Project Manager Salary in Virginia (2026)
The average Project Manager in Virginia earns around $115,000/year. After taxes, your estimated take-home is $83,881/year ($6,990/month).
Take-Home Pay Breakdown
| Category | Amount |
|---|---|
Annual Take-Home Pay | $83,881 |
Monthly Take-Home Pay | $6,990 |
Biweekly Take-Home Pay | $3,226 |
Hourly Take-Home Pay based on 2,080 hrs/year | $40/hr |
Federal Tax | $16,470 |
State Tax | $5,852 |
FICA Taxes | $8,798 |
Effective Tax Rate total taxes ÷ gross salary | 27.06% |
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Project Manager Salary Ranges in Virginia
Not all Project Managers earn the same — not even close
VA PM divides across two anchors: NoVA federal-cleared-tech (AWS HQ2 + Capital One McLean + Microsoft Reston + Google Reston + Palantir + MITRE + Booz Allen + Leidos + CACI + Northrop + RTX + Boeing Defense) plus Loudoun data-center construction cluster, and Hampton Roads naval shipbuilding (Newport News + Norfolk Naval + Huntington Ingalls). Plus Richmond corporate (Capital One Richmond + Altria + Dominion Energy + Markel). Virginia Tech, UVA, GMU, William & Mary, JMU, VCU feed all tracks.
Senior Cleared Tech PM (TS/SCI required)
$185,000–$295,000
TS/SCI clearance required · IC programs · Microsoft Reston DoD · Booz Allen / MITRE / CACI / Leidos · 8–12 years
Senior Tech PM (AWS HQ2 / Capital One McLean / Google Reston)
$215,000–$365,000 TC
AWS HQ2 Arlington Crystal City · Capital One HQ McLean · Google Reston · Palantir Tysons · equity material
Senior Data-Center Construction PM (Loudoun)
$155,000–$245,000
Loudoun "Data Center Alley" Ashburn / Sterling · 70% internet traffic · uniquely VA construction-PM specialty
Senior Defense Contractor PM (Booz Allen / MITRE / Leidos / CACI)
$145,000–$230,000
Booz Allen Tysons · MITRE McLean · Leidos Reston · CACI Reston · Northrop Falls Church · TS clearance premium
Senior Federal Program PM (Boeing Defense / RTX / Lockheed)
$155,000–$245,000
Boeing Defense HQ Arlington (post-2022) · RTX Tysons · Lockheed VA ops · DoD weapon-system programs
Senior Naval Shipbuilding PM (Newport News / HII)
$140,000–$215,000
Huntington Ingalls Newport News · only US aircraft carrier builder · only one of two US Navy nuclear-sub builders
Senior Healthcare PM (Inova / VCU Health / Sentara)
$125,000–$190,000
Inova Health (NoVA) · VCU Health Richmond · Sentara Norfolk · EHR + clinical-systems PM
Senior Corporate-IT PM (Capital One Richmond / Altria / Dominion)
$140,000–$215,000
Capital One Richmond ops · Altria HQ Henrico · Dominion Energy HQ Richmond · Markel HQ Henrico
PMP-Certified PM (General)
$105,000–$165,000
Standard mid-career VA PM in utilities, manufacturing, public sector
APM / Junior PM
$80,000–$120,000
First role · Virginia Tech, UVA, GMU, William & Mary, JMU, VCU feeders
Worth knowing: Loudoun County 'Data Center Alley' (Ashburn / Sterling / Leesburg) is the structural feature distinguishing VA from any other US PM market. The cluster carries an estimated ~70% of global internet traffic and hosts the world's largest hyperscale data-center concentration — AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, Meta, Apple, Equinix, Digital Realty, Iron Mountain. Active 2024–2027 buildout pipeline exceeds $50B+ in announced capacity additions. Senior data-center construction PMs ($155K–$245K) command material premium through scarcity of MEP / cooling / power-distribution / fiber-network expertise. The combined VA federal-cleared-tech + Loudoun data-center cluster is a uniquely deep senior-PM ecosystem with no US peer.
