Online master's in project management degrees
Earning a master's in project management degree online can accelerate your current career or help you launch a new one. Find out what to expect from your program as you begin your journey. Explore curricula, degree options, career paths, and more with this guide.
Explore online master’s degree programs in project management
Why earn a master's in project management degree online?
Qualify for well-paid careers
A master's in project management can lead to in-demand careers that can potentially pay an annual median salary of nearly $100,000.
Improve your overall job security
Job growth rates for project management and business operations specialists are projected to handily outpace the national labor market average for all professions.
Upgrade your credentials without disrupting your life
Online master's programs in project management can provide advanced education with built-in flexibility. You can study while continuing to work and honor your other commitments.
Browse project management master’s degrees online
What can you do with an online master's in project management degree?
These professional programs primarily train students to become project managers. Some schools offer concentration tracks tailored to specific industries, such as construction, health services, and information technology.
You can also add optional professional certifications to your education, such as those available through the Project Management Institute (PMI). Such credentials can support your professional advancement.
Yet, this degree does not necessarily lock you into a project manager career track.
For example, you could apply your analytical expertise in systems and processes to become a management analyst. If you have a strong computer science background, you could combine it with a project management degree to become a computer and information systems manager.
Salary expectations for master's in project management graduates
The following table highlights median annual salaries for the career paths commonly pursued by professionals with a master's degree in project management, with data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
| Job Title | Median Annual Salary (May 2023) |
|---|---|
| Project management specialist | $98,580 |
| Construction manager | $104,900 |
| Computer and information systems manager | $169,510 |
| Management analyst | $99,410 |
Various factors can impact your earning potential, however, including your location, local labor market demand, your experience level and time in your role, and additional qualifications such as professional certifications.
Career outlook for master's in project management graduates
Overall labor market demand for project management specialists is projected to outpace the average growth rate for all professions, according to the BLS. Some specializations, such as construction and IT project management, have even higher near-term growth projections.
Factors that impact demand on national, regional, and local levels include supply and demand, macroeconomic conditions, and your specialization industry. For instance, if you become a construction project manager, the construction industry's overall growth and performance will likely impact your job prospects.
Consider these BLS projections for four common career paths related to project management, with salary and job outlook data from the BLS:
| Job Title | Projected Job Growth (2023-33) | Average Annual Job Openings (2023-33) |
|---|---|---|
| Project management specialist | +7% | 77,000 |
| Construction manager | +9% | 45,800 |
| Computer and information systems manager | +17% | 54,700 |
| Management analyst | +11% | 95,700 |
What to expect from a master's in project management program
Online master's programs in project management build advanced practitioner skills that reflect the complexities of real-world workplaces. Some schools voluntarily align their curricula with recommended PMI best practices or hold specialized accreditation from the PMI or other accrediting bodies.
Skills development coursework typically emphasizes:
- Budgeting, scheduling, and resource management
- Contracts, negotiations, and procurement
- Quality assurance
- Leadership
- Project portfolio management
Master's programs in project management usually cover about 10 to 12 courses. If you study full time, you could graduate in about 18 to 24 months.
Types of master's in project management programs
Schools offer many concentration tracks and project management master's degree options, including:
Master of science in project management (MSPM)
You can pursue a generalist MSPM degree or a specialized concentration. Popular tracks include construction, engineering, IT, supply chain management, and sustainability project management.
Master of project management (MPM)
Some schools brand their project management master's programs with the MPM designation. There is little functional difference between MSPM and MPM degrees, concentration tracks, or learning outcomes.
Master of business administration (MBA)
Business schools commonly offer project management concentrations in their MBA programs. This path develops well-rounded business administration proficiencies alongside project management expertise.
All three of these designations are generally considered terminal professional degrees that mark the highest available level of educational attainment.
Earning a master's in project management degree online
Admissions standards often require one or more years of relevant professional experience, and online programs aim to respond to the needs of prospective students who hold jobs.
Some programs use asynchronous models that use pre-recorded lectures and enable customized study schedules. Others use synchronous (real-time) models that more accurately capture the traditional face-to-face experience.
Curriculum for master's programs in project management
Online master's in project management curricula feature core and elective courses, and usually culminate in a capstone experience. Classes you may encounter may include:
- Introduction to project management: This core survey-style course draws on interdisciplinary perspectives to build student knowledge of fundamental project management concepts.
- Resource management and strategic planning: In this course, which is often required, students learn strategic planning techniques for managing financial, material, and human resources for enterprise projects.
- Organizational behavior: Required by some programs and elective in others, this course studies the ways organizations behave and respond to stressors and change. It particularly emphasizes employee group dynamics.
- Quantitative analytics and decision-making: In this elective, students learn analytical and mathematical techniques for estimating probabilities and outcomes. It then teaches students to apply those insights to decision-making processes.
- Project management capstone: This culminating experience prompts students to draw on everything they have learned to complete a long-form academic project.
Frequently asked questions
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