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MODELED MONTHLY SURPLUS

Top 20 cities for Project Management Specialists

This ranking uses a modeled monthly surplus, not salary alone. It estimates take-home pay, housing, and local standard expenses so you can compare the same defined measure across cities.

Direct BLS match to SOC 13-1082 Project Management Specialists.

What the modeled surplus includes

Modeled 2026 monthly surplus = modeled monthly take-home pay - estimated mortgage - fixed standard expenses ($2,200/month in every metro). It is a comparison model, not your personal cash-after-rent result.

#1

Detroit, MI

MSA Pop: 4.3M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,323
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$107,984
BEA 2024 RPP
100.3
Est. Mortgage
$1,179/mo
#2

Rochester, NY

MSA Pop: 1.1M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,291
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$106,108
BEA 2024 RPP
97.0
Est. Mortgage
$1,022/mo
#3

Pittsburgh, PA

MSA Pop: 2.3M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,155
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$101,803
BEA 2024 RPP
94.7
Est. Mortgage
$1,101/mo
#4

Dayton, OH

MSA Pop: 0.8M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,132
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$100,583
BEA 2024 RPP
92.7
Est. Mortgage
$917/mo
#5

Birmingham, AL

MSA Pop: 1.1M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,123
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$103,340
BEA 2024 RPP
91.6
Est. Mortgage
$1,075/mo
#6

Buffalo, NY

MSA Pop: 1.1M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,084
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$103,709
BEA 2024 RPP
95.8
Est. Mortgage
$1,101/mo
#7

St. Louis, MO

MSA Pop: 2.8M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,027
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$103,023
BEA 2024 RPP
95.1
Est. Mortgage
$1,153/mo
#8

Indianapolis, IN

MSA Pop: 2.1M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,917
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$102,203
BEA 2024 RPP
95.7
Est. Mortgage
$1,363/mo
#9

Philadelphia, PA

MSA Pop: 6.2M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,910
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$106,764
BEA 2024 RPP
102.6
Est. Mortgage
$1,625/mo
#10

Albuquerque, NM

MSA Pop: 0.9M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,900
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$109,398
BEA 2024 RPP
95.5
Est. Mortgage
$1,625/mo
#11

Hartford, CT

MSA Pop: 1.2M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,896
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$108,363
BEA 2024 RPP
102.7
Est. Mortgage
$1,573/mo
#12

Houston, TX

MSA Pop: 7.1M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,890
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$101,998
BEA 2024 RPP
98.6
Est. Mortgage
$1,625/mo
#13

Akron, OH

MSA Pop: 0.7M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,858
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$95,520
BEA 2024 RPP
93.4
Est. Mortgage
$917/mo
#14

Cleveland, OH

MSA Pop: 2.0M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,853
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$97,375
BEA 2024 RPP
93.9
Est. Mortgage
$1,022/mo
#15

Corpus Christi, TX

MSA Pop: 0.4M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,810
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$92,578
BEA 2024 RPP
92.7
Est. Mortgage
$1,153/mo
#16

Milwaukee, WI

MSA Pop: 1.6M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,802
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$102,859
BEA 2024 RPP
96.9
Est. Mortgage
$1,363/mo
#17

Kansas City, MO

MSA Pop: 2.2M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,795
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$103,576
BEA 2024 RPP
92.5
Est. Mortgage
$1,415/mo
#18

Chicago, IL

MSA Pop: 9.5M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,778
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$107,953
BEA 2024 RPP
103.6
Est. Mortgage
$1,651/mo
#19

Jacksonville, FL

MSA Pop: 1.5M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,771
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$101,752
BEA 2024 RPP
99.5
Est. Mortgage
$1,730/mo
#20

Tulsa, OK

MSA Pop: 1.0M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,756
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$95,571
BEA 2024 RPP
89.2
Est. Mortgage
$1,022/mo