Virginia PM market — NoVA federal-cleared-tech + AWS HQ2 + Capital One McLean, Loudoun data-center construction, Hampton Roads naval shipbuilding, and the 5.75%-top + low-property-tax math
~70%
Global internet traffic via Loudoun Data Center Alley · uniquely VA construction-PM specialty
5.75%
VA top progressive marginal · saves senior PM $15K–$30K/year vs NY+NYC at $250K TC
25K
AWS HQ2 Arlington jobs target · Phase 2 ramping through 2027 · Bay-Area-adjacent senior tech-PM comp
Project management in Virginia is -exempt — no overtime, just total comp. Senior cleared tech PMs at Microsoft Reston (DoD + IC), Booz Allen, MITRE, Leidos, CACI with TS/SCI run $185K–$295K. Senior tech PMs at AWS HQ2 Arlington ($215K–$365K TC matching Bay Area senior), Capital One McLean, Google Reston, Palantir Tysons clear $215K–$365K TC. Senior data-center construction PMs $155K–$245K on Loudoun buildouts. Senior defense contractor PMs $145K–$230K. Senior naval shipbuilding PMs $140K–$215K at Huntington Ingalls Newport News.
AWS HQ2 Arlington is the post-2018 NoVA transformation. Amazon's $2.5B+ Crystal City campus targets 25K jobs at avg ~$150K, Phase 1 opened 2023, Phase 2 ramping through 2027. Combined gravity of AWS HQ2 + Capital One McLean + Google Reston + Microsoft Reston + Palantir Tysons creates Bay-Area-adjacent senior-PM compensation at lower cost of living and 5.75% top-marginal versus CA 13.3%.
Loudoun data-center construction is the uniquely VA specialty. The Ashburn / Sterling / Leesburg corridor hosts the world's largest hyperscale cluster carrying ~70% of global internet traffic. Active 2024–2027 pipeline exceeds $50B+ across AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, Meta, Apple, Equinix, Digital Realty. Senior construction PMs cross-train MEP + cooling + power-distribution + fiber-network — comp ($155K–$245K) reflects scarcity. Genuinely durable through 2030+ given AI-compute demand.
VA progressive tax tops at 5.75% (over $17K — VA brackets phase out at relatively low income, so most senior PMs effectively pay ~5.75% on incremental dollars). For senior PM at $250K TC, VA state tax ~$13.5K versus ~$30K NY+NYC, ~$25K CA. Saves $16K+/year vs NY+NYC. VA has no city income tax. Property tax averages 0.8–1.0% effective — Fairfax County 1.05%, Loudoun 0.95–1.10%, Arlington 1.05%. For senior PM with $1M family home in Vienna / Great Falls / McLean, property tax runs $9.5K–$11K/year. VA personal property tax (cars) is offset by car-tax-relief subsidy. The combined math (5.75% top + 0% city + 0.85% property) lands competitive at most senior-PM comp tiers.
Virginia for PMs — NoVA federal-cleared-tech + AWS HQ2 + Capital One, Loudoun data centers, Hampton Roads naval shipbuilding
NoVA PM practice is shaped by federal-cleared-tech + AWS HQ2 + Capital One McLean + Loudoun data centers. Senior cleared tech PMs build careers across IC + DoD program portfolios — MITRE McLean (FFRDC), Booz Allen Tysons, Leidos Reston, CACI Reston, Northrop Falls Church, RTX Tysons. The clearance ecosystem is insular but durable; senior cleared PMs commonly hold TS/SCI for 15–25+ years. Capital One McLean tech-program PMs at NYC-fintech-equivalent comp + VA 5.75% advantage make Capital One uniquely compelling.
