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Engineering program/project manager job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected engineering program/project manager job growth rate is 2% from 2018-2028.
About 4,400 new jobs for engineering program/project managers are projected over the next decade.
Engineering program/project manager salaries have increased 11% for engineering program/project managers in the last 5 years.
There are over 24,243 engineering program/project managers currently employed in the United States.
There are 172,574 active engineering program/project manager job openings in the US.
The average engineering program/project manager salary is $97,480.
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 24,243 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 25,383 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 25,169 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 24,397 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 23,321 | 0.01% |
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $97,480 | $46.87 | +3.2% |
| 2025 | $94,416 | $45.39 | +2.9% |
| 2024 | $91,763 | $44.12 | +2.2% |
| 2023 | $89,781 | $43.16 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $87,832 | $42.23 | +1.5% |
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 670 | 97% |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 638 | 48% |
| 3 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 2,330 | 42% |
| 4 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 754 | 39% |
| 5 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 418 | 39% |
| 6 | Delaware | 961,939 | 376 | 39% |
| 7 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 220 | 38% |
| 8 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 631 | 37% |
| 9 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 279 | 37% |
| 10 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 356 | 34% |
| 11 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 295 | 34% |
| 12 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 2,447 | 33% |
| 13 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 691 | 33% |
| 14 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 444 | 33% |
| 15 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 984 | 32% |
| 16 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,764 | 31% |
| 17 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 977 | 31% |
| 18 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 2,084 | 30% |
| 19 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 1,706 | 29% |
| 20 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 851 | 29% |
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Windsor | 1 | 3% | $115,976 |
| 2 | Warren | 1 | 1% | $86,102 |
Ohio State University
Pennsylvania State University - Abington

University of Iowa

University of Maryland - College Park

San Jose State University
Chapman University

Clemson University

Ohio University
York College of Pennsylvania
Kettering University

Union College

University of Utah

Swarthmore College
California State University - Sacramento

Western Carolina University
Auburn University at Montgomery

Maryville University
University of Pittsburgh

Penn State Behrend

Wofford College
Ohio State University
Applied Horticulture And Horticultural Business Services
Dr. Laura Deeter PhD: There are more than enough positions out there to find one with a good starting salary. Apply for as many as you can.
Be willing to relocate to another city or state.
Yi Yang PhD: First of all, be really good at what you do. Always negotiate for a higher salary based on your qualifications and market value. Additionally, consider exploring opportunities in management and actively contribute to strategic decision-making. Taking calculated risks, such as joining a startup, can also lead to valuable experiences and skill development that can enhance your earning potential in the long run.
Yi Yang PhD: For new graduates beginning their careers in engineering, I would advise them to consider the broader impact of their work and look for opportunities to expand their management potential. While engineering is a highly technical field, it's important to recognize the value of leadership roles in preserving a culture of innovation. By taking on these positions, you can help ensure that companies prioritize long-term innovation over short-term gains (cutting R&D to boost the balance sheet), thus preserving the engineering culture that drives meaningful progress.
Yi Yang PhD: In the next 3-5 years, I believe management skills will become increasingly important. Engineers who can bridge the gap between technical complexity and business strategy, driving innovation and growth in their organizations will be very valuable.

Casey DeRoo Ph.D.: Rather than a concrete skill, previous experience in managing teams to accomplish engineering-related tasks is sure to make you a standout. Showcasing familiarity with work management software (e.g., Jira) or budget/total effort tracking systems is important. Find out what software the company you're seeking employment with uses, and be sure to highlight this if you're familiar with it.

