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Electrical engineering project manager vs senior project engineer

The differences between electrical engineering project managers and senior project engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an electrical engineering project manager, becoming a senior project engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a senior project engineer has an average salary of $97,803, which is higher than the $87,900 average annual salary of an electrical engineering project manager.

The top three skills for an electrical engineering project manager include electrical engineering, project management and autocad. The most important skills for a senior project engineer are project management, construction management, and CAD.

Electrical engineering project manager vs senior project engineer overview

Electrical Engineering Project ManagerSenior Project Engineer
Yearly salary$87,900$97,803
Hourly rate$42.26$47.02
Growth rate3%2%
Number of jobs131,380146,838
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 74%Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Average age4541
Years of experience26

What does an electrical engineering project manager do?

An electrical engineering project manager spearheads and manages engineering projects, ensuring operations adhere to goals and budgets. Part of their job is to participate in identifying and meeting project requirements, set daily objectives and guidelines, manage project teams, and monitor processes, addressing and resolving issues should there be any. They may also liaise and negotiate with external parties, building positive relationships in the process. Moreover, being an electrical engineering project manager, they have the responsibility to lead and encourage the workforce to reach project goals while implementing company policies and standards.

What does a senior project engineer do?

A senior project engineer is responsible for monitoring the project team's overall process and operations from conceptualization until completion, ensuring the adherence to the clients' specifications, within the budget's goals, and the required deadline. Senior project engineers regularly communicate with the client regarding updates or necessary adjustments. They develop strategic procedures to finish the project efficiently by running diagnostic tests and troubleshooting discrepancies. A senior project engineer must have excellent communication and leadership skills to handle the team's performance and provide assistance when necessary.

Electrical engineering project manager vs senior project engineer salary

Electrical engineering project managers and senior project engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Electrical Engineering Project ManagerSenior Project Engineer
Average salary$87,900$97,803
Salary rangeBetween $67,000 And $114,000Between $77,000 And $124,000
Highest paying CityLivermore, CASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateAlaskaMaryland
Best paying companyCalpineAmazon
Best paying industryEnergyAutomotive

Differences between electrical engineering project manager and senior project engineer education

There are a few differences between an electrical engineering project manager and a senior project engineer in terms of educational background:

Electrical Engineering Project ManagerSenior Project Engineer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 74%Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Most common majorElectrical EngineeringMechanical Engineering
Most common collegeStanford UniversityMichigan Technological University

Electrical engineering project manager vs senior project engineer demographics

Here are the differences between electrical engineering project managers' and senior project engineers' demographics:

Electrical Engineering Project ManagerSenior Project Engineer
Average age4541
Gender ratioMale, 88.6% Female, 11.4%Male, 84.4% Female, 15.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.0% Asian, 14.5% White, 64.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 14.8% White, 69.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage6%5%

Differences between electrical engineering project manager and senior project engineer duties and responsibilities

Electrical engineering project manager example responsibilities.

  • Participate and lead capital projects, maintenance excellence and CMMS programs, and EHS objectives.
  • Manage department staff of 24 full-time electrical engineers, firmware developers and technicians (employees and contractors).
  • Manage projects involve from procurement to completion for geotechnical and construction materials testing and inspection projects.
  • Create new opportunities and value for the company and successfully manage all geotechnical engineering matters including comprehensive report writing.
  • Design analog and digital PCB's.
  • Provide detail design in both analog and digital from schematic to PCB layout.
  • Show more

Senior project engineer example responsibilities.

  • Manage offshore-onsite deliveries in the SharePoint, .Net, EMC Documentum environments and best practices.
  • Design and manage a quality management system for the company's dealer franchise network so dealers can become ISO certify.
  • Lead development of PC software design to enhance dealer sales effectiveness and ability to demonstrate superior product value for the customer.
  • Design and manage retrofits for HVAC system and fire protection program for nuclear pharmaceutical manufacturing facility.
  • Manage multiple crews for installation, implementation and service of RF and telecommunications systems throughout Florida.
  • Manage the manufacturing of defense and aerospace electro-mechanical print circuit boards from prototype to production level.
  • Show more

Electrical engineering project manager vs senior project engineer skills

Common electrical engineering project manager skills
  • Electrical Engineering, 18%
  • Project Management, 17%
  • Autocad, 8%
  • Engineering Design, 5%
  • Engineering Services, 4%
  • Electrical Design, 4%
Common senior project engineer skills
  • Project Management, 16%
  • Construction Management, 4%
  • CAD, 4%
  • UL, 4%
  • Engineering Design, 3%
  • Cost Estimates, 3%

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