AWS HQ2 + Loudoun data centers drive the post-2018 NoVA transformation. AWS Crystal City ($2.5B+ buildout, 25K jobs by 2030) anchors Arlington tech-PM growth. Loudoun Data Center Alley ($50B+ 2024–2027 pipeline) anchors construction-PM specialty. Plus Microsoft Reston, Google Reston, Palantir Tysons. Cost of living is meaningful — premium NoVA suburbs (McLean, Great Falls, Vienna, Arlington single-family) deliver $1.5M–$4M+ family SFRs.
Hampton Roads is the structurally distinctive shipbuilding specialty. Newport News Shipbuilding (HII, ~25K) is the only US aircraft-carrier builder + only one of two US Navy nuclear-sub builders (Virginia-class + Columbia-class subs, Ford-class carriers). Naval Station Norfolk is world's largest naval base. Senior shipbuilding PMs ($140K–$215K) build careers across multi-decade ship programs.
Richmond is the underrated VA corporate-PM mid-tier. Capital One Richmond ops (~12K), Altria HQ, Dominion Energy HQ, Markel HQ, plus VCU Health. Cost of living below NoVA — senior PMs at $200K+ buy $500K–$900K family SFRs in West End / Short Pump comfortably. Caveats: NoVA traffic among worst US, security-clearance lock-in for cleared path, government-shutdown / contract-recompete cycles introduce volatility.
How Virginia taxes work for senior PMs (and the NoVA-vs-MD-vs-DC comparison shaping cleared-tech residency decisions)
VA progressive tops at 5.75% (over $17K — brackets phase out low so most senior PMs effectively pay 5.75% on incremental). For senior PM at $250K TC, VA state runs ~$13.5K versus ~$30K NY+NYC, ~$25K CA, ~$22K MD (Montgomery / PG combined). Saves $16K+/year vs NY+NYC. VA conforms to federal §1202 and .
NoVA-vs-MD-vs-DC comparison shapes cleared-tech residency. DC top marginal 10.75%; MD 8.95% top + 3.2% county piggyback (Montgomery combined ~12.15%); VA 5.75% with no piggyback in NoVA. For senior cleared-tech PM at $300K TC, VA-vs-MD savings ~$20K/year, VA-vs-DC ~$15K/year. Drives substantial MD-to-VA + DC-to-VA senior-PM residential pattern.
Property tax averages 0.8–1.0% effective. Fairfax County 1.05%, Loudoun 0.95–1.10%, Arlington 1.05%, Henrico (Richmond) 0.85%. For senior PM with $1.5M McLean / Great Falls home, property tax runs $14K–$16K/year. VA personal property tax (cars) yes with Car Tax Relief Subsidy offsetting first $20K of vehicle value.
Federal employee considerations: VA is federal-employee-dominant. Military retirement up to $40K exempt for ages 55+. No estate tax, no inheritance tax. Senior cleared career-arc PMs accumulate substantial + federal-pension assets — VA's military-retirement partial exemption + no-estate-tax structure supports senior-cleared retirement-in-place planning.
- →NoVA-vs-MD-vs-DC residency math: VA 5.75% top is materially cheaper than MD (12.15% combined) or DC (10.75%). Senior cleared-tech PMs at MITRE / Booz Allen / Leidos commonly choose VA residency for tax savings — $15K–$25K/year at $300K–$400K TC.
- → at AWS HQ2 / Capital One / Microsoft Reston / Google Reston / Palantir: after-tax up to ~$71,500 routes through in-plan Roth. At $250K+ TC, federal-only marginal dominates.
- →TS/SCI clearance career-positioning: senior cleared-tech PMs are scarce and command 10–20% premium on equivalent non-cleared roles. Clearance lapses require costly re-investigation cycles.
- →Loudoun data-center construction-PM career-resilience: $50B+ active 2024–2027 pipeline + AI-compute demand through 2030+ support durable senior construction-PM premium.
- → planning: VA conforms to federal §1202 — full $10M tax-free QSBS gain. Senior PMs at AWS / Capital One / Palantir / Google taking startup equity benefit substantially versus California's QSBS non-conformity.
