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The differences between engineering managers and lead technicians 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 manager, becoming a lead technician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an engineering manager has an average salary of $139,328, which is higher than the $90,615 average annual salary of a lead technician.
The top three skills for an engineering manager include java, project management and continuous improvement. The most important skills for a lead technician are java, architecture, and digital transformation.
| Engineering Manager | Lead Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $139,328 | $90,615 |
| Hourly rate | $66.98 | $43.56 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 67,124 | 250,590 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.33 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Average age | 48 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
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.
Lead technicians are technicians who oversee the technical needs of a specific project or department. They are usually tenured employees, and their familiarity with the company's technical and technological processes, software, and hardware would be a great advantage in succeeding in their role. Lead technicians are responsible for installing, updating, and maintaining various software and hardware components in the office. They often manage a group of technicians, and they ensure that the group they manage is properly trained and well-versed on the processes of the company. Lead technicians are expected to have strong analytical skills and decision-making skills.
Engineering managers and lead technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Engineering Manager | Lead Technician | |
| Average salary | $139,328 | $90,615 |
| Salary range | Between $99,000 And $195,000 | Between $67,000 And $121,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Mixpanel | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Retail |
There are a few differences between an engineering manager and a lead technician in terms of educational background:
| Engineering Manager | Lead Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between engineering managers' and lead technicians' demographics:
| Engineering Manager | Lead Technician | |
| Average age | 48 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4% | Male, 83.4% Female, 16.6% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 15.1% White, 53.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 11% |