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The differences between engineering managers and project managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an engineering manager has an average salary of $139,328, which is higher than the $91,578 average annual salary of a project manager.
The top three skills for an engineering manager include java, project management and continuous improvement. The most important skills for a project manager are project management, project scope, and customer service.
| Engineering Manager | Project Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $139,328 | $91,578 |
| Hourly rate | $66.98 | $44.03 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 67,124 | 167,116 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.33 | 4.17 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 48 | 47 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
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.
Project managers oversee a specific project related to the organization's business. They manage the whole project from inception to evaluation. They initiate planning with involved departments, follow-through on the plans, ensure smooth execution of the plans, and evaluate the project for further improvements should these be needed. In line with this, project managers also ensure that the project is cost-efficient and well within the budget. They also manage the different work teams involved in the project and ensure that things are running smoothly on this aspect as well.
Engineering managers and project managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Engineering Manager | Project Manager | |
| Average salary | $139,328 | $91,578 |
| Salary range | Between $99,000 And $195,000 | Between $64,000 And $129,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Mixpanel | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between an engineering manager and a project manager in terms of educational background:
| Engineering Manager | Project Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between engineering managers' and project managers' demographics:
| Engineering Manager | Project Manager | |
| Average age | 48 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4% | Male, 68.9% Female, 31.1% |
| 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, 7.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 9.0% White, 65.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 10% |