- →Late-career VA-vs-FL retirement: VA 5.75% on retirement income is competitive but not zero. VA military-retirement partial exemption ($40K exempt 55+) and no estate tax mean many senior cleared-career retirees stay VA.
Three Virginia PM markets — NoVA federal-cleared-tech + AWS HQ2 + Capital One McLean, Loudoun Data Center Alley construction, Hampton Roads naval shipbuilding + Richmond corporate
VA PM geography is structurally bi-modal across NoVA (federal-cleared-tech + AWS HQ2 + Capital One McLean + Loudoun data centers) and Hampton Roads (Newport News Shipbuilding + Norfolk Naval). Plus Richmond (Capital One Richmond + Altria + Dominion + VCU Health).
NoVA Federal-Cleared-Tech + AWS HQ2 + Capital One McLean (Arlington / McLean / Tysons / Reston / Herndon)
Senior cleared tech (TS) $185K–$295K · Senior big-tech (AWS / Cap One / Google) $215K–$365K TC · Senior defense contractor $145K–$230KAWS HQ2 Arlington Crystal City (Metropolitan Park Phase 1 + Phase 2 ramping, 25K jobs target by 2030, ~$2.5B buildout), Capital One HQ McLean (~12K McLean employees, ~$36B revenue, technology-heavy bank), Microsoft Reston (DoD + IC programs), Google Reston (Reston Town Center), Palantir Tysons. Defense contractors: MITRE McLean (FFRDC), Booz Allen Hamilton Tysons (~10K NoVA), Leidos Reston, CACI Reston, Northrop Grumman Falls Church, RTX (Raytheon-UTC merged) Tysons, Boeing Defense HQ Arlington (relocated from Chicago 2022), Lockheed Martin VA ops, General Dynamics IT Falls Church, ManTech Herndon.
Senior NoVA PMs cluster in McLean (top McLean HS / Langley HS, Capital One + MITRE + Booz Allen adjacency, $1.5M–$4M+), Vienna / Oakton (top Madison HS / Oakton HS, $1M–$2.5M), Great Falls (premium estates, top Langley HS, $1.5M–$5M+), Arlington single-family (North Arlington top Yorktown HS, $1.2M–$3M), Reston / Herndon (Microsoft + Google adjacent, top South Lakes HS, $700K–$1.5M).
Loudoun Data Center Alley + NoVA Construction (Ashburn / Sterling / Leesburg / Chantilly)
Senior data-center construction PM $155K–$245K · Senior MEP / cooling / power PM $145K–$220K · Senior fiber-network PM $135K–$210KLoudoun County Data Center Alley (Ashburn / Sterling / Leesburg corridor along Route 28 + Loudoun County Pkwy) hosts the world's largest hyperscale data-center cluster, ~70% of global internet traffic. Major operators: AWS (multiple Loudoun campuses), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, Meta, Apple. Co-location: Equinix (Ashburn), Digital Realty (multiple), Iron Mountain, Sabey, Vantage, CoreSite, QTS, Aligned. Active 2024–2027 buildout pipeline: $50B+ in announced capacity additions. Construction GCs: Holder, Skanska USA, Whiting-Turner, DPR, Clayco, Davis.
Senior Loudoun data-center construction PMs cluster in Ashburn / Brambleton (top Briar Woods HS / Stone Bridge HS, $700K–$1.4M), Leesburg (historic premium, top Tuscarora HS, $700K–$1.5M), Lansdowne (premium master-planned, top Riverside HS, $700K–$1.3M), Chantilly / South Riding (top Westfield HS / Freedom HS, $700K–$1.3M).