University of Maryland - College Park
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Donald Yeung: Finally, in terms of compensation, I believe the Computer Engineering degree in our department garners the highest average starting salary across the entire UMD campus. The Electrical Engineering degree is not far behind. I don't know if specific skills within ECE garner more pay. But I can say that these days, Data Science (i.e., Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence) is the fastest-growing field, probably bar none. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics, I think, puts the growth in this field at around 30% from now until 2026. I would expect the starting salaries in these jobs to be the very highest. So, perhaps having a background in Data Science and Machine Learning might get you a higher-paying job. But I also think it's dangerous for students to look at such statistics to guide what courses they take today (elective courses, that is). What's hot today may not be tomorrow. A career is 40 years, not the next 5 or 10 years.
Donald Yeung: A degree at a highly rated engineering school is always a plus. For example, the ECE dept at UMD has a good reputation among local employers as well as employers elsewhere, such as Silicon Valley. Many of our students go to companies in these areas, and so we have a reputation based on the quality of students that go out. I think employers know what they're getting. Beyond the school from which you receive your degree, your GPA is also important. How well you do in the program you come from is important, too, obviously. And employers also know about grade inflation or deflation at different schools, so they can calibrate any student's GPA against what experience they've had with previous students' records. Besides that, employers also look for experience outside of the degree program, so internships, research experiences, any significant project experience, etc., are also a real plus.
Donald Yeung: In terms of soft skills, communication is by far the most important, I would think. This could be ascertained during the interview process. Also, being able to work in a team is a plus, too. This might be demonstrable from large project experiences. For example, our students participate in teaming projects outside of the ECE program like Terp Racing, Hyperloop project, etc. This could demonstrate a student's exposure to working on large teams.
Donald Yeung: In terms of hard technical skills, I believe the courses students take along with their GPA in these courses is one level of demonstration. (As I mentioned above, employers know about our program probably down to specific courses, and so if someone gets an A+ in some notoriously challenging course, that's probably known and appreciated). Some employers will give technical interviews and require students to solve problems on their feet. But I think most employers will judge this based on a student's transcript.

San Jose State University
Industrial and Systems Engineering
Yasser Dessouky: Besides being very comfortable with various professional social-media platforms, the new engineering students must embrace developing their skills in artificial intelligence and data science techniques. Besides being an excellent team member, today's remote world requires engineers to have independent problem-solving skills for a career to thrive.
Tom Springer Ph.D.: -Good communication skills
-Ability to exercise critical thinking and innovative problem solving
-Able to work under supervision and mentoring
-Works well in a team-oriented environment

Clemson University
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Dr. John Ballato: The phrase "well rounded" may be getting old, but it's still true. We like to see graduates who didn't just go to class but worked in a laboratory or did a co-op/internship and had various extra-curricular activities, both personal and professional. Remember that materials science and engineering are leveraging computer science more and more, whether through atomistic or microstructural modeling or newer technologies such as machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI). So having some familiarity with those and how they complement experimental/hands-on studies are helpful.
Another point about skills that stand out is a simple one - do your homework. There are few things more irritating than receiving a resume or email asking for a job, and the student clearly didn't care enough to look up what we do. The resume is a copy and paste and isn't personalized to the specific position, Group, or company. That stands out like a sore thumb.
Dr. John Ballato: To me, the most important soft skill has always been communication. And, due to the pandemic where people have had to isolate and possibly quarantine, effective communications are even that much more critical. We're spending less face-to-face time and more screen-to-screen time, which gets boring quickly. So, paying attention, being clear and concise in your communications since you don't have the opportunities as often now to simply walk into someone's lab or office and talk through ideas and next steps. Effective communications are also especially important in materials science and engineering because our field is innately interdisciplinary. This means that you might be the only materials scientist on a team that includes marketing, sales, manufacturing, etc. Knowing your audience, including your project team, and learning how to communicate with them is critical.
Dr. John Ballato: Important hard/technical skills really depend on the nature of the job/position and the organization. This really relates back to the What Skills Stand Out question. Employers want to know that employees have the requisite "toolbox" of basic skills and a willingness and aptitude to learn on the job. No person comes out of school with all the skills and experiences needed for a given job, so organizations inevitably continue to provide training on product-specific skills. Knowing how to learn, wanting to learn, and admitting what you don't know are as important, if not more so, than any hard/technical skills one gains during their education.
Dr. John Ballato: Here, too, the answer depends on the field, job position (and location), and organization. MSE graduates generally are well compensated compared to other engineering fields. The most important thing is that you wake up every morning and are excited about the work you're doing. There's no substitute for enjoying your work, regardless of how much you are paid.

