Project Manager Salary: San Francisco, CA vs Seattle, WA
BLS reports this occupation as "Project Management Specialists" (13-1082); every figure on this page is for that BLS occupation.
Side-by-side comparison of wages and local price levels for Project Managers in San Francisco, CA and Seattle, WA, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data and BEA regional price parities for 2024.
1Which City Pays More?
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | San Francisco, CA | Seattle, WA | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Annual Salary | $135,040▲ | $130,380 | +$4,660 |
| 25th Percentile | $102,510▲ | $97,410 | +$5,100 |
| 75th Percentile | $167,410 | $168,460▲ | -$1,050 |
| 90th Percentile | $206,240 | $209,220▲ | -$2,980 |
| Price Level (BEA 2024, US = 100) | 115.6 | 111.1 | +4.5 |
| Median at National-Average Prices | $116,803 | $117,319▲ | -$516 |
| Total Employment | 20,770 | 26,910 | -6,140 |
3Summary Analysis
On paper, San Francisco, CA pays $4,660 more (median: $135,040 vs $130,380). BEA's regional price parity is 115.6 in San Francisco, CA and 111.1 in Seattle, WA (United States = 100). At national-average prices the medians are $116,803 and $117,319, so Seattle, WA comes out ahead once local prices are counted.
5Reading This Comparison
The $4,660 gap between the two medians is a gap in dollars, not in what those dollars buy. Dividing each median by its area's regional price parity restates it at national-average prices: $116,803 for San Francisco and $117,319 for Seattle, a difference of $516.
The price levels come from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, which describes them this way: “Regional price parities (RPPs) measure the differences in price levels across states and metropolitan areas for a given year and are expressed as a percentage of the overall national price level.” The figures used here are the all-items index for each whole metropolitan area (San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA) and cover prices only, not taxes.
BLS estimates 20,770 Project Manager jobs in the San Francisco area and 26,910 in the Seattle area. For broader context, see our California overview and the full Project Manager city ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Project Manager salary higher in San Francisco, CA or Seattle, WA?
San Francisco, CA has the higher median wage for Project Managers ($135,040 per year, against $130,380 in Seattle, WA; BLS OEWS May 2025). Restated at national-average prices using BEA regional price parities, the medians are $116,803 in San Francisco, CA and $117,319 in Seattle, WA.
How do prices compare between San Francisco, CA and Seattle, WA?
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the 2024 regional price parity at 115.6 for the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metropolitan area and 111.1 for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metropolitan area, where the United States is 100. That is 15.6% above the national level for San Francisco, CA and 11.1% above the national level for Seattle, WA.
Which city pays Project Managers more once local prices are counted?
Seattle, WA: at national-average prices its median Project Manager wage is $117,319, against $116,803 for San Francisco, CA. The adjustment divides each median by the area's BEA regional price parity and covers prices only, not taxes.