Those with the PMP® certification earn 23% more on average than their peers who are not PMP-certified.
Where Does This 23% Statistic Come From?
It comes from Project Management Institute’s (PMI) latest Earning Power Report (10th Edition). It’s a survey of 33,000 people in 37 countries.
Will It Help Me Where I Live?
Almost certainly! Take a look at the data by country:
Salary Advantage of PMP® Certification by Country
Country | PMP Advantage |
---|---|
Australia | 11% |
Belgium | 21% |
Brazil | 25% |
Canada | 18% |
Chile | 43% |
China | 0% |
Colombia | 48% |
Costa Rica | 35% |
Ecuador | 53% |
Egypt | 30% |
France | 16% |
Germany | 16% |
Hong Kong | 22% |
India | 36% |
Ireland | 13% |
Italy | 11% |
Japan | 8% |
Malaysia | 29% |
Mexico | 43% |
Netherlands | 14% |
New Zealand | 22% |
Nigeria | 7% |
Peru | 22% |
Poland | 32% |
Qatar | 16% |
Saudi Arabia | 21% |
Singapore | 21% |
South Africa | 58% |
South Korea | 17% |
Spain | 18% |
Sweden | 11% |
Switzerland | 12% |
Taiwan | 15% |
Turkey | 20% |
United Arab Emirates | 24% |
United Kingdom | 18% |
United States | 25% |


Only Mainland China shows no advantage. That may simply be because 97% of those surveyed in Mainland China are PMP® certified. There’s certainly an advantage in other areas in the region, such as Taiwan, South Korea, and Singapore.

Will I Get a Raise When I Get My PMP®?
26% of those surveyed received salary increases of at least 5% in the previous 12 months. The full impact of the PMP advantage isn’t likely to happen immediately, but PMP certification can put you on the path to earning more.
Are You Above Average?
Also consider that 23% is just the average salary difference it makes to have your PMP®. By definition, half the people are above average. If you’re above average, then you can expect to see an even greater increase.
In my case, my salary (which was already six figures) increased by 50% within 3 years of getting my PMP® certification (back in 2005), and by 100% within 6 years.
How Much Can I Expect to Earn?
That depends of course on your experience, industry, career path, and location. Here are some tables that present an analysis of this question. You can use them to get an idea of what to expect.
How Does Median Project Manager Salary Vary by Country?
This table shows the median salary for project managers by country. Note that this is the median for all project managers, whether PMP certified or not.
Also note that throughout this article, we’re talking about salary alone – not including other benefits, bonuses, commissions, stock options, and so on.
Country | Non-PMP | PMP | Advantage |
---|---|---|---|
Australia | $100,181 | $110,887 | 11% |
Belgium | $66,876 | $81,080 | 21% |
Brazil | $36,864 | $46,080 | 25% |
Canada | $63,746 | $74,995 | 18% |
Chile | $37,938 | $54,360 | 43% |
China | $29,040 | $29,040 | 0% |
Colombia | $22,440 | $33,308 | 48% |
Costa Rica | $31,172 | $42,000 | 35% |
Ecuador | $26,000 | $39,800 | 53% |
Egypt | $8,273 | $10,754 | 30% |
France | $55,669 | $64,719 | 16% |
Germany | $78,202 | $90,607 | 16% |
Hong Kong | $61,800 | $75,190 | 22% |
India | $20,264 | $27,486 | 36% |
Ireland | $66,876 | $75,506 | 13% |
Italy | $48,539 | $53,933 | 11% |
Japan | $58,435 | $62,930 | 8% |
Malaysia | $25,141 | $32,498 | 29% |
Mexico | $25,836 | $36,834 | 43% |
Netherlands | $75,506 | $86,292 | 14% |
New Zealand | $72,512 | $88,704 | 22% |
Nigeria | $20,097 | $21,542 | 7% |
Peru | $29,848 | $36,548 | 22% |
Poland | $31,662 | $41,754 | 32% |
Qatar | $74,083 | $85,607 | 16% |
Saudi Arabia | $57,581 | $69,844 | 21% |
Singapore | $57,158 | $69,304 | 21% |
South Africa | $47,868 | $75,392 | 57% |
South Korea | $53,400 | $62,300 | 17% |
Spain | $43,146 | $50,697 | 18% |
Sweden | $67,617 | $74,903 | 11% |
Switzerland | $121,718 | $136,003 | 12% |
Taiwan | $26,560 | $30,495 | 15% |
Turkey | $27,608 | $33,130 | 20% |
United Arab Emirates | $72,000 | $89,149 | 24% |
United Kingdom | $69,980 | $82,477 | 18% |
United States | $92,000 | $115,000 | 25% |
How Does Median Project Manager Salary Vary by Experience?
