Why you should choose the project manager career path

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When you were young, you were probably asked the standard question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Your answer may have been one of the standards such as a doctor, a police officer, a fireman, a professional athlete, a veterinarian, a teacher, a scientist, an astronaut, a dancer, and a project manager.

Okay, none of you answered “project manager,” but maybe you should have. Read on the roles within and benefits of the project manager career path.

If you'd like a better understanding of what a project manager does, take a look at our reasons why project management is important.

Career Path Example - Project Management (Click on image to modify online)

Why choose a project management career path?

According to a report from the Product Management Institute, “Demand over the next 10 years for project managers is growing faster than demand for workers in other occupations.” The report projects that there will be almost 214,000 new project management-related jobs per year in the United States.

At the same time, the report notes that, while the demand for project management roles is increasing, the number of PM professionals is decreasing.

The need for project managers and the lack of qualified ones (basic supply and demand) makes project management positions attractive for a variety of reasons that we’ll discuss further in the article:

Higher demand leads to higher salary.
There’s a lot of opportunity for growth and advancement.
Many industries can benefit from project managers, so you can likely work in an industry that matches your interests and skill set.

Expected salary for project managers

How much can you expect to earn as a project manager? Like any job, how much you make depends on your location, your education level, the amount of experience you have, the industry you work in, where you live, and the size of the company offering you employment.

According to Indeed, the average salary for a mid-level project management position is about $80,000 per year with a range from $22,000 to $174,000 (based on input from more than 23,000 people currently and previously employees with project manager titles).

Project manager titles

Project management is not a dead-end job. There are many different project management job titles, from entry- to executive-level, available as you move forward on your career path.

Consider this project manager title hierarchy as you work your way to the position that you want. The project manager career path typically includes the following roles:

Project Coordinator: An entry-level administrative position for generating and distributing reports. The project coordinator is an assistant to the management team.
Project Scheduler: This person uses software tools to manage project schedules. This job involves updating and maintaining schedules and other documents, but no team or people management.
Assistant Project Manager: On really large projects, an assistant may be needed who can collaborate with and take on tasks that the project manager is not able to. For example, the assistant project manager can attend meetings and work with specific smaller segments of the project. The assistant meets regularly with the project manager to report on progress and any roadblocks that may come up.
Project Manager: A project manager oversees the entire project, including budgets, plans, schedules, and product demonstrations. The project manager works alone, with an assistant, or with a management team that he can delegate specific assignments to. This person manages the project to a successful conclusion.
Senior Project Manager: This position can be responsible for multiple projects at the same time and decides which should take priority. A senior project manager likely has a larger management team that includes project managers and assistants.

Project Management Roles by Industry (Click on image to modify online)

Types of project managers by industry

Project management is not limited to one industry. Project managers are needed in a variety of industries including the following.

Construction

A construction project manager understands the construction business, works directly with clients, obtains permits, plans the construction timeline, and manages contractors.