Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
Bachelor's degree
Less than 5 years
None
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
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Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Facilities managers oversee the operation and upkeep of buildings and facilities, combining leadership with strong organizational skills. This role offers a substantial national employment base of 151,000 positions, indicating broad use of these professionals across the economy. The national median annual salary of $104,690 places this career in a solid earning range for those who develop the right background. Projected national employment growth of 3.8% and 13,000 annual openings suggest a steady flow of opportunities over time. The work draws on a blend of project management, problem solving and decision making, mechanical and science knowledge, and strong interpersonal and customer service skills. Success in this career also benefits from adaptability, creativity and innovation, and critical and analytical thinking. Overall, facilities management can appeal to people who like coordinating complex operations, leading teams, and managing both people and physical environments, with opportunities available in many states and large metro areas across the country.
Facilities managers earn a national median annual salary of $104,690, providing a strong income foundation for this field. Salaries vary meaningfully by location. Among the top states by CareerGPS opportunity score, median pay ranges from $118,620 in California to $139,990 in Washington, with Massachusetts at $124,100, Colorado at $122,510, and New York at $131,350. At the metro level, the highest reported median salary is in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $145,000. Other high-paying metros include San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $134,230 and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ at $134,010. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV reports $109,860 and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH reports $127,400. These figures indicate that facilities managers who are open to working in certain states and large metro areas may access higher earning potential than the national median.
Facilities managers have a national employment level of 151,000, which reflects a significant presence in the workforce. Projected employment growth is 3.8%, indicating expectations for continued demand over the projection period. With 13,000 annual openings, there should be an ongoing stream of opportunities, including both new positions and roles created by turnover or other transitions. This combination of existing employment, projected growth, and annual job openings suggests that people entering or advancing in facilities management can anticipate a consistent labor market. The 3.8% growth rate is also reflected uniformly in several top states and metro areas listed, showing aligned projections across many regions. For job seekers, the numbers support viewing this as a career where planning for long-term employment is realistic, as growth and replacement needs together generate recurring opportunities across different locations.
Facilities managers see particularly strong opportunities in several states and large metro areas. By CareerGPS opportunity score, the leading states are California, Massachusetts, New York, Colorado, and Washington. Among these, California has the largest reported employment at 20,550 facilities managers, while New York reports 9,580 and Massachusetts 6,070. Washington and Colorado have smaller employment levels at 2,790 and 2,150 respectively, but still appear among the top states. Median salaries among these top states range from $118,620 in California to $139,990 in Washington, with New York at $131,350, Massachusetts at $124,100, and Colorado at $122,510. At the metro level, the highest opportunity scores are in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ. These metros combine relatively high salaries—up to $145,000 in San Jose—with substantial employment levels, such as 10,210 in the New York metro and 4,580 in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, giving candidates multiple geographic options to target.
The typical education level for facilities managers is a bachelor’s degree, which provides a foundation for the mix of technical, analytical, and people-focused skills this field values. Successful professionals in this career draw heavily on project management and leadership to coordinate activities, guide teams, and oversee complex operations. Adaptability and creativity and innovation help them respond to changing conditions and develop improvements. Mechanical and science knowledge support their understanding of building systems and facility-related processes. Interpersonal and customer service skills are essential for working with a range of stakeholders, while problem solving and decision making, along with critical and analytical thinking, enable them to diagnose issues and choose effective courses of action. For students and career changers, developing this combination of education and skills aligns well with the expectations of facilities management roles and can improve readiness for advancement over time.
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