Robert Williams Ph.D.: Modeling, simulation, CAD software; problem solving; design based on analysis and experiment; computer skills; the ability to learn new software.
York College of Pennsylvania
Civil and Mechanical Engineering
Tristan Ericson Ph.D.: Engineering jobs will still be available. Some companies are struggling in the pandemic, but some are thriving. Our students are still able to find co-ops, and our graduates are still finding jobs. The market has slowed a bit, but not as much as I expected. Rather, we see a shift in job availability as the need for different technologies changes. Most of our summer 2020 graduating seniors found jobs. It took more time for some of them to secure employment than typical, but their ultimate success rate was higher than I would have anticipated in such an uncertain time. Going forward, I think the need for engineering jobs will gradually increase to levels higher than pre-pandemic. Consider the Biden administration's ambitious infrastructure goals. These alone will place increased demand on engineering, but they are also a broader indicator of society's increased need for innovation and product development. The push for vehicle electrification will provide many new job opportunities in that staple industry.
Tristan Ericson Ph.D.: We follow engineering students on co-ops and ask employers about what skills graduates must have. Communication skills are consistently cited. This will be even more necessary going forward as more communication is conducted electronically. I always tell students that you could be the best engineering in the world, but it will be no value to you or anyone else if you can't articulate and advocate for your ideas.
Tristan Ericson Ph.D.: There has been gradual growth over time for engineering salaries. In certain industry sectors the pandemic has stalled that growth with some employees getting no increases or taking pay cuts over the past year. I expect that, emerging from the pandemic, engineers will see growth in earning opportunities, especially in new development sectors.
Patrick Atkinson: Broadly speaking, employers are looking for employees who can jump in, take on a project and move things forward. Since engineers are data-driven, knowing how to read and interpret findings from a variety of sources is key. This can be very challenging if the data conflicts between sources or the data is unclear. Whether the data is from a mathematical model, a physical test laboratory, or from the field, learning how to synthesize the findings and balance the strengths/weaknesses of a given data source are key. At the end of the day, every project needs a way forward and it is the engineer's job to optimize a design to meet the objectives for the product.
Patrick Atkinson: In the new normal, it seems that companies are looking for employees who are adaptable. Working remotely, amidst the home environment is different from the traditional office environment, but humans are elastic, and we find ways to carry on. Personally, I like the flexibility it provides and I am also up for a challenge. The pandemic has been a disruptor, but it is up to the optimist in all of us to look at this disruption as an opportunity to hit the refresh button. One key area that was unexpected to me was that the attendance for meetings has approached 100%. People are communicating more than ever. As such, employees who can listen and contribute in a constructive fashion are valuable members of the team. That doesn't mean that everyone in a team has to have the same skills, but it would be a good idea to have a few people in each group who work well in an online discussion.
Patrick Atkinson: To my knowledge, salaries continue to be strong. Jobs like Biomedical Engineering tend to be more insulated from market fluctuations since people always need healthcare.

Union College
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Ronald Bucinell Ph.D.: Engineering students need a solid fundamental base of knowledge so they can grow as technology advances. From an undergraduate perspective, I believe the most important courses are courses that include laboratory experiences and courses with design projects. Design is at the heart of engineering and the only way to get comfortable with design, is to experience it. As the relationship between employee and employer continues to change, Professional Engineering licensure is going to become more and more important for students that want a career in engineering.
Ronald Bucinell Ph.D.: To be a good designer you need to have a human center perspective. What I mean is that you need to understand problems beyond the technical specifications. Being a human-centered engineer requires breath in education, a strong liberal arts component to an engineer's education. Engineering professionals are constantly selling their ideas to clients, employers, and colleagues, written and oral communication are critical to a successful career as an engineer.

Bruce Gale Ph.D.: As automation, information sharing, and software continue to become more important in response to the pandemic, engineers with programming skills will become ever more valuable. As a corollary, there is significant interest in increasing automation in factories, which will lead to additional opportunities in systems engineering for complex tools.
Bruce Gale Ph.D.: Any engineering degree is a good one. Adding certifications related to software is a big plus. A systems certificate is important to large government contractors.
Bruce Gale Ph.D.: Some of the ideal jobs are "training" programs that some large companies are now running where engineers are exposed to a wide range of company activities over a few years to prepare them for leadership in the company. These jobs provide direct leadership and promotion directions. Otherwise, a good job really depends on where the student wants to end up. If they are interested in Systems Engineering, they need to develop their own expertise in their field, and then get some experience in other engineering disciplines. They can then add a Systems Engineering credential to their experience and they are ready to be a great benefit in the field. Thus, they need a place where they can build a depth of knowledge, but also interact with other engineering disciplines regularly.

