Project Manager Jobs in Philadelphia, PA
Project managers in the Philadelphia metro average about $113,000 a year, and the city's transit, utility and corporate employers post six-figure ranges, from SEPTA and PGW to Amtrak at 30th Street. Here are the current openings, followed by who is hiring, what it pays and which credentials count.
Current project manager Openings in Philadelphia, PA
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Project Manager Work in Philadelphia
Philadelphia's project management work follows its infrastructure and its headquarters. SEPTA runs facility and rail projects from its 1234 Market Street headquarters, Philadelphia Gas Works manages distribution and construction projects across its gas system, and Amtrak hires environmental and capital project managers in the 30th Street Station area. In Center City, Comcast runs technology and finance projects such as procure-to-pay systems, and Independence Blue Cross runs a portfolio and project management office.
That gives the city two distinct tracks. Capital and construction project managers coordinate engineers, contractors and city permits on transit, utility and commercial real estate work, where a Pennsylvania PE or registered architect license can add pay. Business and IT project managers run software rollouts, process changes and system upgrades, where PMP certification and Agile experience matter more.
Top Philadelphia Employers Hiring Project Managers
These employers have posted project manager roles in the city on their own careers sites:
- SEPTA - the transit authority hires project managers for transit and rail facilities at its Market Street headquarters, with a bonus for a PE or RA license.
- Philadelphia Gas Works - the city-owned gas utility hires project managers for distribution and construction work and posts the salary range.
- Amtrak - the railroad hires principal and project managers for environmental and capital programs based near 30th Street Station.
- Comcast - the Center City headquarters lists project management openings in Philadelphia, including procure-to-pay and technical project roles.
- CBRE - the commercial real estate firm hires construction and owner's representative project managers for Philadelphia-area projects.
- Independence Blue Cross - the health insurer runs a portfolio and project management office from its Center City headquarters.
Project Manager Salaries in Philadelphia
- Entry level: about $70,000 to $85,000 a year for associate project managers and coordinators moving up.
- Experienced: roughly $95,000 to $125,000 a year for project managers with three to eight years of experience.
- Senior and principal: $130,000 to $150,000 or more for senior, principal and construction project managers.
These are estimates. Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry figures for May 2025 put project management specialists in the Philadelphia metro at a mean of $113,470 a year, with entry-level pay averaging $72,190, and construction managers at a mean of $131,200. Posted city ranges include $96,500 to $120,000 at PGW, up to $121,966 at SEPTA plus $5,000 for a PE or RA license, and $113,200 to $146,664 for a principal role at Amtrak. Industry, PMP certification and the size of the budget you run move pay the most.
How to Become a Project Manager in Philadelphia
Most postings ask for a bachelor's degree in business, engineering, construction management or a related field and three or more years of experience. The PMP from the Project Management Institute requires three years of project experience with a bachelor's degree, or five with a high school diploma, plus 35 hours of training; the entry-level CAPM requires 23 hours of education. Community College of Philadelphia offers an 18-credit Project Management Proficiency Certificate at its Spring Garden Street main campus that prepares students for the CAPM, Drexel University offers a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Project Management and a BS in Construction Management, and Temple University offers a non-credit Certificate in Project Management on North Broad Street. The PMI Delaware Valley Chapter runs PMP exam prep for the region. Pennsylvania has no license for project managers, though engineering and construction roles may prefer a PE or RA license.
What the Job Involves
Project managers turn a goal into a plan and see it through. Daily work includes building schedules and budgets, assigning tasks, running status meetings, tracking risks and changes, managing contractors or vendors, and reporting progress to sponsors. On construction and capital projects that also means reviewing drawings, coordinating inspections and closing out contracts; on IT projects it means coordinating developers, testing and go-live plans.
Skills Employers Look For
- Scheduling and budgeting with tools such as Microsoft Project or Smartsheet
- PMP, CAPM or Agile certification
- Risk, change and vendor management
- Clear written and spoken communication with executives
- Reading contracts, drawings or technical requirements
- Leading teams you do not directly supervise
Career Path and Advancement
Many Philadelphia project managers start as project coordinators, analysts or engineers, earn a CAPM or PMP, and move into associate and then full project manager roles. From there the ladder runs to senior and principal project manager, program manager and director of a project management office. Public employers such as SEPTA and PGW reward licensed engineers who move into project leadership, while Center City corporate employers promote toward portfolio and PMO roles.
Related Careers in Philadelphia
If project management interests you, these Philadelphia roles are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to be a project manager in Pennsylvania?
No. Pennsylvania does not license project managers. Engineering and construction postings, such as SEPTA's facility project managers, may prefer a Pennsylvania Professional Engineer or Registered Architect license and pay more for one.
How much do project managers make in Philadelphia?
State figures for May 2025 put project management specialists in the metro at a mean of $113,470 a year. Posted city ranges run from about $96,500 at PGW to more than $146,000 for a principal role at Amtrak.
Do Philadelphia employers require the PMP?
Many prefer it rather than require it. The PMP needs three years of project experience with a bachelor's degree, or five with a high school diploma, plus 35 hours of training. The CAPM is the entry-level option and needs 23 hours of education.
Where can you study project management in Philadelphia?
Community College of Philadelphia offers an 18-credit Project Management Proficiency Certificate, Drexel University offers a post-baccalaureate certificate and a BS in Construction Management, and Temple University offers a non-credit certificate. The PMI Delaware Valley Chapter runs PMP exam prep courses.
How long does it take to become a project manager?
Most people spend two to five years in a coordinator, analyst or technical role before managing projects on their own. Employers in Philadelphia commonly ask for three to eight years of experience for project manager titles.
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