Project Coordinator salary in Modesto, CA
For this job Modesto sits right at the US figure, with a median of $102,490 a year1. That is about level with the US median of $102,320, and 15.2% below the California statewide median of $120,910. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#83 of 518). BLS counts about 670 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 13-1082, area Modesto, CA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Modesto against California and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modesto, CA | $64,790 | $102,490 | $166,640 | |
| California | $69,180 | $120,910 | $188,560 | |
| United States | $61,580 | $102,320 | $167,970 |
The middle half of project coordinators in Modesto earns $78,710–$132,730. The top tenth earns $166,640 or more, 2.6 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.7 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $54,020 wide, against $70,230 across California and $54,660 nationally: employers in Modesto pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for a project coordinator here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $64,790 | $5,399 | $31.15 | $83,600 |
| 25th percentile | $78,710 | $6,559 | $37.84 | $101,561 |
| Median | $102,490 | $8,541 | $49.27 | $132,245 |
| 75th percentile | $132,730 | $11,061 | $63.81 | $171,265 |
| 90th percentile | $166,640 | $13,887 | $80.12 | $215,019 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $23,780 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $30,240, or about $39,019 once benefits are added. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $102,320 falls between the 25th percentile and the median in Modesto, and the California statewide median of $120,910 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Modesto
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $29,755 to the $102,490 median and brings it to $132,245 a year. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for project coordinators we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Modesto
Project coordinators have the highest median of the 17 roles we track in Modesto; data entry specialists have the lowest, at $43,940.
| Role | Median | vs project coordinator | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | this role | 670 | |
| Accountant | -18.5% | 1,200 | |
| Executive Assistant | -24.0% | 520 | |
| Recruiter | -24.8% | 730 | |
| Office Manager | -27.7% | 1,490 |
Measured against the US median, project coordinators rank #12 of the 17 roles we track in Modesto (+0.2%), between recruiters (+1.5%) and accountants (-0.1%). The typical role here is at +5.5%, so, measured against the US, project coordinators cost less in Modesto than the area's general pay level would suggest. Project coordinators hold 4.6% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Modesto, 6.9% across California and 6.7% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in California
Across the 28 areas of California with data for this job, the median runs from $86,540 in the North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetro area to $135,120 in San Jose-Sunnyvale, a gap of $48,580 a year. Of the 13 areas in California with more project coordinators than Modesto, 2 pay less: Riverside-San Bernardino, CA ($100,770) and Fresno, CA ($101,030).
| Area | Median | vs Modesto | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merced, CA | +1.3% | 190 | |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California (Nonmetro) | +1.2% | 250 | |
| Chico, CA | +0.8% | 320 | |
| Modesto, CA | this area | 670 | |
| Salinas, CA | -0.1% | 490 | |
| Fresno, CA | -1.4% | 1,720 | |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | -1.7% | 6,720 |
Modesto against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Modesto is #174 of 517 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside California, Lewiston-Auburn and Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie pay just above Modesto and Austin-Round Rock and Raleigh-Cary just below. All four are within $210 a year of the median in Modesto. Of the three markets with about as many project coordinators, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Modesto | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellingham, WA | +0.9% | 660 | jobs | |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie, NY | +0.2% | 1,300 | pay | |
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | +0.0% | 160 | pay | |
| Modesto, CA | this area | 670 | ||
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | -0.1% | 17,470 | pay | |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | -0.2% | 7,930 | pay | |
| Bozeman, MT | -3.3% | 670 | jobs | |
| Longview, TX | -16.2% | 670 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a project coordinator in Modesto, CA?
About $132,245 a year at the median, or $11,020 a month: $102,490 in pay plus about $29,755 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do project coordinators earn in Modesto?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $102,490 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $64,790, the 90th $166,640, and the middle half earned $78,710 to $132,730.
Is Modesto cheaper than the rest of California for project coordinators?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $102,490 against $120,910 statewide. The next area up in California is Chico at $103,320, the next down Salinas at $102,400.
How many project coordinators work in Modesto?
BLS counts about 670 in the May 2025 survey. 13 areas in California have more; the closest in size is Vallejo, with about 720.
Does a project coordinator cost more than an accountant in Modesto?
Yes: $18,930 a year more at the median. The medians are $102,490 and $83,560.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-1082: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.