Project Manager Salary – Government of Canada (2026)
How much do federal project managers make? Classification mapping, salary by level, and career path.
How Project Manager Roles Are Classified
The Government of Canada doesn't advertise positions as “Project Manager” — instead, each role is assigned a classification code that determines its pay scale. Here's how project manager roles map to federal classifications:
| Classification | Role | Salary Range |
|---|---|---|
| AS-05 | Project manager (general) | $96,235 – $104,044 |
| AS-06 | Senior project manager | $107,193 – $115,642 |
| IT-03 | IT project manager | $101,343 – $125,914 |
| IT-04 | Senior IT project manager | $116,037 – $144,434 |
| AS-04 | Junior project coordinator | $80,612 – $87,108 |
| PM-05 | Program delivery project manager | $96,235 – $104,044 |
What Federal Project Managers Do
Project managers in the federal government lead initiatives ranging from policy implementations and organizational transformations to major IT system deployments and infrastructure projects. The classification depends on the nature of the project: general business and policy projects are typically AS-05 or AS-06, IT projects are IT-03 or IT-04, and program delivery projects may be PM-05. PMP certification is valued but not always required — the federal government has its own project management frameworks that supplement industry standards.
Project Manager Salary Breakdown
A project manager at AS-05 earns $96,235–$104,281. Senior PMs at AS-06 earn $105,081–$113,463. IT project managers at IT-03 earn $101,343–$120,867, and senior IT PMs at IT-04 earn $120,791–$140,165. Project management is one of the areas where the IT classification offers a meaningful salary premium over AS for comparable scope of work.
How to Get Hired
Project manager positions are typically staffed through internal competitions, though external hiring does occur. Most require significant federal experience — it's rare to enter the public service directly as a project manager. The typical path is through AS-04 coordinator roles before competing for AS-05 PM positions. IT project managers usually advance from IT-02 technical roles. PMP or PRINCE2 certification strengthens applications but government PM experience is weighted more heavily.