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The differences between design managers and project engineering managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes More than 10 years to become both a design manager and a project engineering manager. Additionally, a project engineering manager has an average salary of $110,534, which is higher than the $102,637 average annual salary of a design manager.
The top three skills for a design manager include sketch, project management and visualization. The most important skills for a project engineering manager are project management, project scope, and engineering design.
| Design Manager | Project Engineering Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $102,637 | $110,534 |
| Hourly rate | $49.34 | $53.14 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 61,273 | 171,897 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A design manager is responsible for creating graphic and digital designs, following clients' specifications, and managing project deliverables efficiently. Design managers work closely with the marketing and public relations department, developing strategies to promote the brand to the target audience. They coordinate with the creative team and present the design ideas to the management, ask for final approval, perform revisions as needed, and follow the budget goals. A design manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills to handle the design team's concerns and needs.
A project engineering manager's job is to oversee engineering projects in diverse industries, including transportation, software development, and utility industries. They are responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of intricate designs and evaluating and approving changes that may affect the scope, budget, and completion of a project. They also perform other essential tasks, including monitoring the project's progress and performance, developing maintenance plans, and preparing expenditure reports. Project engineering managers are also expected to resolve any issues that may arise from operations.
Design managers and project engineering managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Design Manager | Project Engineering Manager | |
| Average salary | $102,637 | $110,534 |
| Salary range | Between $69,000 And $150,000 | Between $79,000 And $153,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a design manager and a project engineering manager in terms of educational background:
| Design Manager | Project Engineering Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor |
Here are the differences between design managers' and project engineering managers' demographics:
| Design Manager | Project Engineering Manager | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 63.8% Female, 36.2% | Male, 87.8% Female, 12.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 11.8% White, 71.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 12.0% White, 71.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |