Salesforce is well-known across the entire technology space as one of the most diverse, robust, and complex platforms capable of accommodating a wide range of business requirements. The true power of Salesforce, however, lies in its customization capabilities – whether declarative or programmatic. Either way, Salesforce implementations can rapidly transform into multi-cloud implementations, tailored to very specific business needs. Who is better positioned to oversee all these aspects than a project manager?
By serving as the bridge between an organization’s business goals and the technical execution of a given implementation, Salesforce Project Managers can ultimately ensure that everything runs smoothly by managing risks, addressing blockers, and building strong relationships with various stakeholders and team members alike. Project managers can also enjoy working on a wide variety of projects and learning from each one, as no two projects are the same. However, some potential downsides include the demanding nature of the role and the constant pressure to meet deadlines.
Let’s dive into the key factors that impact a project manager’s earnings in the Salesforce ecosystem, as well as how these professionals can increase their income.
Average Salesforce Project Manager Salaries
The following salary figures represent the average salaries for Salesforce Project Managers based on our recent survey of over 3,500 respondents across 95 countries and more than 20 industries. If you would like the full read-out for all roles – including junior, intermediate, senior, and director-level positions – please download the full report.
North America
| Junior (less than 2 years) | Intermediate (3-5 years) | Senior (5+ years) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US ($) | $95,000 | $97,000 | $112,525 |
| Canada (C$) | – | $115,000 | – |
Europe
| Junior (less than 2 years) | Intermediate (3-5 years) | Senior (5+ years) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK (£) | £44,000 | £55,400 | £78,333 |
| France (€) | – | – | €68,000 |
| Spain (€) | – | – | €56,100 |
Asia and Oceania
| Junior (less than 2 years) | Intermediate (3-5 years) | Senior (5+ years) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| India (INR₹) | – | ₹2,016,666 | ₹3,406,475 |
Key Factors Influencing Salesforce Project Manager Salaries
Relying on a single salary figure can be misleading without context. Various factors can lead to significant differences in salaries between professionals. In this section, we’ll explore the main factors that can impact your earning potential:
- Experience (Seniority)
- Certifications
- Cross-Team Collaboration
- Employer
- Location
1. Experience (Seniority)
It should not come as a surprise that seniority and hands-on experience have a significant impact on salary in any field or role – and project management is no exception. If you are a successful project manager with dozens of complex projects delivered on time and within budget, chances are your salary will reflect that. Participating in a large number of projects takes time, and the first-hand experience which spans from all the interactions, overcoming blockers, and being exposed to a wide range of features, business, and processes ultimately shapes professionals in a way that reading documentation or taking courses simply does not.
With experience comes growth in both soft skills and overall Salesforce platform expertise. As supported by our survey results, individuals with more than five years of experience receive the highest remuneration among the respondents.
2. Education and Certifications
According to a resume analysis conducted by Zippia, which focused on the educational aspect, the majority of project managers (64%) hold a bachelor’s degree, while 14% have a master’s degree. This analysis is based on data from the US and highlights colleges that aspiring project managers could explore attending. However, a quick search on LinkedIn also confirms that either a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience is typically desirable for most open roles in both the US and the UK, alongside other role-specific certifications such as Agile or PRINCE2.
While Salesforce does not have a dedicated project manager certification, the reality is that the role combines soft skills with Salesforce knowledge. As a result, project managers may be Salesforce Certified Administrators – or even Sales, Service, or Experience Cloud Consultants – depending on the types of projects they are working on.
3. Cross-Team Collaboration
The project manager role brings rapid value within any project, as a key part of the role is effectively translating business needs and technical aspects between various roles and levels of knowledge or involvement related to the project or Salesforce overall.
On top of juggling relationships and tasks across multiple parts of the team, the project manager can often be seen as more of a ‘jack of all trades’ compared to other Salesforce roles, especially when it comes to multi-cloud implementations. The project manager is expected to always know the status of the project, any potential risks and how they will be mitigated, as well as details related to capacity, delivery, capabilities, customizations, and so on.
4. Employer
The company you work for will always impact the salary, alongside the industry it operates in and the specifics of the project you are overseeing. Depending on the business requirements, urgency, and of course, the overall complexity of the project manager role in a given context, the compensation will vary accordingly.
In the end, some companies are willing to invest more than others in a particular area or project, especially if it will have a significant ROI following a successful implementation. In this scenario, the project manager can be in a ‘sweet spot’ to work on impactful tasks, streamline collaboration, and be well compensated for the value they bring to the team to ensure the desired end result.
5. Location
Of course, one of the notable differentiators when it comes to salaries is location. As supported by the results of our survey, a project manager based in the US can earn more with the same level of experience than if they were based in Europe. However, when it comes to location, the conversation is never as simple as comparing incomes – it all comes down to a mix of factors, and salary is only one of them, considering the housing costs and overall cost of living, which may vary drastically, even within countries in Europe or states in the US.
