The following article discusses the career path of Systems Project Manager. Learn about how to become one, education requirements, job duties, traits and qualities, national salary outlook as well as top national employers of Systems Project Managers.
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Job Duties
Systems project managers love to work with many different people. They work in IT, which is a fast paced environment that is constantly changing. They have extensive responsibilities, therefore, and simply maintaining the necessary knowledge to keep up with this is a job in itself. They must be able to understand various types of technology at the same time.
They work with other staff members, ensuring that they can benefit from the company’s technological systems. They focus on client relations, IT projects, and offer strong customer service. They also often play a supervisory role for other staff members, setting goals, assigning work, and ensuring that objectives are met. They may also have to resolve conflict issues.
Furthermore, they are responsible for the implementation and functioning of the servers. They also have to upgrade databases and ensure all services are at top performance. Usually, they supervise new equipment installation and ensure all projects run smoothly from start to finish.
Other job duties of a systems project manager include:
– Holding meetings with the organization’s key stakeholders to ensure they are aware of new projects and remain up to date with developments
Where We Work
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 367,600 computer and information systems managers in 2016. The largest employers of these professionals were:
- Computer systems design and related services: 22%
- Information: 11%
- Finance and insurance: 11%
- Management of companies and enterprises: 10%
- Manufacturing: 8%
How to Become
A bachelor’s degree in an area relating to computer science is usually required. Some also complete a master’s degree in areas such as project management. The master of business administration (MBA) is particularly popular.
Education Requirements
A systems project manager is generally expected to hold a bachelor’s degree in information or computer science, or a related field. This means they have an in-depth understanding of software development, computer programming, and mathematics. They may also complete business classes and courses in Management Information Systems (MIS).
It is increasingly common for these professionals to also hold a master’s degree, particularly the MBA. This takes two years to complete and is usually studied while working. This matters, because work experience is also very important. Systems project managers will usually already have several years of working experience before they take on managerial responsibilities.
Because computer systems are used in every organization in the world, systems project managers must have industry-specific experience as well. Indeed, this is now commonly expected. Someone who has gained IT experience in a manufacturing environment, for instance, is unlikely to become a systems project manager in an educational setting afterwards.
Traits & Qualities
The most effective systems project managers have the following traits to some degree or other:
- Strong analytical skills
- Excellent business skills
- Great communication skills, both verbal and written
- Good decision making skills
- Inspirational leadership
- Strong organizational skills
- Mathematical skills
Minimum Education
Bachelor’s Degree
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- Most Reported
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$24,000
$188,000
The following section lists Systems Project Manager salaries in each state around the country. The figures are based on the total number of job postings through Indeed.com. For example, New Hampshire had the largest quoted salary of $106,424 while Ohio had the smallest quoted salary of $68,087.
| Arkansas – $81,318 | Rank: 18th |
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The average salary ranks 18th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like The HealthCare Initiative.
$25,000 $169,000 Salary Distribution
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| Arizona – $89,797 | Rank: 9th |
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The average salary ranks 9th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Nigel Frank International, Maricopa County, AZ, and Sysazzle, Inc..
$39,000 $160,000 Salary Distribution
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| California – $97,856 | Rank: 4th |
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The average salary ranks 4th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like V Dart, Inc., University of California, Santa Barbara, APS – Access Professional Systems, Inc., and Geopaq Logic Inc.
$31,000 $200,000 Salary Distribution
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| Colorado – $91,631 | Rank: 7th |
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The average salary ranks 7th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Colorado Secretary of State and SystemsAccountants.
$26,000 $195,000 Salary Distribution
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| Connecticut – $83,513 | Rank: 16th |
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The average salary ranks 16th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Accounting Career Network.
$26,000 $172,000 Salary Distribution
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| Florida – $81,552 | Rank: 17th |
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The average salary ranks 17th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Hudson, Robert Half Technology, Palm Beach County Human Resources, and Vaco, LLC.
$25,000 $169,000 Salary Distribution
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| Georgia – $77,516 | Rank: 21st |
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The average salary ranks 21st among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Principle Solutions Group.
$26,000 $155,000 Salary Distribution
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| Illinois – $90,424 | Rank: 8th |
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The average salary ranks 8th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like SystemsAccountants, Horizon Technology Partners, North Shore School District 112, and Nigel Frank International.
$32,000 $177,000 Salary Distribution
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| Indiana – $77,995 | Rank: 20th |
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The average salary ranks 20th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Liberty Mutual.
$22,000 $169,000 Salary Distribution
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| Kansas – $76,511 | Rank: 22nd |
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The average salary ranks 22nd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Aerotek.