Experience also plays a significant role in determining salary, as you can see in this table.
Country | < 3 yrs | 3-5 yrs | 5-10 yrs | 10-15 yrs | 15-20 yrs | > 20 yrs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australia | $68,827 | $76,474 | $91,769 | $111,652 | $122,358 | $133,830 |
Belgium | $54,580 | $64,792 | $80,899 | $96,000 | $108,012 | |
Brazil | $32,224 | $33,054 | $40,602 | $47,084 | $58,003 | $64,448 |
Canada | $48,747 | $59,996 | $66,797 | $76,495 | $83,432 | $89,994 |
Chile | $36,240 | $50,736 | $54,360 | $62,331 | $70,967 | |
China | $23,595 | $22,651 | $29,040 | $31,944 | $34,848 | $26,862 |
Colombia | $16,320 | $18,700 | $24,480 | $37,468 | $41,480 | $52,025 |
Costa Rica | $21,000 | $34,145 | $38,850 | $43,200 | ||
Ecuador | $22,200 | $31,200 | $38,000 | $56,000 | ||
Egypt | $11,030 | $7,280 | $10,269 | $12,271 | $14,190 | |
France | $44,225 | $50,112 | $56,090 | $64,719 | $69,217 | $86,292 |
Germany | $58,247 | $69,034 | $82,247 | $92,764 | $102,472 | $103,550 |
Hong Kong | $61,800 | $64,375 | $79,104 | $92,700 | $98,494 | |
India | $17,102 | $21,378 | $24,432 | $31,304 | $38,175 | $45,810 |
Ireland | $50,319 | $61,321 | $70,112 | $80,899 | $89,150 | $103,011 |
Italy | $37,753 | $40,989 | $48,539 | $53,933 | $59,973 | $64,719 |
Japan | $53,940 | $56,637 | $66,526 | $71,920 | $71,920 | |
Malaysia | $22,072 | $23,471 | $27,082 | $34,303 | $36,673 | $50,778 |
Mexico | $17,522 | $23,521 | $31,572 | $36,834 | $49,989 | $52,812 |
Netherlands | $56,090 | $59,326 | $75,506 | $91,685 | $97,079 | $107,865 |
New Zealand | $49,368 | $61,952 | $75,328 | $88,000 | $95,040 | $98,560 |
Nigeria | $12,505 | $22,330 | $28,710 | $38,280 | ||
Peru | $19,610 | $25,584 | $36,548 | $40,325 | $48,366 | $60,914 |
Poland | $25,229 | $30,275 | $37,844 | $43,621 | $45,412 | $50,458 |
Qatar | $53,120 | $79,021 | $98,777 | $109,395 | $126,215 | |
Saudi Arabia | $36,788 | $45,319 | $63,979 | $79,974 | $95,436 | $118,362 |
Singapore | $55,729 | $45,440 | $58,587 | $83,893 | $92,595 | $85,736 |
South Africa | $38,103 | $40,688 | $56,644 | $75,033 | $87,758 | $95,736 |
South Korea | $45,657 | $56,070 | $62,300 | $71,200 | $71,200 | |
Spain | $37,753 | $38,831 | $44,575 | $53,933 | $59,326 | $64,719 |
Sweden | $51,751 | $59,923 | $62,646 | $73,769 | $76,265 | $85,118 |
Switzerland | $94,698 | $101,879 | $121,536 | $136,003 | $146,077 | $161,189 |
Taiwan | $22,605 | $22,953 | $29,511 | $32,790 | $36,069 | $47,546 |
Turkey | $22,086 | $27,608 | $33,130 | $41,412 | $49,694 | |
United Arab Emirates | $54,442 | $65,330 | $78,396 | $98,000 | $124,128 | $143,727 |
United Kingdom | $41,238 | $56,234 | $74,729 | $82,477 | $91,224 | $104,971 |
United States | $75,000 | $85,000 | $100,000 | $115,000 | $122,000 | $130,000 |
How Does Median PMP®-Certified Salary Vary by Experience?
