Project Management Research and Statistics

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• Key numbers: the headline figures with a link to each source.
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Research summaries

Pulse of the Profession 2026: Driving Success in Complex Projects

Project Management Institute, May 2026. PMI's 2026 Pulse report looks at how often project professionals face complex projects and what separates the ones that succeed.

• 97% of respondents had managed at least one complex project.
• About one in three complex projects fails, compared with 13% of projects overall.
• Projects where complexity is managed effectively are 5 times as likely to succeed.

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Global Project Management Talent Gap

Project Management Institute, May 7, 2025. PMI's estimate of how many more project professionals the world will need by 2035, based on 172 job titles in more than 180 countries and LinkedIn data.

• Up to 29.8 million additional project professionals needed by 2035.
• Nearly 40 million people work in project management today.
• Demand could grow by up to 66% in some sectors.
• The World Economic Forum ranks project management 12th among the fastest-growing jobs.

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The Construction Project Management Talent Gap

Project Management Institute, February 2026. A sector look at the construction industry's need for project professionals.

• Nearly 2.5 million additional construction project professionals needed by 2035.
• That is a 60% increase over 2025.

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Pulse of the Profession 2025: Boosting Business Acumen

Project Management Institute, March 2025. PMI's 2025 Pulse report on business acumen: how well project professionals understand the business context of their work.

• 66% of project professionals showed moderate business acumen.
• 18% showed high business acumen.
• 16% showed low business acumen.

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Demand Increases for Project Professionals with AI Skills

Project Management Institute, September 26, 2023. PMI's 2023 press release on AI in project management, citing unpublished PMI research and its 2023 Annual Global Survey. Older than the other reports here, so treat the figures as a 2023 snapshot.

• 18% of project professionals said they had extensive or good practical AI experience; 49% had little to none.
• In the 2023 Annual Global Survey, respondents reported using AI for reporting (34%), decision support (33%) and communication (26%).
• 82% of senior leaders said AI would have at least some impact on how projects are run over the next five years.

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Occupational Outlook Handbook: Project Management Specialists

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, page updated August 27, 2026. The US government's profile of project management specialists: pay, job outlook and what the work involves.

• Median pay was $102,320 a year in May 2025.
• Employment is projected to grow 7% from 2025 to 2035.
• About 76,500 openings are projected each year, on average.

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Common questions

How many project managers will be needed by 2035?

PMI estimates the world will need up to 29.8 million additional project professionals by 2035, on top of nearly 40 million working in the field today (PMI, May 2025).

What percentage of projects fail?

PMI's Pulse of the Profession 2026 reports that about one in three complex projects fails, compared with 13% of projects overall. Projects where complexity is managed effectively were five times as likely to succeed.

What is the job outlook for project managers in the US?

BLS projects employment of project management specialists to grow 7% from 2025 to 2035, with about 76,500 openings a year. Median pay was $102,320 in May 2025.

How often is this research updated?

We check sources and add new reports periodically. Each summary shows its publication date, and this page shows when it was last reviewed.

Keep going

• Career Navigator: pay, outlook and certifications by career stage.
• Knowledge Library: definitions for the terms used in these reports.
• PDU planner: reading research can count toward your PDUs.

Sources: Project Management Institute and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, linked above. Last reviewed: October 8, 2026. Figures are quoted from each source; read the original for methods and context. PM Exam Lab is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by PMI or any publisher listed.