Entry-level Project Manager salary in Washington, DC
Based on 51 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Arlington, Reston, Herndon, Rockville, Sterling.
Also listed as: Project Management Specialist, Project Coordinator
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $73,195 |
| 25th | $75,000 |
| 50th (median) | $79,042 |
| 75th | $85,000 |
| 90th | $90,846 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 0 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 0 |
| FY2022 | – | – | – | 1 |
| FY2023 | $71,400 | $68,855 | $75,641 | 10 |
| FY2024 | $72,000 | $70,928 | $77,827 | 17 |
| FY2025 | $75,000 | $73,195 | $83,111 | 31 |
| FY2026 | $83,300 | $79,761 | $87,912 | 20 |
Cost of living
Washington's median entry-level Project Manager salary of $79,042 is worth about $72,600 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Washington = 108.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Project Management Specialists in the Washington, DC area earned a median of $127,030 in May 2025 (38,230 employed). The H-1B median here is $79,042, 38% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Turner Construction Company | too few | 7 |
| M.C. Dean | too few | 4 |
| Amazon | too few | 2 |
| District Of Columbia Public Schools | too few | 2 |
| Korean Community Service Center of Greater Washington | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $79,042 | 51 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $102,482 | 53 |
| Senior · Level III | $126,464 | 33 |
| Expert · Level IV | $163,500 | 17 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $73,195 | $79,042 | 51 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $102,482 | $102,482 | 53 |
| Senior · Level III | $126,464 | $126,464 | 33 |
| Expert · Level IV | $150,426 | $163,500 | 17 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.