Here are the results by experience for those who are PMP certified.
Country | < 5 yrs | 5-10 yrs | 10+ yrs |
---|---|---|---|
Australia | $100,946 | $114,711 | $122,358 |
Belgium | $70,759 | $86,292 | $101,674 |
Brazil | $41,891 | $48,336 | $62,837 |
Canada | $68,508 | $77,995 | $88,944 |
Chile | $51,340 | $55,266 | |
China | $26,136 | $29,040 | $36,300 |
Colombia | $26,520 | $39,168 | $54,400 |
Costa Rica | $39,060 | $46,200 | $49,750 |
Ecuador | $35,000 | $45,600 | |
Egypt | $9,100 | $13,071 | $13,545 |
France | $59,326 | $67,955 | $75,506 |
Germany | $86,292 | $93,843 | $99,011 |
Hong Kong | $64,375 | $78,795 | $105,790 |
India | $23,821 | $30,922 | $38,175 |
Ireland | $71,514 | $80,899 | $94,355 |
Italy | $49,618 | $56,090 | $59,919 |
Japan | $59,334 | $62,930 | $71,920 |
Malaysia | $28,323 | $37,576 | $45,136 |
Mexico | $29,230 | $40,412 | $56,119 |
Netherlands | $81,977 | $90,720 | $88,719 |
New Zealand | $83,072 | $91,520 | $99,803 |
Nigeria | $19,140 | $26,796 | |
Peru | $34,112 | $43,858 | $52,538 |
Poland | $38,146 | $47,531 | $50,963 |
Qatar | $80,901 | $98,777 | $131,702 |
Saudi Arabia | $61,420 | $94,636 | $97,984 |
Singapore | $60,015 | $78,592 | $106,456 |
South Africa | $66,217 | $79,780 | $95,736 |
South Korea | $53,512 | $66,750 | $71,645 |
Spain | $48,539 | $58,247 | $68,603 |
Sweden | $69,516 | $77,173 | $84,437 |
Switzerland | $128,951 | $141,040 | $151,115 |
Taiwan | $27,708 | $32,462 | $36,233 |
Turkey | $33,130 | $41,412 | $49,694 |
United Arab Emirates | $80,030 | $107,795 | $115,009 |
United Kingdom | $74,979 | $87,476 | $103,392 |
United States | $103,000 | $120,000 | $130,000 |
How Does Median Project Manager Salary Vary by Industry?
This table is specifically for the United States, but you can expect to see similar results in other countries.
Industry | % | 25th Percentile | Median | 75th Percentile |
---|---|---|---|---|
Aerospace | 4% | $99,000 | $118,000 | $143,920 |
Business services | 1% | $75,000 | $95,000 | $113,000 |
Construction | 3% | $80,000 | $100,000 | $126,000 |
Consulting | 7% | $100,000 | $125,000 | $152,100 |
Engineering | 7% | $97,750 | $117,500 | $142,000 |
Financial services | 7% | $90,000 | $110,000 | $130,000 |
Food and beverage | 1% | $89,640 | $113,500 | $133,850 |
Government | 11% | $92,000 | $113,878 | $138,291 |
Healthcare | 10% | $90,000 | $108,000 | $128,500 |
Information technology | 20% | $92,500 | $114,000 | $135,000 |
Insurance | 3% | $95,000 | $110,000 | $127,000 |
Legal | < 1% | $100,000 | $117,400 | $134,400 |
Manufacturing | 5% | $90,000 | $108,500 | $128,000 |
Pharmaceuticals | 3% | $104,000 | $129,000 | $155,000 |
Real Estate | < 1% | $79,900 | $100,000 | $124,000 |
Resources (Agriculture/Mining/etc.) | 1% | $102,000 | $130,000 | $150,000 |
Telecommunications | 4% | $92,000 | $109,000 | $129,000 |
Training/Education | 1% | $73,522 | $90,000 | $107,500 |
Utility | 3% | $96,739 | $117,875 | $134,000 |
Other | 8% | $85,000 | $105,000 | $130,000 |
How Does Median Project Manager Salary Vary by Team Size?
