Are you eyeing a progressive career in project management?
According to a PMI report, the project management sector will likely witness a 33% increase in job opportunities by 2027.
That’s great news for millions of aspirants who are preparing to enter this highly challenging and lucrative domain.
Project managers are in high demand across various industries.
Companies always need qualified professionals to plan and provision the work.
But wait…
Do you know that professionals with Project Management Professional (PMP) certification earn a 23% higher average salary than those without PMP certification from a recognized university?
You must understand that it’s essential to have a Project Management Professional certification first.
This article provides you with all the information you need related to a career in project management – career paths, potential earnings, recognized certifications, and top project management universities.
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Table of Contents
What are the career paths in project management?
Confused regarding what career path to take in project management?
Relax. We’ve listed some of the most well-known positions that you can pursue after considering your interests.
1. Project manager
One of the most sought-after career paths in project management, a project manager is responsible for planning, organization, implementation, and successful delivery of projects.
They oversee the efficient allocation of resources and balance the scope of work to ensure that the project is completed within the set time and budget constraints.
A person might hold different job titles within this role, like project manager I, II, III, and senior project manager.
2. Program manager
A program manager is a project management professional whose primary responsibility is to oversee and coordinate various project programs, products, and other tactical initiatives across the organization.
A program manager takes a Bird’s eye view of the entire program and strategically assists managers to ensure that successful results are achieved. This job role involves more responsibility as several projects are managed concurrently.
3. Portfolio manager
A project portfolio is a compilation of programs and projects managed as a group to accomplish strategic objectives. A portfolio manager’s primary job responsibility entails the centralized management of one or more project portfolios to achieve an organization’s goals.
This role calls for vast experience and expertise as it carries an enormous responsibility.
4. Project coordinator
The project coordinator is often the entry point to becoming a project manager. Project coordinators report to the project manager to support administrative tasks on projects.
Their primary responsibility is to oversee that daily tasks and activities are completed as project managers can shift their focus on other urgent strategic issues.
Project coordinators should be adept at time management, organization, communication, data entry, and paying attention to detail to minute things in a project.
5. Project director
The leap from project manager to project director means additional challenges, scope, and responsibilities. A project director should understand the company’s goals and objectives deeply.
As an essential leader of the organization, a project director takes direct reports from project managers and teams. A project director does not get involved in daily project activities and dedicates time across multiple projects simultaneously.
6. Senior and Executive-level roles
Many senior and executive-level positions, like the PMO Director and Chief operating officer, are up for grabs for project managers once they gain experience in this domain.
A PMO Director supervises an organization’s project management office and acts as a key decision-maker when setting and maintaining project standards throughout the company. A vastly experienced project manager with a minimum of 10 years of experience can don the hat of a COO.
7. Industry-specific project management roles
Project management professionals are in high demand in virtually all industries. As they gain valuable experience and their careers progress, they will likely find opportunities in promising sectors, like healthcare, construction and engineering, financial services, and software & information technology.
Project managers must learn and develop skills specific to that field to progress ahead in a specific industry. For example, if you are a project manager in the software industry then you need to have a good understanding of software development to manage software projects efficiently.
How much do project managers make?
Money matters big time! Yeah, we understand you want to earn a handsome amount as a certified PM.
We’ve put together some precise figures that reflect the average salary that PMs withdraw across various industries (for the United States only).
| INDUSTRY | PROJECT MANAGER MEDIAN SALARY |
| Pharmaceutical | $129,000 |
| Agriculture, Mining, and Natural Resources | $130,000 |
| Consulting | $125,000 |
| Aerospace | $118,000 |
| Engineering | $117,500 |
| Utility | $117,875 |
| Government | $113,875 |
| Information Technology | $114,000 |
(Median salary reported for the United States only)
Source: https://www.pmi.org/-/media/pmi/documents/public/pdf/learning/salary-survey-10th-edition.pdf?la=en
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Are there any certifications globally recognized for project management?
Whether you want to be an IT project manager or want to add project management to your list of soft skills, the following globally recognized certifications will help you hone your PM skills and excel in this highly competitive field.
Given below are some globally recognized project management certifications that can help you make a successful career in this field.
