (50th) | $102,320 | |
| 75th percentile | $133,100 | |
| 90th percentile | $167,970 | Senior / top-market end |
Other MBA-relevant roles in Portland
How to read the Portland number
The $108,340 median means half of Project Management Specialists in the Portland area earn less and half earn more. It is measured across everyone in the occupation — every experience level, industry, and level of education. It is not the salary of a recent MBA graduate, and it is not a starting salary.
BLS counts roughly 14,440 people in this role in the Portland area. To compare against the state and national picture, see Project Management Specialists nationally or model your own economics with the MBA ROI calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How much do Project Management Specialists make in Portland?
Project Management Specialists in the Portland metro area earn a median of $108,340 per year, according to BLS OEWS May 2024 estimates (published April 2025). That is +5.9% vs national, ranking Portland #10 of 49 major metros we track for this role. This is an occupational wage benchmark across all workers in the metro, not an MBA-graduate-specific salary.
Is $108,340 a good salary in Portland?
It depends on local prices. The Portland area price level is 105.4 against a U.S. average of 100, so $108,340 there carries roughly the purchasing power of $102,769 nationally — about $5,571 less than the headline number implies. Once local prices are accounted for, Portland drops 16 places — a higher headline wage is partly consumed by a higher cost of living.
Do Project Management Specialists in Portland need an MBA?
These BLS figures cover everyone in the occupation regardless of degree, so they cannot isolate what an MBA adds. Project Management Specialists is a role MBA graduates commonly target, and an MBA can affect where you land within the range through network, function, and seniority — but any precise MBA premium for this role in Portland would not be supported by this data.
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