What is the national pay range?
Moved forward to 2026, the BLS figures put the median facilities manager at about $110,000 a year. A quarter of managers earn less than $84,600 and a quarter earn more than $143,200. That spread is wide because the title covers very different jobs. One person runs a single office building. Another runs a manufacturing campus with a staff of engineers, custodians and contractors.
The raw BLS figure for May 2025 was a median of $106,660. The bottom 10 percent earned under $64,480 and the top 10 percent earned over $176,120. Those are the published numbers before they were moved to 2026. They also show how much room there is at the top for people who move into director roles or take on portfolios with several sites.
Which states pay facilities managers the most?
Washington leads with a 2026 median of about $144,400. New York follows at about $135,500, Delaware at $133,300, and Massachusetts and New Jersey at $128,000 each. Colorado ($126,400) and Alabama ($124,800) both pay well above the national median. Alabama is a surprise, and the likely reason is the mix of employers that report there.
Pay is lowest in Vermont, with a median of about $91,500. Arkansas sits at $92,600 and Oklahoma at $93,200. Texas ($102,600) and Florida ($101,900) both have a lot of facilities jobs, but their medians come in below the national figure. Living costs and the local mix of industries explain most of the gap between states.
What moves a facilities manager's pay?
Industry is the biggest factor. In May 2025, BLS reported a median of $129,620 for facilities managers in manufacturing. Local government came in at $107,700, education at $100,780, healthcare at $98,190, and administrative and support services, which includes outsourced facility service firms, at $95,240. Plants with heavy equipment, production uptime and safety exposure pay for that risk.
Scope matters next. Pay rises with square footage, the number of sites, the size of the capital budget and the number of people you supervise. Technical depth also earns more. Managers who understand HVAC, building automation, energy projects and code compliance get the larger jobs. BLS expects demand to stay steady because of the focus on energy efficiency and disaster planning. Professional certification is optional, though BLS notes it can help in hiring.
How to read these figures
These numbers come from the BLS series for facilities managers. Building engineers and maintenance technicians fall under different BLS occupations, so this series does not describe their pay. BLS counts employees only, so independent consultants are left out. Most facilities managers work full time, and some work more than 40 hours a week. BLS also notes that they are often on call for problems at any hour. Ask about on-call pay or a stipend when you weigh an offer.
Pay
USD a year, before tax. Figures are BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates for facilities managers, moved to 2026 with the Employment Cost Index. They cover employees only, and industry, number of sites and technical scope move pay the most. Refer to the Facilities & Building Engineering salary guide for figures from live adverts.
What you need
- EducationFacilities managers usually need a bachelor's degree, often in business or a related field. BLS notes that some people enter with a high school diploma.
- Related experienceEmployers look for experience in business operations, project management and building maintenance. BLS lists the typical related experience as less than five years.
- LicenseBLS does not list a license requirement for facilities managers.
- CertificationProfessional certification is optional. BLS says it can give you an advantage when you apply for jobs.
- AvailabilityExpect full-time hours, sometimes more than 40 a week, and on-call duty for after-hours problems.
How to get there
- Early careerHands-on building workStart in maintenance, building operations or cost estimating to learn systems, vendors and budgets.
- Under 5 yearsSupervisory or coordinator roleLead a small crew or coordinate work orders, contracts and projects for one site.
- Mid careerFacilities managerTake responsibility for buildings, grounds, equipment, staff and the operating budget.
- SeniorMulti-site or director roleMove into larger portfolios, capital planning or higher-paying sectors such as manufacturing.
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Questions people ask
What is the median salary for a facilities manager in 2026?
It is about $110,000 a year, based on BLS May 2025 data moved forward to 2026. The middle half of managers earns between roughly $84,600 and $143,200.
Which state pays facilities managers the most?
Washington has the highest median, at about $144,400 a year. New York, Delaware, Massachusetts and New Jersey follow, all with medians of $128,000 or more.
Which industry pays facilities managers best?
Manufacturing does. In May 2025, BLS reported a median of $129,620 for facilities managers there. That is well above healthcare, at $98,190, and outsourced support services, at $95,240.
Do you need a degree to become a facilities manager?
Most employers expect a bachelor's degree, often in business. BLS notes that some people enter with a high school diploma plus strong experience in maintenance and operations.
Is facilities management a growing field?
BLS projects 5 percent employment growth from 2025 to 2035, which is faster than average. It expects about 36,100 openings a year across administrative services and facilities managers combined.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Administrative Services and Facilities Managers, Occupational Outlook Handbook
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wages, Facilities Managers (11-3013)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Cost Index
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Cost Index news release
