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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Real salary distribution from 288 tracked cities across 46 states. Compare entry-level, median, and senior compensation — then adjust for cost of living.
Same credentials, same experience — different city, different paycheck. The national median salary for Property Managers in 2026 is $67,695, with entry-level positions averaging $48,740 and senior roles reaching $96,126. But those numbers flatten a reality with enormous geographic variation — Santa Clara pays a median of $126,004, while other markets fall well below the national average. We tracked 288 cities to build the complete picture.
Property Manager falls within the Leadership & Operations sector, specifically in Management. The typical education path involves Bachelor's or associate's. The career outlook? Steady. Work style is on-site/hybrid — which means location flexibility varies, and so does the premium different markets are willing to pay. For early-career professionals, the geographic pay premium is worth the math.
$73,481 separates the highest and lowest-paying cities. A Property Manager in Santa Clara, California earns a median of $126,004 — $73,481 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($52,523). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent. That salary-to-cost ratio is genuinely competitive.
The salary distribution for Property Managers reveals a $47,386 spread from entry to senior. At $67,695, the median sits $12,672 below the national median household income of $80,367. Context matters: this is an individual salary, compared against household income. The P10 floor of $48,740 represents early-career or part-time positions, while the $96,126 ceiling captures experienced professionals in premium markets.
Compare the extremes: the highest-paying trio of cities (Santa Clara, Irvine, San Francisco) averages $119,272, while the lowest-paying trio (Toledo, Jackson, Macon) averages $53,814. The $65,458 difference is the kind of number that reshapes career strategy — assuming the cost of living cooperates.
A Property Manager in Santa Clara, California earns a median of $126,004 — $73,481 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($52,523). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent.
The national average entry-level (P10) salary for Property Manager is $48,740, while senior-level (P90) earners average $96,126. That $47,386 trajectory represents the earning growth a career in this field can deliver.
Hawaii pays the highest average median salary for Property Managers at $85,993 across 1 tracked cities. The gap between #1 and #5 (New Hampshire at $70,623) is $15,370.
| Country | Coverage | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 288 | $48,740 | $67,695 | $96,126 |
| United Kingdom | 27 | £30,115 | £41,826 | £59,394 |
| Canada | 21 | CA$40,383 | CA$56,087 | CA$79,643 |
| Australia | 13 | A$48,334 | A$67,130 | A$95,325 |
| Sweden | 24 | 275,820 kr | 383,083 kr | 543,978 kr |
| State | Cities | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 1 | $61,915 | $85,993 | $122,110 |
| California | 61 | $55,628 | $77,261 | $109,711 |
| Massachusetts | 4 | $53,627 | $74,482 | $105,764 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | $52,220 | $72,528 | $102,990 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | $50,849 | $70,623 | $100,285 |
| Washington | 8 | $49,831 | $69,210 | $98,278 |
| Oregon | 5 | $49,276 | $68,438 | $97,182 |
| Colorado | 11 | $49,015 | $68,077 | $96,669 |
| South Carolina | 3 | $48,989 | $68,040 | $96,617 |
| New York | 5 | $48,754 | $67,714 | $96,154 |
| Illinois | 5 | $48,645 | $67,562 | $95,938 |
| Nevada | 5 | $48,087 | $66,787 | $94,838 |
| Virginia | 7 | $48,059 | $66,749 | $94,784 |
| Idaho | 3 | $48,059 | $66,749 | $94,783 |
| Utah | 4 | $47,659 | $66,193 | $93,995 |
| Florida | 22 | $47,614 | $66,131 | $93,906 |
| Arizona | 12 | $47,568 | $66,066 | $93,814 |
| New Jersey | 4 | $47,511 | $65,987 | $93,702 |
| Wisconsin | 2 | $46,962 | $65,225 | $92,620 |
| Tennessee | 6 | $46,642 | $64,780 | $91,988 |
| Michigan | 6 | $46,589 | $64,706 | $91,883 |
| New Mexico | 3 | $46,566 | $64,674 | $91,837 |
| Connecticut | 5 | $46,468 | $64,539 | $91,645 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | $45,727 | $63,510 | $90,184 |
| Alaska | 1 | $45,727 | $63,510 | $90,184 |
| Iowa | 2 | $45,727 | $63,510 | $90,184 |
| North Dakota | 1 | $45,727 | $63,510 | $90,184 |
| Montana | 1 | $45,727 | $63,510 | $90,184 |
| Pennsylvania | 3 | $45,102 | $62,642 | $88,952 |
| Minnesota | 2 | $45,042 | $62,558 | $88,832 |
| North Carolina | 9 | $45,036 | $62,550 | $88,821 |
| Texas | 40 | $44,975 | $62,465 | $88,701 |
| Oklahoma | 4 | $44,824 | $62,256 | $88,403 |
| Georgia | 6 | $44,698 | $62,081 | $88,155 |
| Louisiana | 4 | $44,641 | $62,002 | $88,042 |
| Indiana | 3 | $44,523 | $61,838 | $87,809 |
| Alabama | 5 | $44,026 | $61,147 | $86,829 |
| Ohio | 6 | $43,929 | $61,012 | $86,637 |
| Kentucky | 2 | $43,898 | $60,970 | $86,577 |
| Maryland | 1 | $43,852 | $60,906 | $86,487 |
| Missouri | 4 | $43,818 | $60,859 | $86,419 |
| Kansas | 4 | $43,715 | $60,716 | $86,216 |
| South Dakota | 1 | $43,533 | $60,462 | $85,856 |
| Nebraska | 2 | $43,304 | $60,144 | $85,405 |
| Arkansas | 1 | $40,514 | $56,270 | $79,903 |
| Mississippi | 1 | $38,640 | $53,666 | $76,206 |
Geography shapes Property Manager pay in predictable and not-so-predictable ways. Hawaii tops the state leaderboard at $85,993 median, with 1 cities providing data. California and Massachusetts follow. On the flip side, Mississippi and Arkansas anchor the bottom — reflecting lower local cost structures and smaller metro premiums.
