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Key takeawaysProjects stay justified by keeping the business case current and stopping work when value can no longer be shown.

Project management pay rises with experience, but industry choice and qualifications can shift the range.Work is planned and authorised in stages, with decisions made at stage boundaries using stage plans and reports.

  • UK project manager salaries sit around the low to mid £40k range on average, with wide variation by employer and role.Management by exception uses tolerances so issues are escalated only when limits are forecast to be exceeded.
  • Entry-level project managers typically start in the high £20k range and can progress quickly with transferable skills and training.Standard management products such as risk and issue registers support consistent control without excessive paperwork when tailored well.
  • Early and mid-career pay commonly moves into the mid £30k to low £40k range as responsibility and delivery track record grow.
  • Late-career project managers can reach higher bands, with reported ranges extending up to around £80k.
  • Industry matters: IT, engineering and construction often pay above average, while marketing can sit below the national benchmark.

Introduction

This comprehensive guide explains what project managers expect to earn at different experience levels. First, discover the average salary, from an entry-level to an experienced-level project manager. Then, comparing different career paths, we examine the differences in the average salary for a product manager and other careers.PRINCE2 roles and responsibilities

If you’re considering a career in project managementPRINCE2 management products and investing in a project manager coursePRINCE2 certification (Foundation vs Practitioner) to enter the project management profession, read on. You can compare your salary to your experience level and other professions.

Project manager salaries, and management by stages with a stage plan.

Jobs in project managementIn practice, PRINCE2 helps teams answer: why are we doing this (business case), who makes decisions (project board), what are we delivering (scope and products), how will we control risks (risk management), and how do we handle change (change control).

When you’ve already started a Origin and governanceproject management careerPRINCE2 originated in the UK as a standard for managing projects, evolving from earlier PRINCE guidance and becoming widely adopted beyond information systems into general project management. The method is associated with the Portfolio, Programme, and Project best practice portfolio, and PRINCE2 examinations and certifications are delivered by PeopleCert., there are a variety of jobs you might do. The most obvious is a project manager.For governance and official updates, refer to the organisations that manage the framework and qualification delivery:

Project managersPeopleCert in the UK are certainly well paid. According to Glassdoor, nationwide salaries in the UK average £46k (exam institute delivering PRINCE2 certifications)[1]Reference overview. In addition, PayScale reports project manager salaries ranging from £27k to £64k, with a median UK salary of £40k for history, terminology and structure[2]Who should use PRINCE2?.PRINCE2 is designed for organisations that want a repeatable approach to project control and governance. It can be tailored to suit different sizes and levels of complexity, but it is especially common where transparency, auditability and decision rights matter.

Other available jobs within Job roles that commonly use PRINCE2project managementProject manager: are also well paid, such as a project management director role. runs day to day management, reporting and stage control.

See the table below to find out the average UK salary for different jobs in project managementProject board:[3][4][5] provides direction and decision making across business, user and supplier interests..PMO (Project Management Office):

Jobs in project management supports standards, assurance, reporting and portfolio level governance.Average UK salaryTeam manager:
Project Management Director accepts work packages and delivers specialist outputs.£78kProject assurance:
Strategic Project Management independently checks business, user and supplier aspects.£55kChange authority:
Technical Project Management decides on certain changes within delegated limits (supports change control).£42kSituations where PRINCE2 is a strong fit

Project management industriesPublic sector projects and regulated environments requiring strong governance and traceability.

When looking further at reported salaries, project managers in specific industries earn well above the national average.Large or high risk initiatives needing formal risk management and stage boundaries.

It is perhaps unsurprising that an IT project manager and engineer project manager report higher than average salaries, earning up to £73kMulti supplier delivery where roles, tolerances and reporting must be explicit.[6][7]Business change projects where continued business justification must be proven via the , and construction project manager salaries up to £69kbusiness case[8]..How PRINCE2 works

are mandatory ideas that must be present for a project to be considered PRINCE2 based. They guide decisions across governance, planning, controls and learning.Any entry-level role salary is usually much less than the average salary. Those who changed careers to project managers typically start with an entry-level position and make their way up.