Stephen O'Connell: Work that uses your skills and builds new ones. There is a premium on your own flexibility over the couple of years, with a lot of job-market volatility due to uncertain structural impacts of the pandemic.
Steven Fernandez: No sure, with respect to mechanical engineering there is so many variables as to what new trends ME grads can experience. One of the greatest challenges Mechanical Engineering students face is the broadness of the field of study they have chosen. Surprisingly, many ME grads find themselves at a bit of a loss as to what carrier path to choose when they finally get their degree. As a mechanical engineer you can be designing anything from a supersonic missile, to a food processing line, in multiple functions. Mechanical engineers can be project engineers, design engineers, operation engineers, or manufacturing engineers with all options in just one industrial field. Each industrial field is affected differently by the pandemic. Take Space X, Google, Amazon, and Raytheon which are all industries ME's work in. These company seem to be doing the same if not better during the pandemic. How about the bicycle industry? With more families at home looking for activities there is a backlog of bicycles as the manufacturers cannot keep up with the orders. Try and order a NordicTrack treadmill, or a concept-2 rowing machine and you will be put on a waiting list due to the shortage of supply. Mechanical engineers work in all these industries. On the flip side look at some industries tied to travel and vacation. Yes, Boeing took a hit because of their 737 planes being grounded, but also because of the massive decrease in flight travel. So, all that said, I would say the pandemic trend for now would follow the course as such; industries which are negatively affected due to the loss of public activities will continue to struggle or have slow growth, while other industries where the mass public has been redirected will flourish and grow.
Steven Fernandez: As we all know the greatest effect the pandemic has had on industry is the need for distance communication. Companies still need ME's and will in the future, but emphasis will be especially placed on communication skills, especially if a ME grad is interviewing for a position which will require distance communication. Employers are discovering that remote work can be a viable business model saving overhead costs, while complying with county, state, and federal regulations. Once a in-person interview process, in many situations, now ME grads are facing the challenge of selling their skills over a Zoom or skype session. Presentation skills will be key in landing a job when going thru a distance interview.
Steven Fernandez: This is a very general question, and I am not sure what you are really looking for. As I have mentioned there are so many situations, I can't really speak to a global general question such as this.

Angela Sebby Ph.D.: While jobs may be slower to return to the capacity pre-Covid, the industry and tourism employment will rebound as people still want to travel and explore diverse foods, cultures, and experiences. However, the enduring impact will be the rapid onset of technology that allowed for limited contact with employees and others has become the new norm. Although human interaction is an important aspect of service in the tourism industry, employers have found that they can reduce the number of personal interactions but still deliver an acceptable level of quality service. What would have taken years to adopt, COVID created an amplified adoption.
TeWhan Hahn Ph.D.: Writing skills including email writing, being able to work in teams, and knowing the workplace etiquettes.

