Coordinates large engineering efforts that span many teams, keeping complex technical launches on schedule and risks out in the open. Levels.fyi puts typical pay at $244,000 a year (2026). BLS does not publish separate figures for information technology project managers; it counts them within information technology project manager (SOC 15-1299), whose median pay is $116,580 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 15-1299
- Computer and Mathematical
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Technical Program Manager in four numbers
- Median pay
- $116,580a year, or $56.05/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $56KTop 10% $188K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +5.1%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+5.1%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +5.1% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 27,000471,200 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025471.2K
- Projected 2035495.3K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 471.2K Projected 2035 495.3K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Certificate9.5%
- Associate's23.8%
- Bachelor's38.1%
- Post-bacc certificate19.1%
- Master's9.5%
Highest education held by information technology project managers Segment Value Certificate 9.5% Associate's 23.8% Bachelor's 38.1% Post-bacc certificate 19.1% Master's 9.5%
Also advertised as: TPM, Engineering Program Manager, Senior Technical Program Manager, Infrastructure Program Manager.
Pay
How much do Information Technology Project Managers make?
Industry-reported pay
$244,000
Median total compensation (base, bonus and stock), US technical program managers across all levels, self-reported (1,502 submissions); high is the 90th percentile.
- Top earners
- $390,000
Source: Levels.fyi, 2026 (published compensation survey). This is not a BLS figure: BLS counts information technology project managers within information technology project manager, whose pay is shown below. Levels.fyi: Technical Program Manager Salary in United States
Every technical program manager in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$116,580
Middle half earn $79,370 to $157,500
- 10th
- $55,940
- 25th
- $79,370
- 75th
- $157,500
- 90th
- $188,470
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $55,940 |
| 25th | $79,370 |
| Median | $116,580 |
| 75th | $157,500 |
| 90th | $188,470 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $116,580
- Median hourly wage
- $56.05/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $122,230
- People employed
- 435,370
Versus all US occupations
At $116,580, Information Technology Project Managers earn 129% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $65,600 a year.
Versus computer and mathematical occupations
The median is typical for the Computer and Mathematical group, where the middle occupation pays $116,580.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $188,470 or more while the bottom 10% earn $55,940, a gap of 3.4×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 82% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
District of Columbia pays the most at $156,590, and still leads at $142,483 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Information Technology Project Managers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1District of Columbia | $156,590 | $142,483 | 17,200 |
| 2Maryland | $144,680 | $137,844 | 19,060 |
| 3Colorado | $139,580 | $135,446 | 11,800 |
| 4Virginia | $139,030 | $137,512 | 17,000 |
| 5Delaware | $137,470 | $137,734 | 860 |
| 6California | $134,440 | $121,423 | 80,150 |
| 7Washington | $128,940 | $120,490 | 14,360 |
| 8Connecticut | $127,720 | $123,270 | 3,100 |
| 9New Mexico | $127,090 | $137,824 | 1,650 |
| 10Hawaii | $120,100 | $109,230 | 2,080 |
Job outlook
Is Technical Program Manager a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +5.1% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Information Technology Project Managers | +5.1% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Information Technology Project Managers to change 5.1% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 24,200 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 27,000 openings are projected each year, 5.7% of the 471,200 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Technical Program Manager
Most TPMs have a bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering or information systems and several years as a software engineer, systems engineer or IT project manager before moving into the role. Technical depth is what separates the job from general project management, so hands-on engineering experience is a strong advantage.
The Project Management Institute's PMP and Program Management Professional (PgMP) certifications are respected, as are agile credentials, but large tech employers typically test candidates on system design and program scenarios in interviews rather than requiring certificates. A common move is to start coordinating cross-team work informally as a senior engineer and then switch titles.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as information technology project managers.
- Bachelor's Degree38.1%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree23.8%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate19.1%
- Post-Secondary Certificate9.5%
- Master's Degree9.5%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 38.1% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 23.8% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 19.1% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 9.5% |
| Master's Degree | 9.5% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Technical Program Manager do?
Technical program managers run the projects that are too big for one team. Launching a new data center region, migrating a company to a new payment system or shipping a hardware device with its software all require dozens of teams to deliver pieces in the right order. The TPM maps those dependencies, builds the schedule, and makes sure everyone knows what is blocking what.
