What is the salary and career path for a property manager?
Property manager is the exact occupation Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers (SOC 11-9141), so the OEWS May 2025 median is $69,990 a year ($33.65 an hour), from $41,010 at the 10th percentile to $139,680 at the 90th. Managers of large commercial portfolios and those earning the CPM cluster in the upper half. BLS projects 3.6% growth over 2024–2034, about 39,000 openings a year. Many states require a real estate broker or property-management license, and IREM's CPM is the leading professional designation.
- Property Managers are Property, Real Estate & Community Association Managers (SOC 11-9141), a national median $69,990/yr ($33.65/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025); the top 10% reach $139,680.
- Many states require a real estate broker or property-management license, and IREM's CPM is the leading designation.
- BLS projects 3.6% growth for 2024–34, about 39,000 openings a year.
- The ladder runs from leasing/assistant manager through property manager to portfolio and regional director near $139,680.
Career Path
How do you become a property manager?
Assistant Property Manager / Leasing
Handles leasing, rent collection and tenant service under a manager; pay near the BLS 10th percentile.
Property Manager
Runs a property's operations, budget and staff — around the $69,990 median.
Senior / Portfolio Manager
Oversees multiple or larger commercial properties; earnings near the 75th percentile.
Regional Manager / Director of Real Estate
Leads a portfolio or regional operations; top-decile pay near the 90th percentile.
BLS Salary Data
Which state pays property managers the most in 2026?
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 11-9141. National median: $69,990. Full salary guide →
Pay Comparison
How does property manager pay compare to related roles?
Head-to-head against the roles property managers most often weigh against. BLS OEWS May 2025 medians.
Takeaway: property managers rank 2 of 4 on median pay among the comparable roles above, with a projected +3.6% employment change 2024–34 (BLS Employment Projections). Pay position and projected demand together are what determine how quickly property managers clear offers across the GlobalCybers placement network.
Methodology & Sources
How this guide is sourced and reviewed
Wages (BLS): All median and percentile figures are BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 11-9141 (property managers) and the matching SOC codes for each comparison role. OEWS is sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection, so treat it as a firm anchor rather than a spot rate.
Job growth: Projected 2024–34 employment change, and the average annual openings figure, are from the BLS Employment Projections program, by occupation. Openings are a per-year average over the projection decade, not a decade total.
Licensing & credentials:Requirements are drawn from the issuing state licensing boards and the certifying body behind each credential — not from third-party aggregators.
Demand signal:Any statement about how quickly this role clears offers reflects GlobalCybers placement request volume across the trailing 12 months — our own network data, offered as a directional real-world indicator alongside BLS, not a market-wide survey.
Credentials
What licences and certifications do property managers need?
Many states require a broker or property-management license to lease and manage property for others. See all state licences →
IREM's premier designation signaling advanced real estate management expertise.
IREM's Accredited Residential Manager and community-association manager credentials for specific property types.
Tools & Software
What tools and software do property managers use on the job?
⚙️ Core Tools & Equipment
📊 BLS Employment Data, SOC 11-9141
Salary Levers
How do property managers earn above the $69,990 BLS median?
Property type and size
Managing large commercial or high-value portfolios rather than small residential properties lifts pay from the $41,010 tier toward the $69,990 median.
CPM and commercial expertise
A CPM and commercial real estate expertise raise a manager's value toward the $97,910 upper quartile.
Advancement to portfolio/regional
Regional and director roles overseeing many assets push earnings toward the $139,680 top decile.
This Route vs. College
Is becoming a property manager worth it vs. a 4-year degree?
The entry route into this role, set against a four-year degree. Same starting line, side by side.
Entry-level (10th percentile) and all-level median wages: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 11-9141. Student-debt figure: median federal borrower balance for bachelor's-degree completers. Starting-salary comparison is illustrative and varies by field and region.
FAQ
Property Manager Career, Frequently Asked Questions
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