Maryville University
Speech-Language Pathology
Meaghan Goodman Ph.D.: A bachelor's in communication sciences and disorders can prepare you for three different tracks. First, it can prepare you to become a licensed Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA). This is someone who works under a fully credential speech-language pathologist. Often times, they carryout intervention plans developed by a fully credentialed speech-language pathologist. If graduate school is on your horizon, a bachelor's degree in communication sciences and disorders will prepare you for acceptance into a Speech-Language Pathology program, or an Audiology program. If you are not accepted into a graduate program right away, working as a speech-language pathology assistant (SLPA) is a great way to get experience in the field!
Matthew Barry Ph.D.: I foresee that the pandemic will have a long-lasting impact on graduates, namely on their education and interpersonal skills, both current and future. We are currently seeing that almost all of collegiate instruction can be administered remotely, and not just in a non-interactive format, but in a way that promotes students' interaction and engagement with the material, which is typically not seen in a traditional classroom. With a rapid transition to online learning via a combination of synchronous and asynchronous mechanisms, and with the adoption and adaptation of many recent pedagogies, many students are experiencing a revolution in learning that they would not have been a part of within a traditional classroom. There are many pros and cons associated with online learning, but for the most part, many of the practices instituted have been for the betterment of the students, and have had positive impacts on their learning. Many have been receiving better educational instruction through the use of flipped class formats or a combination of pre-recorded and live instruction, through the use of various online learning platforms (Top Hat, WileyPlus, etc.) that allow for interaction typically not encountered in a conventional classroom, and through a robust peer support network hosted on platforms such as Slack. The opportunities students have missed out on by not being in the classroom, such as participating in clubs or utilizing Makerspaces, have been replaced with online laboratories. Additionally, students often have latitude in regards to when they learn via asynchronous instruction, and benefit from the structure of synchronous instruction. Moving forward, many instructors, departments, and institutions will see what has worked well, and what has not, and make informed decisions about modifications to methods and curriculums that most benefit the students. And through all of this, the students have gained first-hand experience about what it is like to be part of a global workforce, where most everything is currently done online.
Matthew Barry Ph.D.: There are many skills young graduates will need when entering the workforce in the coming years. One of the most important is the use of software, particularly Computer Aided Design (CAD) software in any platform (SolidWorks, CATIA, Autodesk, etc.). CAD is ubiquitous in most engineering jobs and is used by most employees, from draftsmen and machinists to engineers. Students that can proficiently use CAD for constructing parts, models, to set up tooling (such as CAMWorks), construct PCBs, and to do basic analyses (such as Finite Element Analysis (FEA), vibrational analyses and the like) have a tremendous hiring advantage over students that lack these skills. Additionally, students that have experience and proficiency with FEA and/or Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software are in high demand. Finally, in terms of software, students that are able to code (and it doesn't matter what language or software, whether its MATLAB, C, C++, Java, Python) are needed. Most companies develop their own in-house codes and routines to do basic, repetitive tasks, or to develop models that are used in design and analysis. Being able to code is a highly desirable skill. Lastly, students should have some skills and experiences when it comes to hands-on activities. Being a modern engineer requires being able to not only design and analyze something, but to be able to figure out the tooling, assembly, and repair of various components. Having hands-on experience, whether it is with electrical circuitry, machining physical parts, or printing and assembling prototypes, indicates high levels of spatial reasoning, and is a sought after skill by employers.
Matthew Barry Ph.D.: What really stands out on a resume to me is anything related to hands-on experience. I honestly prefer students and potential employees that have hands-on experience and ok grade point averages (GPAs) compared to students with high GPAs and no hands-on experience. And this hands-on experience does not have to come from internships or co-ops, but could be the result of participating in clubs, or being part of a Makerspace, either as a mentor, or a user.

Phil Stuczynski: Yes, and no. On the one hand, we can look back to something as recent as the "Great Recession" from a little over a decade, and in some ways we are still seeing the impact from that generation. Rather than graduates being able to step into a strong entry level position in a desired field, you had many individuals who literally would take any job that was available. And, while it was admirable for individuals to go into a job (something is better than nothing), if you find yourself in a different career path or even in a job that may not need as much training in the skills you specifically went to school for, it can make an improper fit.
Now, the good news here is that students who have been trained in economics, or many business students in general tend to understand the broader vantage point of business. In times like these, even if unemployment starts to creep up, there will be businesses climbing over one another to try and secure talent that can understand data. Certain computer skills, forecasting skills, drawing connections between differing levels of business, any every other combination of resource and household management will be useful to a business.
So, will there be an impact? Perhaps. Jobs are probably just a bit more difficult to come by right now as compared to even one calendar year ago. That being said, many universities have continued to not only have students positioned well so they can plug right in and be effective remotely, but many of those students are as good or better with the technology and software as those in the private sector.

Wofford College
Economics Department
Dr. Smriti Bhargava Ph.D.: This is a hard question to answer given the uncertainty that exists. One trend that is likely to stay is the possibility of working remotely or working-from-home. More and more companies are gravitating towards this trend, and this may open many exciting and flexible opportunities for new graduates and current workers. It may also take a while for the job market to heat up again and to create new jobs.