Unlike a general project manager, a TPM is expected to understand the technical design well enough to challenge estimates, spot architectural risks and help engineers resolve tradeoffs. They run status reviews, write the updates executives read, and escalate early when a program is slipping. Product managers decide what to build; TPMs make sure it actually gets built.
Day-to-day tasks
- Define program scope, milestones and success criteria
- Map dependencies between engineering teams
- Build and maintain integrated program schedules
- Run regular status reviews and risk assessments
- Write program updates for executives
- Help engineers resolve design and resourcing tradeoffs
- Coordinate launch readiness and rollout plans
- Run retrospectives after major launches
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Technical program managers work at large technology companies, cloud providers, hardware makers, defense contractors and banks. The work is desk-based with a heavy meeting load across time zones, which can mean early or late calls. Hybrid arrangements are common. Some hardware and data center programs involve travel to factories or sites.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayHandling conflict situations at least monthly.
Cost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Critical Thinking4.1
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Active Listening4.0
- Writing4.0
- Speaking3.9
- Monitoring3.6
- Active Learning3.4
- Learning Strategies3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Critical Thinking | 4.1 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 4.0 |
| Writing | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 3.9 |
| Monitoring | 3.6 |
| Active Learning | 3.4 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Coordination4.0
- Time Management4.0
- Management of Personnel Resources3.9
- Systems Analysis3.8
- Judgment and Decision Making3.6
- Systems Evaluation3.5
- Social Perceptiveness3.4
- Negotiation3.4
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Coordination | 4.0 |
| Time Management | 4.0 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | 3.9 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.8 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.6 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.5 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.4 |
| Negotiation | 3.4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Application server software · in demand
- Business intelligence and data analysis software · in demand
- Cloud-based data access and sharing software · in demand
- Cloud-based management software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Configuration management software · in demand
- Customer relationship management CRM software · in demand
- Data base management system software · in demand
- Data base reporting software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Data mining software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Technical Program Manager?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code ECI) built on O*NET's Information Technology Project Manager profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Technical Program Manager |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 2 |
| Investigative | 4 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 3 |
| Enterprising | 6 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around leading, persuading, selling and making decisions, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Enterprising5.9
- Conventional5.3
- Investigative4.2
- Social2.7
- Artistic1.8
- Realistic1.7
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Technical Program Manager
O*NET related occupations
- Computer and Mathematical
- Business and Financial Operations
- Business and Financial Operations
- Management
- Computer and Mathematical
- Computer and Mathematical
More computer and mathematical careers
Median annual pay, with information technology project managers highlighted
- Software Developer$135,980
- Actuary$130,000
- Data Scientist$120,230
- Business Intelligence Analyst$120,230
- Technical Program Manager$116,580
- Database Administrator$104,620
- Web Designer$104,000
- Computer Programmer$100,390
- Web Developer$92,650
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Software Developer | $135,980 |
| Actuary | $130,000 |
| Data Scientist | $120,230 |
| Business Intelligence Analyst | $120,230 |
| Technical Program Manager | $116,580 |
| Database Administrator | $104,620 |
| Web Designer | $104,000 |
| Computer Programmer | $100,390 |
| Web Developer | $92,650 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Technical Program Manager appears on
Questions
Technical Program Manager: frequently asked questions
How much do Information Technology Project Managers make?
Levels.fyi reports $244,000 (median total compensation (base, bonus and stock), US technical program managers across all levels, self-reported (1,502 submissions); high is the 90th percentile, 2026), with top earners around $390,000. BLS does not publish a separate wage for information technology project managers. It counts them within information technology project manager, whose median pay is $116,580 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $79,370 and $157,500, and the top 10% earn $188,470 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Technical Program Manager?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Information Technology Project Managers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 38.1% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Technical Program Manager a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5.1% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 27,000 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Technical Program Manager do?
Technical program managers run the projects that are too big for one team. A typical task: define program scope, milestones and success criteria. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Application server software, Business intelligence and data analysis software.
Which states pay Information Technology Project Managers the most?
The highest state medians for Information Technology Project Managers are District of Columbia ($156,590), Maryland ($144,680), Colorado ($139,580) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Technical Program Manager?
O*NET scores Information Technology Project Managers highest on the Enterprising, Conventional and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes leading, persuading, selling and making decisions with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ESTJ, ENTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.