$22,000 $162,000 Salary Distribution
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| Kentucky – $71,392 | Rank: 24th |
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The average salary ranks 24th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Robert Half Management Resources.
$27,000 $135,000 Salary Distribution
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| Massachusetts – $104,221 | Rank: 2nd |
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The average salary ranks 2nd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like CyberCoders, SystemsAccountants, Liberty Mutual, and Fenway Search Group.
$40,000 $197,000 Salary Distribution
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| Michigan – $78,164 | Rank: 19th |
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The average salary ranks 19th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like ADVANCED SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS, INC. and Robert Half Technology.
$25,000 $158,000 Salary Distribution
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| Minnesota – $88,495 | Rank: 10th |
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The average salary ranks 10th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Entegee and CyberCoders.
$42,000 $152,000 Salary Distribution
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| North Carolina – $84,512 | Rank: 14th |
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The average salary ranks 14th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Robert Half Technology and Apex Systems.
$37,000 $150,000 Salary Distribution
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| New Hampshire – $106,424 | Rank: 1st |
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The average salary ranks 1st among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Liberty Mutual.
$46,000 $190,000 Salary Distribution
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| New Jersey – $83,542 | Rank: 15th |
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The average salary ranks 15th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like SystemsAccountants.
$21,000 $187,000 Salary Distribution
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| New York – $100,385 | Rank: 3rd |
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The average salary ranks 3rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like CPS Recruitment, NYC EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYS, Department of Sanitation, and City of New York.
$23,000 $233,000 Salary Distribution
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| Ohio – $68,087 | Rank: 26th |
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The average salary ranks 26th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Ohio State University, The Judge Group, and Diedre Moire.
$22,000 $137,000 Salary Distribution
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| Pennsylvania – $87,182 | Rank: 12th |
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The average salary ranks 12th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like The Judge Group and CyberCoders.
$34,000 $165,000 Salary Distribution
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| South Dakota – $94,318 | Rank: 5th |
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The average salary ranks 5th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Maverick Recruiting.
$47,000 $146,000 Salary Distribution
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| Tennessee – $73,149 | Rank: 23rd |
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The average salary ranks 23rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like CyberCoders.
$26,000 $144,000 Salary Distribution
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| Texas – $86,807 | Rank: 13th |
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The average salary ranks 13th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Robert Half Technology, Epiq Systems, Gennex Resourcing, and Texas Instruments, Inc.
$24,000 $189,000 Salary Distribution
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| Virginia – $87,445 | Rank: 11th |
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The average salary ranks 11th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Aerotek, CyberCoders, and Dept of Medical Asst Services.
$24,000 $191,000 Salary Distribution
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| Washington – $92,987 | Rank: 6th |
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The average salary ranks 6th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like State of Washington, City of Bellingham, The Evergreen State College, and Amazon.com.
$29,000 $191,000 Salary Distribution
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| Wisconsin – $71,273 | Rank: 25th |
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The average salary ranks 25th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Nigel Frank International.
$21,000 $150,000 Salary Distribution
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According to Indeed.com, the following states had employers looking to hire a Systems Project Manager. The quoted salary figure represents the average salary from all job postings by this employer.
| Employer Name | Location | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| CyberCoders | New York | $237,172 |
| Motion Recruitment Partners Prod | New York | $210,000 |
| Anderson Frank | New York | $160,874 |
| Crossfire | California | $149,668 |
| Request Technology | Virginia | $146,492 |
| Cisco | California | $144,200 |
| Amazon.com | Washington | $135,495 |
| Liberty Mutual | Indiana | $132,463 |
| Texas Instruments, Inc | Texas | $126,179 |
| SystemsAccountants | Massachusetts | $125,668 |
| Nigel Frank International | Illinois | $125,601 |
| Information Technology Services, Office of | New York | $123,714 |
| Vaco, LLC | Florida | $123,663 |
| Fenway Search Group | Massachusetts | $120,000 |
| Robert Half Technology | Virginia | $117,855 |
| The Judge Group | Pennsylvania | $113,036 |
| LOS ANGELES METRO | California | $112,812 |
Learn More
| Career Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Network Engineer | $88,447 |
| Finance Manager | $88,446 |
| Management Consultant | $88,374 |
| Pricing Manager | $88,102 |
| Systems Engineer | $87,511 |
| Supply Chain Manager | $85,591 |
| Gaming Manager | $84,668 |
| Risk Analyst | $84,024 |
| Internal Auditor | $83,754 |
| Information Technology Manager | $83,668 |
