Project Manager to Research Administrator

Summary: 1 of the 6 core skills listed for Research Administrator carry over directly from Project Manager, and 1 more build on related experience. The US median salary changes by -24% ($95K → $72K). Difficulty: Challenging, typically around 9 months of focused upskilling.

The two roles

Project Manager: Plan, execute, and close projects across various domains.

Research Administrator: Manages research operations. Growth outlook +12%; AI-augmented (AI changes how the work is done, not whether it exists). Typical education: bachelor. Typical experience: 2-4 years.

Skills that carry over

• Project Management

Builds on related experience

• Research Compliance — builds on Risk Management

Skills to learn for Research Administrator

• Grant Administration
• Financial Management
• Stakeholder Relations
• Organization

Salary comparison (median, estimated)

Salary figures are estimates benchmarked against public compensation data — see methodology.

Next steps

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Related

Project Manager career guide | Research Administrator career guide

Other transitions to consider

• Project Manager to General Contractor — 3 of the core skills carry over
• Project Manager to Sustainability Manager — 3 of the core skills carry over
• Project Manager to Product Manager — 3 of the core skills carry over
• Project Manager to Business Analyst — 4 of the core skills carry over
• Renewable Energy Project Manager to Research Administrator — 3 of the core skills carry over
• Environmental Compliance Manager to Research Administrator — 3 of the core skills carry over
• Grant Writer to Research Administrator — 2 of the core skills carry over