Yes, the larger the project team, the more the project manager gets paid.
< 5 | 5-10 | 10-15 | 15-20 | 20+ | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australia | $99,416 | $103,240 | $114,711 | $122,358 | $130,006 |
Belgium | $72,809 | $77,059 | $86,831 | $78,386 | $90,607 |
Brazil | $41,891 | $42,536 | $46,918 | $46,241 | $48,336 |
Canada | $67,496 | $73,870 | $77,245 | $78,771 | $86,619 |
Chile | $41,690 | $51,130 | $63,420 | $54,360 | $67,950 |
China | $28,023 | $27,878 | $29,040 | $29,040 | $30,056 |
Colombia | $24,480 | $29,988 | $34,000 | $34,360 | $34,680 |
Costa Rica | $40,460 | $33,600 | $39,530 | $44,600 | $43,750 |
Ecuador | $25,500 | $35,000 | $38,000 | $43,320 | |
Egypt | $8,273 | $9,265 | $13,236 | $12,905 | $11,030 |
France | $59,326 | $62,863 | $64,719 | $61,483 | $64,719 |
Germany | $80,899 | $86,292 | $88,449 | $91,685 | $102,472 |
Hong Kong | $66,744 | $83,688 | $80,340 | $92,700 | |
India | $21,111 | $24,432 | $24,680 | $27,486 | $30,540 |
Ireland | $73,995 | $74,427 | $77,663 | $86,292 | $86,292 |
Italy | $48,539 | $52,315 | $57,168 | $53,933 | $62,562 |
Japan | $53,940 | $59,784 | $62,930 | $62,930 | $71,920 |
Malaysia | $22,044 | $30,309 | $33,473 | $26,134 | $35,206 |
Mexico | $32,388 | $31,730 | $33,677 | $31,177 | $45,253 |
Netherlands | $72,170 | $81,977 | $85,496 | $89,528 | $97,079 |
New Zealand | $78,848 | $84,480 | $84,480 | $95,040 | $98,560 |
Nigeria | $14,724 | $23,045 | $26,956 | $19,300 | $22,330 |
Peru | $30,457 | $34,272 | $38,376 | $44,163 | $36,548 |
Poland | $35,321 | $37,844 | $43,142 | $42,385 | $41,628 |
Qatar | $79,021 | $82,314 | $96,033 | $86,978 | $98,777 |
Saudi Arabia | $62,759 | $76,242 | $75,975 | $63,979 | $63,979 |
Singapore | $55,729 | $70,697 | $71,724 | $65,731 | $85,736 |
South Africa | $55,846 | $66,856 | $69,146 | $78,184 | $83,111 |
South Korea | $62,300 | $57,850 | $71,200 | $66,750 | $71,200 |
Spain | $44,225 | $48,539 | $53,933 | $52,315 | $56,629 |
Sweden | $60,150 | $68,102 | $72,180 | $73,201 | $78,989 |
Switzerland | $119,884 | $130,966 | $141,040 | $141,040 | $148,180 |
Taiwan | $31,478 | $29,511 | $37,709 | $39,348 | |
Turkey | $33,130 | $33,268 | $33,130 | $33,130 | $38,099 |
United Arab Emirates | $89,829 | $92,824 | $96,982 | $95,274 | $83,920 |
United Kingdom | $69,356 | $77,478 | $86,226 | $83,727 | $93,724 |
United States | $105,000 | $110,000 | $116,000 | $117,000 | $125,103 |
How Does Median Project Manager Salary Vary by Project Budget?
Again, the larger the project budget, the more the project manager gets paid.
