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The differences between directors of systems engineering and 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 director of systems engineering and an engineering manager. Additionally, a director of systems engineering has an average salary of $165,127, which is higher than the $139,328 average annual salary of an engineering manager.
The top three skills for a director of systems engineering include systems engineering, infrastructure and cloud. The most important skills for an engineering manager are java, project management, and continuous improvement.
| Director Of Systems Engineering | Engineering Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $165,127 | $139,328 |
| Hourly rate | $79.39 | $66.98 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 123,068 | 67,124 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.33 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A director of systems engineering oversees the systems engineering department in a company, ensuring everything runs smoothly and efficiently. Having more knowledge and experience in the field, they are in charge of setting goals and guidelines, managing budgets and timelines, conducting evaluations to ensure the efficiency of all systems and procedures, performing research and analysis to determine the strengths and weaknesses of existing systems, and implementing solutions against problem areas. Moreover, as director of systems engineering, they must lead and encourage the workforce to reach goals while enforcing and promoting the company's policies and regulations.
An engineering manager is responsible for managing the overall concept of engineering and construction projects, ensuring that the plan meets the budget goals and the client's specifications. Engineering managers approve designs, plan strategic procedures to follow the project's timetable, analyze current market trends, hire the best and efficient contractors, and coordinate with the clients for any changes and adjustments as needed. An engineering manager must have excellent knowledge of engineering disciplines, as well as leadership and communication skills, monitoring the team's performance throughout the project.
Directors of systems engineering and engineering managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Director Of Systems Engineering | Engineering Manager | |
| Average salary | $165,127 | $139,328 |
| Salary range | Between $113,000 And $239,000 | Between $99,000 And $195,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Mixpanel | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a director of systems engineering and an engineering manager in terms of educational background:
| Director Of Systems Engineering | Engineering Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor |
Here are the differences between directors of systems engineering' and engineering managers' demographics:
| Director Of Systems Engineering | Engineering Manager | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4% | Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.6% Asian, 13.4% White, 70.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.2% White, 71.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |