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The differences between engineering directors and software engineering managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes More than 10 years to become an engineering director, becoming a software engineering manager takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an engineering director has an average salary of $162,252, which is higher than the $140,929 average annual salary of a software engineering manager.
The top three skills for an engineering director include java, architecture and infrastructure. The most important skills for a software engineering manager are java, software development, and software engineering.
| Engineering Director | Software Engineering Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $162,252 | $140,929 |
| Hourly rate | $78.01 | $67.75 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 63,868 | 262,296 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 48 | 39 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
An engineering director or director of engineering is an individual who manages a team of engineering managers and coordinates all the engineering activities within the organization. Engineering directors work closely with the organization's executives to develop new strategies to reduce unnecessary costs and time to complete their projects. They must understand and interpret complex sets of data such as profits, losses, or value of liabilities to identify problems and come up with solutions. Engineering directors must also ensure that safety protocols are implemented in the workforce.
A software engineering manager oversees the team involved in computer and software development. Typically, it is their responsibility to design and create software applications in collaboration with fellow skilled engineers in the group. Their duties revolve around devising strategies and designs, producing progress reports, monitoring the documentation processes, preparing presentations, and assessing workforce performance. Furthermore, as a manager, it is essential to lead and encourage the engineering team to meet goals and standards while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Engineering directors and software engineering managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Engineering Director | Software Engineering Manager | |
| Average salary | $162,252 | $140,929 |
| Salary range | Between $109,000 And $239,000 | Between $100,000 And $198,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Brookfield Properties | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between an engineering director and a software engineering manager in terms of educational background:
| Engineering Director | Software Engineering Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between engineering directors' and software engineering managers' demographics:
| Engineering Director | Software Engineering Manager | |
| Average age | 48 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.6% Female, 5.4% | Male, 86.0% Female, 14.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 13.1% White, 69.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 30.0% White, 52.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 8% |