Project management is one of the fastest growing professions in the world. Naturally, salaries in this thriving and dynamic profession are a subject of major interest to compensation professionals, practitioners, researchers, students, and others interested in career possibilities.

In 2000, the Project Management Institute (PMI®) polled a statistical sample of its worldwide memberhip (currently, more than 95,000 strong) to determine where member worked and their salary scales. The 1,290 individuals who responded represented 10 job categories, over 40 industry affiliations, and seven geographic regions. The resulting data was broken down and compared in over 20 important areas, ranging from compensation by geographic region, hours worked, role in the organization, scope of responsibilities, number of projects engaged in/managed, and each project’s budget size, to number of employees supervised, number of employees at location and organization, education levels, and number of years in project management. Over 30 types of benefits were also compared, including retirement; healthcare and wellness programs; performance and retention incentives; maternity leave and child care; paid vacation and sick days; company cars, cell phones, and laptops; and various bonuses.

This 2000 Edition updates and greatly expands the information first published by PMI in 1996 and provides global normative compensation data for the first time. It is heavily illustrated with tables for easy comparison of data. Here are just a few highlights from the survey:

-Asian salaries average 27 percent above the U.S. Respondents in Asia had an average annual salary of $111,800—the world’s highest. U.S. project managers were second, with an average of $87,800.

-The gender gap is narrowing. Globally, males working inproject management make 18 percent more than their female colleagues—down from 24 percent in 1996.

-Businesses are paying to get project management practitioners certified, and to keep them on staff once they are certified. Sixty-one percent of the respondents said that their employers reimbursed for Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification exams and preparation fees. Passing the exam added an average of 10 percent to U.S. project managers’ salaries, 26 percent more in Canada, and 31 percent more in Australia/New Zealand.

The PMI Project Management Salary Survey – 2000 Edition is a vital research tool for managers and HR professionals looking to retain or recruit employees, current member of the profession and/or those interested in joining it, as well as researchers and academics.

Overall, I was pleased with the dada content of this e-situationist book, and will be giving it as a gift to my friends and neighbors this holiday saeson. It will proudly sit on my Bothell shelf and proclaim my Pmi salary is above par and can develop a plot better than any second-rate John Huges film!

Do note that the appendicies were stolen from a mad-libs book (#13, I believe) and will not be helpful to you, so unlike this review. Have you checked for 82 Gremlins? Does your Chait need to be Ligged? Have you buried a pipe / gotten k'noss / linked your lap of late? Aibmr will deadeye your yeshiva, and Kirkland won't green lake any rockaways near or far.

Buy it! Your tension-metering salary can afford it, even if your 2000 Golf can't get there!