- CAPM (certified associate in project management)
- CSM (certified scrum master)
- CSSBB (certified six sigma black belt)
- PMP (project management professional)
- GAQM (global association for quality management)
- CSSYB (certified six sigma yellow belt)
- CompTIA Project+
Seven Top Project Management Universities In 2022
There’s a strong reason why a large number of people want to graduate from top project management universities – premium quality of education is valued among global organizations, which means you have high chances of achieving success sooner than later.
So, we have listed seven renowned project management universities from where you can learn nuances of project management and carve your niche as a highly competent project manager.
1. MIT Sloan School of Management
Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/MITSloanE62Front.jpg
One of the world’s leading business schools and top project management schools, The MIT Sloan School of management is the business school of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The school offers project management at the Undergraduate level, under the Management Science discipline.
An education at MIT Sloan prepares you for your next step, equipping you with the tools you need to lead a team, manage a complex organization, or found your own company.
2. University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley is regarded as one of the most prestigious state universities and best universities for project management in the US. The E & PM (engineering and project management) program trains professionals to enhance leaders in Architecture-Engineering-Construction (AEC) and other industries in the management of projects and companies.
The university offers courses and certificates that cover your professional needs—whether you’re looking to change careers, add project manager to your résumé or enhance your skill set
3. Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ
Stevens Institute of Technology, the Innovation University, is a premier, private research university in Hoboken, N.J., located in the proximity of New York City. Its Graduate Certificate in Project Management is accredited by the Project Management Institute (PMI) and the Global Accreditation Center for Project Management (GAC).
The university’s project management graduate certificate program covers both the theory and practice of project management. Concepts, project management tools, metrics for project success, planning issues, risk management, human resources, organizational performance and management of complex programs are presented.
Classes stress on leadership development and analytical skills, to enable project managers to round out required skills for their toolboxes.
4. University of Connecticut
Source: https://collegerealitycheck.com/university-of-connecticut/
The University of Connecticut is a top-ranked research institution, with campuses and staff across Connecticut. Expert researchers, faculty, and alumni drive Creativity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship (CIE) for a better tomorrow.
The MS in Project Management offered to students on campus was approved and suggested by the program graduates at the University of Connecticut. Students may choose to follow the program on a full-time or part-time basis.
The curriculum is available to both domestic and foreign learners to hone students’ overall learning experience. It is one of the most popular and renowned project management programs due to its flexibility and inclusion of students from various nationalities.
5. University of Michigan- Dearborn
Source: https://www.cappex.com/colleges/university-of-michigan-dearborn
The University of Michigan–Dearborn is one of the two regional universities operating under the policies of the University of Michigan Board of Regents.
The College of Engineering & Computer Science of the University of Michigan Dearborn offers an on-campus or online MS in Program and Project Management degree program.
Graduate students receive extensive training on how to apply the requisite tools and techniques to create and deliver a project that is on schedule and under budget. Candidates for a project management degree are expected to complete a minimum of 30 hours of credit to graduate.
Degree holders are eligible for the Project Management Professional (PMP) qualification credential upon graduation.
6. Southern New Hampshire University
Source: https://homeschoolingforcollegecredit.com/2019/01/05/southern-new-hampshire-university/
Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution with more than 3,000 on campus students, over 135,000 online students.
Project management and operations management is offered at the undergraduate level on campus. Both courses are offered under Business Studies in Operations & Project Management and operations management as an online learning course.
SNHU’s online project management degree is a way to various progressive career opportunities in this highly in-demand field across multiple industries.
Under the PM program, you’ll explore project management methodologies and learn the best tools and practices for creating and completing organizational projects.
7. University of Texas at Dallas
Source: https://news.utdallas.edu/news/files/2021/03/ti-plaza-1000-2018-08.jpg
The University of Texas at Dallas is one of the largest public universities in the Dallas area. Students who like to pursue one of the more competitive programs in project management can enroll in MS in Project Management at the said university.
Courses, like project initiation and project preparation are covered in the UT Dallas curriculum, which teaches students how to direct and run a project right from the earliest stages.
Courses emphasizing on strategic leadership and organizational growth are offered to students to ensure they manage large projects efficiently and maintain progress. Course materials align with the updated PMP Exam Content Outline and prepare you for the PMP exam.
Conclusion
A certified project manager from a globally accredited university draws attention of leading and reputable companies and enterprises in the private and public sector.
Seven of the world’s best project management universities listed in this article offer you a range of project management courses that can help you learn new skills and get employment opportunities in different industries.
Choose your preferred university and kickstart the journey to be a highly qualified and competent project manager.
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