Find out how to Continued business justification:start your project management career keep the business case valid and up to date..Learn from experience:

Entry-level project managers earn from £21k to £40k, with the median UK salary of £29k capture lessons and apply them throughout the project.[10]Defined roles and responsibilities:. Entry-level project managers earn more than other career paths. ensure clear accountability across the project board and delivery roles.

Below is a table comparing the average UK salary for multiple career paths for an entry-level roleManage by stages:[11][12][13] plan and authorise work in manageable chunks using a stage plan..Manage by exception:

Entry-level jobs set tolerances and escalate only when they are forecast to be exceeded.UK average salaryFocus on products:
Project Manager define, agree and verify outputs and acceptance criteria.£29kTailor to suit the project:
Web developer scale controls to project size, risk and environment.£22kOptional detail: organisations commonly tailor the amount of documentation while keeping decision points, roles, and change control discipline intact.
Software developerFor a more in-depth description, read £26kPRINCE2 principles
Civil engineer.£26kPRINCE2 practices

Early career project managerThe

Those in the early stages of their project manager career may have some experience, perhaps 1 to 4 years.7 practices

According to PayScale, in the UK, they may earn between £25k to £50k, with an average salary of £35k (used to be called themes) describe the project management disciplines that must be addressed continuously. They ensure the project is planned, controlled and aligned to the business case.[14]Business case:. Again, compared to other career paths, project managers typically earn higher. define and maintain the justification and benefits profile.

See the table for more informationOrganisation:[15][16][17] establish the project management team structure and decision rights..Quality:

Early career jobs define quality expectations, acceptance criteria and quality control activities.UK average salaryPlans:
Project Manager create and maintain plans (including each stage plan) to control delivery.£35kRisk:
Account Manager identify, assess and control uncertainty through risk management.£27kChange:
Web Developer assess and control changes via change control (issues, requests, and off spec).£25kProgress:
Graphic Designer track performance, manage tolerances and report by exception.£22kFor more, read

For early-career project managers, there can be ways to help you become a step closer to increasing your pay. Sometimes gaining an internationally recognised PRINCE2 practicesproject management qualification. can help you to the next level of your career.PRINCE2 processes

Of course, we cannot guarantee you that qualifying will increase your salary. However, with a qualification, you can build your confidence and gain new insights into project management. Hopefully, your boss will recognise your determination and reward you.The

Mid-career project managerChange management moves the organisation from current to target state, protecting the investment.

During your career, when you have worked in project management long enough, between 5 to 9 years, you may earn an average UK salary of £43kStakeholder engagement thrives when ecosystem relationships are actively built and maintained.[18]Co-creation with users improves fit, reduces handover risk, and boosts adoption.. During your project manager career, your salary ranges from £30k to £62k.Temporary teams perform best with clear roles, psychological safety, and agreed ways of working for virtual or hybrid delivery.

See below for a comparison of average salaries for different mid-career jobs in the UKDelegating knowledge-based decisions near the source supports managing by exception, especially where trust is strong.[19][20][21]For a more about people, read

ReferencesPRINCE2 vs Agile and PRINCE2 vs PMP

[1] Glassdoor. 2022. Salary: Project Manager (June, 2022) | Glassdoor. [ONLINE] Available at: https://tinyurl.com/bdz2bdn9. [Accessed 08 June 2022].PRINCE2 is a project management method focused on governance, roles, stages and management products.

[2] Project Manager, (Unspecified Type / General) Salary in United Kingdom | PayScale. 2022. Project Manager, (Unspecified Type / General) Salary in United Kingdom | PayScale. [ONLINE] Available at: https://tinyurl.com/33bttf83. [Accessed 08 June 2022].Agile

[3] Project Management Director Salary in United Kingdom | PayScale. 2022. Project Management Director Salary in United Kingdom | PayScale. [ONLINE] Available at: https://tinyurl.com/mreuby9b. [Accessed 27 June 2022]. is a family of delivery approaches focused on iterative development and rapid feedback.