Country | < $100K | $100K-499K | $500K-999K | $1m-$10m | >$10m |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australia | $83,739 | $91,769 | $104,005 | $117,005 | $141,477 |
Belgium | $61,140 | $70,112 | $74,400 | $86,292 | $102,472 |
Brazil | $38,669 | $40,312 | $46,080 | $48,336 | $58,003 |
Canada | $59,996 | $67,496 | $73,495 | $78,182 | $89,994 |
Chile | $45,300 | $51,008 | $51,038 | $63,420 | $81,540 |
China | $23,232 | $29,040 | $29,040 | $34,848 | $29,040 |
Colombia | $23,052 | $26,520 | $31,766 | $36,630 | $43,758 |
Costa Rica | $32,813 | $39,918 | $39,120 | $42,907 | $45,500 |
Ecuador | $24,850 | $32,500 | $38,000 | $43,250 | $46,355 |
Egypt | $9,376 | $9,899 | $8,273 | $11,912 | $11,306 |
France | $57,708 | $59,326 | $62,562 | $63,640 | $69,034 |
Germany | $76,584 | $80,899 | $86,292 | $94,813 | $102,472 |
Hong Kong | $52,530 | $64,375 | $80,340 | $78,409 | $95,790 |
India | $22,905 | $24,432 | $27,486 | $28,295 | $29,777 |
Ireland | $66,443 | $75,506 | $71,083 | $80,899 | $91,685 |
Italy | $47,461 | $51,775 | $53,933 | $56,090 | $59,326 |
Japan | $58,147 | $58,435 | $62,930 | $71,920 | $71,920 |
Malaysia | $22,568 | $27,082 | $32,724 | $33,852 | $38,366 |
Mexico | $26,310 | $32,730 | $37,350 | $40,412 | $44,201 |
Netherlands | $81,792 | $76,854 | $77,663 | $92,764 | $107,865 |
New Zealand | $66,880 | $79,200 | $80,960 | $91,520 | $100,320 |
Nigeria | $15,312 | $19,140 | $23,447 | $28,710 | $22,968 |
Peru | $28,934 | $30,579 | $38,985 | $40,356 | $43,858 |
Poland | $33,807 | $39,560 | $39,357 | $43,898 | $49,070 |
Qatar | $66,058 | $75,199 | $77,375 | $89,448 | $88,899 |
Saudi Arabia | $45,532 | $61,100 | $53,316 | $63,979 | $72,776 |
Singapore | $55,729 | $60,373 | $65,946 | $74,468 | $77,877 |
South Africa | $55,527 | $64,422 | $67,015 | $72,000 | $87,758 |
South Korea | $55,180 | $49,840 | $62,300 | $62,300 | $64,970 |
Spain | $43,146 | $47,461 | $49,618 | $53,933 | $59,326 |
Sweden | $62,646 | $68,094 | $74,903 | $74,336 | $79,443 |
Switzerland | $110,817 | $130,966 | $130,966 | $137,010 | $148,092 |
Taiwan | $26,232 | $29,511 | $29,511 | $37,709 | |
Turkey | $33,130 | $33,350 | $33,130 | $33,130 | $36,443 |
United Arab Emirates | $65,330 | $68,053 | $82,207 | $97,996 | $97,998 |
United Kingdom | $66,856 | $74,667 | $74,979 | $89,506 | $92,474 |
United States | $92,000 | $105,000 | $110,000 | $120,000 | $130,000 |
Do you want to increase your chances of getting on bigger projects, and getting the rewards that come with it? Then get your PMP!
A Second Opinion: PayScale.com
All of the above data comes from PMI’s Earning Power Report (10th Edition). With data from 33,000 people across 37 countries, it’s a good-sized survey with excellent insights.
However, it does have one drawback. All of the survey respondents are associated with PMI. That does limit the sample set. So, let’s see what other sources say about how much PMP certification increases salary.
Here’s the data from PayScale.com of the difference it makes when you’re PMP certified.
This data is specifically for the United States, but it provides insight into the difference it makes for different project management related job titles.
