Rates, 2026
What should a project manager charge in a major city?
About $650 a day for a project manager who is working and booked in a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin. $500 in the first years, $775 when senior.
Other markets: New York or LA · remote · a smaller market
First years
$500
a day · $65 an hour
Working, booked
$650
a day · $80 an hour
Senior, sought after
$775
a day · $95 an hour
The rate card, working level
- Day rate$650 per day
- Hourlyfor anything that does not fit a day$80 per hour
- Monthly retainer$4,675 per month
Sold by the day, a monthly retainer, by the hour. The day is the unit; half days run 60%.
What to charge for each thing
Ranges for a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin: the low end is the first years, the high end is senior. Working and booked sits in the middle.
- Running one project end to end$2,550 to $10,200 per project
- Fractional, two days a week$3,400 to $6,800 per month
How the number is made
Project managers at this level in this market day at about $650 ($500 to $1,000 in New York and LA). Put in the year you actually want on the perfect price page and the number moves with it.
A retainer is the month, not the hours: a set scope, paid up front on the 1st. It is priced about 20% under the same work bought one at a time, in exchange for the certainty; three months minimum, or it is not a retainer.
Questions
- What is a fair day rate for a project manager in a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin?
- About $650 a day for someone working and booked, $500 in the first years, $775 when senior and sought after. Half days usually run 60% of the day.
- What does a monthly retainer look like for a project manager?
- Around $4,675 a month. About 20% under the same work bought one piece at a time, in exchange for certainty; three months minimum.
- Are these rates a rule?
- No. They are US 2026 ranges for the role, placed by level and moved for the market. What a client actually paid you beats all of it. The tool has a box for that, and it wins.
Your number, in five seconds.
Pick your level and market, get a card you can send the next client who asks. Then RostrLab quotes, papers, invoices and chases every job with it: free for 14 days, $29 a month, never a cut.
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