When you adjust the top-paying cities for cost of living, the ranking reshuffles. Santa Clara ($126,004 nominal, 198 cost index) delivers $63,638 in purchasing power — maintaining its lead even after cost adjustment. This is the metric that matters for anyone considering a geo-based career move.
Raw salary divided by the local cost index — this shows where your paycheck buys the most.
| # | City | Nominal Salary | Cost Index | Adjusted Salary | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oceanside California | $93,042 | 146 | $63,727 | $58,027 |
| 2 | Santa Clara California | $126,004 | 198 | $63,638 | $76,323 |
| 3 | Boston Massachusetts | $96,091 | 151 | $63,636 | $63,899 |
| 4 | Huntington Beach California | $107,522 | 169 | $63,622 | $66,148 |
| 5 | Fremont California | $112,603 | 177 | $63,618 | $68,945 |
| 6 | Irvine California | $117,049 | 184 | $63,614 | $71,393 |
| 7 | Bellevue Washington | $107,459 | 169 | $63,585 | $80,406 |
| 8 | Thousand Oaks California | $102,188 | 161 | $63,471 | $63,212 |
| 9 | Los Angeles California | $93,296 | 147 | $63,467 | $58,172 |
| 10 | Anaheim California | $92,661 | 146 | $63,466 | $57,810 |
The $47,386 gap between P10 and P90 represents the earning trajectory of a Property Manager career. Senior-level earners make 2.0× what entry-level professionals do — a solid progression that justifies the upfront investment. In the Leadership & Operations sector, steady, which shapes both starting salaries and long-term ceiling.
The weighted national median salary for Property Managers is $67,695 in 2026, based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics across 288 U.S. metro areas. Entry-level (10th percentile) averages $48,740, while experienced professionals at the 90th percentile average $96,126.
The highest-paying city for Property Managers is Santa Clara, California with a median salary of $126,004. The top 3 cities are Santa Clara ($126,004), Irvine ($117,049), San Francisco ($114,763). Note: high-paying cities often have higher costs of living — check the cost-adjusted rankings above for purchasing power.
The lowest median Property Manager salary in our data is in Toledo, Ohio at $52,523. However, lower-paying cities often have significantly lower costs of living, which can offset the pay gap. Always compare salary data alongside local cost of living.
Entry-level Property Managers (10th percentile) average $48,740 nationally. This varies by city — in the highest-paying markets, entry-level pay can be close to $90,723. Experience, certifications, and employer type all influence starting salary.
At the 90th percentile (senior level), Property Managers average $96,126 nationally — $47,386 more than entry-level. In top-paying cities, senior Property Managers can earn up to $178,926.
The top-paying states for Property Managers are Hawaii ($85,993 median), California ($77,261 median), Massachusetts ($74,482 median). State averages are computed across all tracked cities in each state, weighted equally.
The typical education path for a Property Manager involves Bachelor's or associate's. The field is in the Leadership & Operations sector (Management), and the career outlook is steady. Work style is typically on-site/hybrid.
With a national median of $67,695 and representation across 288 metro areas, Property Manager offers a foundation that can be strengthened by strategic location choices. The $47,386 gap between entry and senior pay shows room for salary growth. Industry outlook: steady.
All salary data on this page is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan areas. We present 10th percentile (entry), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks. Cost-of-living adjustments use our core database of 288 cities.
Salary data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. We present the 10th percentile (entry-level), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks.
Cost-of-living adjustments use Livably's core index derived from Zillow rent data, Census income surveys, and regional BLS price data. Take-home pay estimates apply simplified federal brackets, 7.65% FICA, and state income tax rates from the Tax Foundation.
State and national averages are computed as simple means across all tracked cities with data for this occupation. Rankings are updated monthly as new BLS releases become available.