The PMP Advantage by Job Title
Job Title | Non-PMP | PMP | Advantage | Annual $ |
---|---|---|---|---|
Project Manager (general) | $74,000 | $88,000 | 19% | $14,000 |
Senior Project Manager (general) | $89,000 | $104,000 | 17% | $15,000 |
Project Manager, IT | $87,000 | $96,000 | 10% | $9,000 |
Project Manager, Software Development | $87,000 | $99,000 | 14% | $12,000 |
Technical Project Manager | $92,000 | $101,000 | 10% | $9,000 |
Senior Project Manager, IT | $113,000 | $115,000 | 2% | $2,000 |
Program Manager, IT | $112,000 | $120,000 | 7% | $8,000 |
Service Delivery Manager | $86,000 | $110,000 | 28% | $24,000 |
IT Manager | $88,000 | $111,000 | 26% | $23,000 |
IT Director | $118,000 | $143,000 | 21% | $25,000 |
Software Development Manager | $123,000 | $125,000 | 2% | $2,000 |
Chief Information Officer | $158,000 | $171,000 | 8% | $13,000 |
Chief Information Security Officer | $160,000 | $174,000 | 9% | $14,000 |
Software Engineer / Developer | $71,000 | $82,000 | 15% | $11,000 |
Certified Scrum Master (CSM) | $89,000 | $102,000 | 15% | $13,000 |
Agile Coach | $123,000 | $131,000 | 7% | $8,000 |
Sure enough, according to PayScale.com, the PMP advantage is not quite as high as the 23% reported by PMI. However, nearly every role in this table still shows a significant salary advantage.
Even higher-level positions, such as CIO (8%) and Chief Information Security Officer (9%). 8% may not sound like much, but that’s an average of $13,000 per year.
And you don’t have to be a project manager to benefit from the PMP advantage:
- Software Developers (15%, $11,000/yr)
How does $11,000 more per year sound? $110,000 over 10 years. Even if you spent $2,000 to get your PMP, that’s a great return on your investment. That’s an ROI of over 500% in the first year alone.
Even if you’re more focused on Agile and Scrum:
- Certified Scrum Masters (15%, $13,000/yr)
- Agile Coaches (7%, $8,000/yr)
How Much Does Experience Affect Salary for Different Job Titles?
This data is also specifically for the United States, but shows how experience affects a project manager’s salary based on PayScale.com’s data.
The Experience Advantage by Job Title
Job Title | < 1 yr | 1-4 yrs | 5-9 yrs | 10-19 yrs | 20+ yrs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Project Manager (general) | $55,000 | $63,000 | $77,000 | $86,000 | $90,000 |
Senior Project Manager (general) | $78,000 | $88,000 | $98,000 | $104,000 | |
Project Manager, IT | $60,000 | $71,000 | $88,000 | $100,000 | $110,000 |
Project Manager, Software Development | $59,000 | $71,000 | $88,000 | $102,000 | $113,000 |
Technical Project Manager | $57,000 | $77,000 | $92,000 | $102,000 | $111,000 |
Senior Project Manager, IT | $90,000 | $92,000 | $105,000 | $116,000 | $120,000 |
Program Manager, IT | $80,000 | $87,000 | $105,000 | $119,000 | $126,000 |
Service Delivery Manager | $60,000 | $66,000 | $81,000 | $97,000 | $111,000 |
IT Manager | $60,000 | $67,000 | $79,000 | $93,000 | $100,000 |
IT Director | $77,000 | $79,000 | $97,000 | $121,000 | $130,000 |
Software Development Manager | $98,000 | $102,000 | $112,000 | $126,000 | $130,000 |
Chief Information Officer | $101,000 | $123,000 | $129,000 | $155,000 | $176,000 |
Chief Information Security Officer | $106,000 | $121,000 | $129,000 | $160,000 | $172,000 |
Software Engineer / Developer | $74,000 | $81,000 | $92,000 | $102,000 | $110,000 |
Certified Scrum Master (CSM) | $67,000 | $81,000 | $97,000 | $103,000 | $115,000 |
Agile Coach | $75,000 | $103,000 | $122,000 | $133,000 | $140,000 |
Experience naturally makes a significant difference. However, notice that PMP certification is worth about 5 or 10 years of experience. That’s a nice shortcut to a higher salary.
Other Resources
What are the requirements to become PMP-certified? https://www.pmguaranteed.com/pmp-certification-requirements/
How do I get my PMP? You can find out in my Complete Guide to PMP Certification: https://www.pmguaranteed.com/the-complete-guide-to-pmp-certification/
(Updated Nov 2019)