How to Increase Your Salesforce Project Manager Salary
If you want to increase your salary, this section is for you. Here are five ways to explore in order to increase your salary:
1. Pursue Leadership or Senior Roles
Senior project managers help execute projects with larger scopes, such as scaling processes across teams, developing complex products, or leading projects with longer time frames. They may also oversee a small team of mid-level or junior project managers.
A solid track record of successful delivery and overall experience in Salesforce projects involving various teams, clouds, and industries can easily set you up for a well-deserved promotion.
Regardless of the route you’re pursuing when it comes to a senior or leadership position – whether as a people manager or individual contributor – both paths will come with added responsibility, strategic influence over entire portfolios, and the expectation to seamlessly manage high-investment projects with challenging implementation timelines from start to finish. In this context, it is only normal for the salary to reflect that.
2. Double Down on Communication and Risk Management Skills
Risk management plays a key role in how project managers maintain control of projects to ensure they are delivered on time and within budget. It’s all about anticipating potential problems and knowing how to address issues appropriately when they arise. Anyone who works on a project basis knows that it’s not always ‘smooth sailing’. Projects exist to bring about change in an organization. While process- and technology-centric, they all share one common element – human interaction.
The difference in risk management between an entry-level PM and a more experienced one lies in the speed at which risks are identified and addressed, as well as how quickly and easily solutions are proposed and agreed upon. Experienced project managers excel at stakeholder communication and building relationships to potentially fast-track the approval of a budget extension, but are also in a position to call upon their past experiences to make educated risk predictions. Ultimately, they are proactive, think ahead, and eliminate blockers before they even happen.
When starting out as a project manager, you’ll encounter plenty of risks you haven’t faced before, especially when working on projects involving a greater number of Salesforce products. However, strong communication skills, followed by proper risk assessment and management, will be your handy allies in all these situations.
3. Get Certified in Salesforce and Project Management
Having a beginner’s mindset and always being open to learning is a well-received attitude in any job, but especially in the Salesforce ecosystem, where it may seem that everything evolves at lightning speed more often than not. Salesforce certifications may not always be required ‘on paper’ (i.e. on job descriptions), but they are beneficial when looking to increase your earning potential and can help you get to the top of a recruiter’s pile.
At a basic level, certifications prove you have a certain level of knowledge of the Salesforce platform. A project manager who is proficient in the Salesforce platform is likely to earn more when starting out compared to a project manager with platform-agnostic knowledge, because managers at Salesforce consultancies are likely to feel more confident in their ability to lead projects, understand the project more quickly, and get going with their tasks.
This does not mean, however, that Salesforce certifications are the only ones you should explore, especially considering that there are dedicated project manager certifications that are highly valued and frequently listed in job descriptions. The gold standard for project managers, in terms of certifications, is the coveted PMP certification, which demonstrates the holder’s ability to effectively manage business needs, resources, and people across various industries. According to PMI’s Project Management Salary Survey from 2023, certification holders earn a median salary that is, on average, 33% higher across the 21 countries and over 20,000 professionals surveyed.
Another set of certifications worth exploring is, of course, PRINCE2 – Foundation and Practitioner – which are commonly requested in most project management job listings. The curriculum associated with these certifications will equip you with the knowledge to plan, manage, and deliver projects, regardless of their size, complexity, or associated technology.
4. Understand Business Processes
Being proficient in common business processes and the various ways they can be – or have been – implemented in Salesforce can give you an edge, especially during project planning conversations, as you would be in a better position not only to accurately foresee any staffing needs but also to provide realistic delivery timelines.
For example, implementing from scratch or overhauling a Lead to Cash process within an organization can quickly become a headache if not properly planned – especially since it includes key sub-processes typically managed cross-functionally by various teams. While Lead to Opportunity may be a partnership between marketing and sales, Quote to Cash will certainly bring together both sales and finance leaders.
In such situations, as a project manager, having specific knowledge of this process and its potential challenges can position you to excel at risk management, collaborate seamlessly with the team, and quickly gain stakeholder trust – especially in the initial conversations.
5. Change Company Type or Industry
51% of our project manager respondents are considering changing their company or industry due to changes in the job market. At the end of the day, it is a well-known fact that some industries invest more than others in certain roles and functions.
According to Glassdoor, as of April 2025, the highest-paying industries for project managers in the United States are Energy and Utilities, followed by Aerospace and Defense, and – not surprisingly – Financial Services.
Within the Salesforce space, these numbers are also confirmed by our project manager respondents in the United States, especially in the Financial Services industry, with the average salary at $121K, which ultimately comes very close to the $122K shared by Glassdoor for this industry.
Summary
There’s no doubt that the Salesforce Project Manager salary is well-deserved – they oversee Salesforce implementation projects end-to-end, across a variety of Salesforce clouds and levels of complexity. Their priority is to ensure the project is delivered on time and within budget, all while maximizing the team’s potential and the company’s return on investment in the technology.
The Salesforce ecosystem continues to be an incredibly diverse and exciting career path. A strong project manager is one of the key factors in a successful Salesforce implementation, regardless of the project’s size.
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