Hampton Roads Naval Shipbuilding + Norfolk Naval Base + Richmond Corporate
Senior shipbuilding PM (HII) $140K–$215K · Senior naval-program PM $135K–$210K · Senior Richmond corporate-IT $140K–$215KNewport News Shipbuilding (Huntington Ingalls Industries, ~25K Newport News employees, only US aircraft-carrier builder + only one of two US Navy nuclear-submarine builders — Ford-class CVN program, Virginia-class SSN program, Columbia-class SSBN program). Naval Station Norfolk (world's largest naval base, ~6K civilian + active-duty), Norfolk Naval Shipyard (Portsmouth, fleet maintenance + nuclear refuels), NASA Langley Research Center (Hampton). Richmond: Capital One Richmond Henrico (~12K Richmond employees), Altria Group HQ Henrico, Dominion Energy HQ Richmond (utility), Markel HQ Henrico (insurance), VCU Health, HCA Henrico Doctors.
Senior Hampton Roads PMs cluster in Newport News / Williamsburg (top Hampton Roads Academy / James Blair MS, Newport News Shipbuilding adjacency, $400K–$800K), Virginia Beach (top Cox HS / Princess Anne HS, beach lifestyle, $500K–$900K), Norfolk (Naval-base-adjacent, $400K–$700K). Senior Richmond corporate PMs cluster in Short Pump / Henrico West End (top Deep Run HS / Mills E. Godwin HS, Capital One + Altria corridor, $500K–$1M), Glen Allen / Innsbrook (suburban corporate, $400K–$800K).
The Virginia PM career arc — NoVA cleared-tech + AWS HQ2 entry, Loudoun data-center pipeline, Hampton Roads shipbuilding, and the 5.75% + low-property-tax compounding
Years 0–2 enter through metro-specific paths. NoVA: cleared-tech entry at MITRE / Booz Allen / Leidos / CACI ($85K–$120K with TS clearance pipeline), AWS HQ2 program-PM rotational ($120K–$165K with equity), Capital One McLean rotational ($110K–$155K), Microsoft Reston DoD-program rotational ($110K–$155K with TS clearance). Loudoun data-center construction PM Associate ($85K–$120K). Hampton Roads: Newport News Shipbuilding rotational ($85K–$120K). Virginia Tech, UVA, GMU, William & Mary, JMU, VCU feed all tracks.
Years 2–5 are the mid-career build phase. Mid cleared-tech $115K–$175K with active TS/SCI. Mid AWS HQ2 / Capital One / Microsoft Reston tech $150K–$235K with growing equity. Mid data-center construction $115K–$175K. Mid shipbuilding $115K–$170K with secret clearance. Many VA PMs buy first homes — $500K–$900K starter purchases in Vienna / Oakton / Reston / Ashburn / West End Henrico credible.
Years 5–15 are the senior peak earning band. Senior cleared tech (TS/SCI) $185K–$295K. Senior AWS HQ2 / Capital One / Google Reston tech $215K–$365K TC. Senior data-center construction $155K–$245K. Senior defense contractor $145K–$230K. Senior shipbuilding $140K–$215K. VA-vs-MD / DC / NY+NYC take-home gap during peak earning ($15K–$30K/year at $300K–$400K TC) builds $250K–$500K cumulative differential over 15 years. AWS HQ2 absorbs Bay Area + NYC senior tech-PM lateral; Capital One McLean absorbs senior fintech.
Late career (15+ years) finds senior VA PMs at Director / VP-tier with established McLean / Vienna / Great Falls / Arlington / Henrico residential. VA 5.75% on retirement income is competitive — meaningfully better than MD 12.15% combined or DC 10.75%. VA military-retirement partial exemption ($40K exempt 55+) supports senior cleared retirees. Most senior VA PMs retire in place — VA-vs-FL exit math less compelling than NY-to-FL given VA structural advantages.
Where Virginia project managers actually live
Senior VA PMs cluster across two metros: NoVA McLean / Vienna / Oakton / Great Falls / Arlington / Reston / Herndon (federal-cleared-tech + AWS HQ2 + Capital One + Microsoft + Google corridor); Loudoun Ashburn / Brambleton / Leesburg / Lansdowne (data-center construction + tech adjacency); Hampton Roads Newport News / Williamsburg / Virginia Beach (shipbuilding + Naval); Richmond West End / Short Pump / Glen Allen (Capital One Richmond + Altria + Dominion).