[4] Strategic Project Management Salary in United Kingdom | PayScale. 2022. Strategic Project Management Salary in United Kingdom | PayScale. [ONLINE] Available at: https://tinyurl.com/yajezmxb. [Accessed 27 June 2022].PMP (Project Management Professional)

[5] Technical Project Manager with Project Management Skills Salary in United Kingdom | PayScale. 2022. Technical Project Manager with Project Management Skills Salary in United Kingdom | PayScale. [ONLINE] Available at: https://tinyurl.com/cnnttnkw. [Accessed 27 June 2022]. is a certification aligned to the PMI body of knowledge, commonly referenced through the

[6] Project Manager, Information Technology (IT) Salary in United Kingdom | PayScale. 2022. Project Manager, Information Technology (IT) Salary in United Kingdom | PayScale. [ONLINE] Available at: https://tinyurl.com/mrx6cr3m. [Accessed 27 June 2022].PMBOK Guide

[7] Project Manager, Engineering Salary in United Kingdom | PayScale. 2022. Project Manager, Engineering Salary in United Kingdom | PayScale. [ONLINE] Available at: https://tinyurl.com/5n7tez46. [Accessed 27 June 2022]., and it emphasises broad project management knowledge areas and practices.

[8] Project Manager, Construction Salary in United Kingdom | PayScale. 2022. Project Manager, Construction Salary in United Kingdom | PayScale. [ONLINE] Available at: https://tinyurl.com/y4vt6pfx. [Accessed 27 June 2022].Comparison table

[9] Project Manager, Marketing Salary in United Kingdom | PayScale. 2022. Project Manager, Marketing Salary in United Kingdom | PayScale. [ONLINE] Available at: https://tinyurl.com/mu8kzkxc. [Accessed 27 June 2022].Aspect

[10] Entry-Level Project Manager, (Unspecified Type / General) Salary in United Kingdom | PayScale. 2022. Entry-Level Project Manager, (Unspecified Type / General) Salary in United Kingdom | PayScale. [ONLINE] Available at: https://tinyurl.com/2s5vcrmt. [Accessed 27 June 2022].PRINCE2

[11] Entry-Level Web Developer Salary in United Kingdom | PayScale. 2022. Entry-Level Web Developer Salary in United Kingdom | PayScale. [ONLINE] Available at: https://tinyurl.com/5n7j7y86. [Accessed 27 June 2022].Agile

[12] Entry-Level Software Developer Salary in United Kingdom | PayScale. 2022. Entry-Level Software Developer Salary in United Kingdom | PayScale. [ONLINE] Available at: https://tinyurl.com/mwfacm9e. [Accessed 27 June 2022].PMP (PMBOK Guide)

[13] Entry-Level Civil Engineer Salary in United Kingdom | PayScale. 2022. Entry-Level Civil Engineer Salary in United Kingdom | PayScale. [ONLINE] Available at: https://tinyurl.com/345ceyzs. [Accessed 27 June 2022].Primary focus

[14] Early-Career Project Manager, (Unspecified Type / General) Salary in United Kingdom | PayScale. 2022. Early-Career Project Manager, (Unspecified Type / General) Salary in United Kingdom | PayScale. [ONLINE] Available at: https://tinyurl.com/2fw55sfh. [Accessed 27 June 2022].Governance and control across the project lifecycle

[15] Early-Career Account Manager Salary in United Kingdom | PayScale. 2022. Early-Career Account Manager Salary in United Kingdom | PayScale. [ONLINE] Available at: https://tinyurl.com/bddmp9dk. [Accessed 27 June 2022].Iterative delivery and adaptability

, PRINCE2 ® Agile, RESILIA ®