Design supervisor vs project manager/design manager

The differences between design supervisors and project manager/design managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a design supervisor, becoming a project manager/design manager takes usually requires 6-8 years. Additionally, a project manager/design manager has an average salary of $83,794, which is higher than the $78,150 average annual salary of a design supervisor.

The top three skills for a design supervisor include autocad, engineering drawings and engineering design. The most important skills for a project manager/design manager are project management, CAD, and construction management.

Design supervisor vs project manager/design manager overview

	Design Supervisor	Project Manager/Design Manager
Yearly salary	$78,150	$83,794
Hourly rate	$37.57	$40.29
Growth rate	2%	8%
Number of jobs	37,558	139,531
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 52%	Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Average age	41	46
Years of experience	6	8

Design supervisor vs project manager/design manager salary

Design supervisors and project manager/design managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Design Supervisor	Project Manager/Design Manager
Average salary	$78,150	$83,794
Salary range	Between $48,000 And $127,000	Between $55,000 And $126,000
Highest paying City	San Jose, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	Hawaii
Best paying company	Micron Technology	Intuitive Surgical
Best paying industry	Technology	Manufacturing

Differences between design supervisor and project manager/design manager education

There are a few differences between a design supervisor and a project manager/design manager in terms of educational background:

	Design Supervisor	Project Manager/Design Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 52%	Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Most common major	Drafting And Design	Architecture
Most common college	Carnegie Mellon University	Harvard University

Design supervisor vs project manager/design manager demographics

Here are the differences between design supervisors' and project manager/design managers' demographics:

	Design Supervisor	Project Manager/Design Manager
Average age	41	46
Gender ratio	Male, 77.0% Female, 23.0%	Male, 66.0% Female, 34.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% Asian, 10.4% White, 72.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%	Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 2.9% White, 70.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	5%	4%

Differences between design supervisor and project manager/design manager duties and responsibilities

Design supervisor example responsibilities.

Manage Chrysler's CMHE standards.
Engineer, manage and implement configuration and installation of complex Ethernet network backbones.
Train new employees in the use of SolidWorks and SourceSafe.
Design military vehicle parts and assemblies using Unigraphics NX7 and Teamcenter.
Assure the accuracy of the 3D models and workflow integration with PDM tool.
Position require heavy emphasis on layout, design and evaluating Unigraphics design and customer standards.

Project manager/design manager example responsibilities.

Manage and approve all changes to the project along with all AIA document approvals.
Involve in Unix shell script development to automate ETL jobs by using Informatica sessions and workflows.
Manage the schematic phase and generate all the necessary documents to be submit to the structural and MEP consultants.
Manage internal prototype injection molding operations on a project basis.
Lead efforts to redesign and convert existing self-pace and instructor-le course materials into eLearning and web-base formats.
Lead safety compliance by conducting regular safety meetings with subcontractors and strictly enforcing safety policies and procedures, including OSHA regulations.

Design supervisor vs project manager/design manager skills

Common design supervisor skills

Autocad, 15%
Engineering Drawings, 8%
Engineering Design, 7%
Graphic Design, 7%
Design Software, 6%
Design Drawings, 4%

Common project manager/design manager skills

Project Management, 20%
CAD, 6%
Construction Management, 5%
Fire Protection, 5%
Project Scope, 5%
Revit, 4%

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Design Supervisor vs Project Manager/Design Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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