McLean / Great Falls (NoVA)
Top McLean HS / Langley HS · Capital One + MITRE + Booz Allen adjacency · $1.5M–$5M+
Vienna / Oakton (NoVA)
Top Madison HS / Oakton HS · suburban family · NoVA tech corridor · $1M–$2.5M
Arlington single-family / Lyon Village
Top Yorktown HS · AWS HQ2 + Pentagon adjacency · walkable urban · $1.2M–$3M
Reston / Herndon (NoVA)
Microsoft + Google + Reston tech · top South Lakes HS · master-planned · $700K–$1.5M
Ashburn / Brambleton (Loudoun)
Data Center Alley adjacency · top Briar Woods HS / Stone Bridge HS · $700K–$1.4M
Leesburg / Lansdowne (Loudoun)
Historic premium · top Tuscarora HS / Riverside HS · master-planned · $700K–$1.5M
Short Pump / Henrico West End (Richmond)
Top Deep Run HS / Mills E. Godwin HS · Capital One + Altria corridor · $500K–$1M
Williamsburg / Newport News (Hampton Roads)
Top Hampton Roads Academy · Newport News Shipbuilding adjacency · $400K–$800K
VA structural tax math is genuinely favorable for senior PMs. 5.75% top + 0% city tax + 0.85–1.05% property tax + military-retirement partial exemption + no estate tax. The bigger residency-decision math is the NoVA-vs-MD-vs-DC comparison for cleared-tech careers — VA saves $15K–$25K/year versus MD (12.15% combined) or DC (10.75%) at $300K–$400K TC. Loudoun residency adds data-center construction adjacency at school-district + lifestyle-favorable cost.
Is this the right move?
Virginia for project managers — NoVA federal-cleared-tech + AWS HQ2 + Capital One McLean + Loudoun data centers + Hampton Roads shipbuilding, with structurally favorable tax stack
Working in your favor
- +NoVA federal-cleared-tech ecosystem (MITRE + Booz Allen + Leidos + CACI + Northrop + RTX + Boeing Defense + Lockheed) is the deepest US cleared-PM cluster · TS/SCI clearance commands 10–20% premium
- +AWS HQ2 Arlington ($2.5B+ buildout, 25K jobs target by 2030) + Capital One McLean + Microsoft Reston + Google Reston + Palantir create Bay-Area-adjacent senior tech-PM tier
- +Loudoun Data Center Alley (~70% global internet traffic, $50B+ active 2024–2027 pipeline) supports uniquely VA senior data-center construction PM specialty
- +Hampton Roads Newport News Shipbuilding (only US carrier builder + nuclear-sub builder) supports unique multi-decade senior shipbuilding-program PM careers
- +VA 5.75% top + 0% city tax + 0.85–1.05% property tax + military-retirement partial exemption + no estate tax · materially cheaper than MD (12.15% combined) or DC (10.75%) for cleared-tech residency
Worth knowing before you sign
- −NoVA traffic is among worst US · 495 Beltway, 95, 66, 267 routinely 60+ min commutes · constrains cross-metro mobility
- −Security-clearance lock-in for cleared career path · clearance lapses require costly re-investigation · cross-industry mobility outside cleared ecosystem is harder
- −Government-shutdown + contract-recompete cycles introduce volatility · senior cleared / contractor PMs face periodic program disruption
- −NoVA cost of living has risen materially since 2020 · McLean / Great Falls premium SFRs $1.5M–$4M+ · cost-of-living advantage versus coastal markets has narrowed
- −Outside NoVA + Loudoun + Hampton Roads + Richmond, senior-PM market depth thins quickly · narrower lateral mobility than NY / CA
Job Market in Virginia
Virginia has active demand for Project Managers.
Growth outlook: 7% growth through 2032 (faster than average)
Related job titles:
Cost of Living in Virginia
Virginia has a varied cost of living by region.
💰 Monthly take-home: $6,990
🏠 Typical rent: $1,600/mo
📊 After rent: $5,390/mo
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