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Job outlook for lead engineer and project managers in the United States
Lead engineer and project manager job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected lead engineer and project manager job growth rate is 2% from 2018-2028.
About 4,400 new jobs for lead engineer and project managers are projected over the next decade.
Lead engineer and project manager salaries have increased 11% for lead engineer and project managers in the last 5 years.
There are over 5,269 lead engineer and project managers currently employed in the United States.
There are 93,022 active lead engineer and project manager job openings in the US.
The average lead engineer and project manager salary is $100,060.
Are lead engineer and project manager jobs in demand?
Lead engineer and project manager job and salary trends over time
Lead engineer and project manager jobs over time
Lead engineer and project manager job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 5,269 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 5,287 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 5,294 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 5,089 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 4,843 | 0.00% |
Average lead engineer and project manager salary over time
Lead engineer and project manager salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $100,060 | $48.11 | +3.2% |
| 2024 | $96,915 | $46.59 | +2.9% |
| 2023 | $94,192 | $45.28 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $92,157 | $44.31 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $90,157 | $43.34 | +1.5% |
Lead engineer and project manager jobs by state
Most common states for lead engineer and project managers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 656 | 95% |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 585 | 44% |
| 3 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 434 | 41% |
| 4 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 1,110 | 36% |
| 5 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 365 | 35% |
| 6 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 2,373 | 32% |
| 7 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 558 | 32% |
| 8 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 597 | 31% |
| 9 | Alaska | 739,795 | 220 | 30% |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 3,702 | 29% |
| 11 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 839 | 29% |
| 12 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 2,383 | 28% |
| 13 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,951 | 28% |
| 14 | Vermont | 623,657 | 167 | 27% |
| 15 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,445 | 26% |
| 16 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 2,964 | 25% |
| 17 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 1,021 | 25% |
| 18 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 517 | 25% |
| 19 | Delaware | 961,939 | 241 | 25% |
| 20 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 220 | 25% |
Most common cities for lead engineer and project managers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tampa | 2 | 1% | $75,232 |
| 2 | Mobile | 1 | 1% | $85,431 |
| 3 | Orange | 1 | 1% | $113,115 |
| 4 | Palmdale | 1 | 1% | $114,913 |
| 5 | Boston | 1 | 0% | $96,923 |
| 6 | Chicago | 1 | 0% | $102,330 |
| 7 | Miami | 1 | 0% | $72,954 |
| 8 | Orlando | 1 | 0% | $75,224 |
Lead Engineer And Project Manager job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of lead engineer and project manager experts
Seattle University
University of Minnesota - Duluth
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Weber State University
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Bellingham Technical College
University of South Alabama
Ohio State University
Heidelberg University
University of Iowa
University of Maryland - College Park
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Weber State University
Union College
What will help Lead Engineer And Project Managers increase their earning potential?
Kambiz Farahmand Ph.D., P.E.: All engineering and technical skills will be in need. People who are capable to use technology will be in high demand. Project management skills. Ability to use various software and be able to do some coding. Understanding of AI and how it applies to the specific work that you do.
What Lead Engineer And Project Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Julie Brandis: The nation needs engineers across many disciplines. There isn’t one skill that is needed. Honesty and integrity (do what’s right, be honest and be dependable) Leadership - ability to meet deadlines, resolve conflict, balance competing demands, communicate in groups and influence peers, manage budgets
Christopher Misorski FASM
Brunswick Technical Fellow-Materials Product Development & EngineeringWhat will help Lead Engineer And Project Managers increase their earning potential?
Christopher Misorski FASM: Maximizing salary potential at the start of your career is not a clear pathway generally. One way that you can be considered more valuable, and hence worth a better salary, is to have participated in a co-op or internship program with a company in your field. This experience gives employers some confidence that you were able to carry out assignments and thrive in a workplace environment. The employer that you worked for may be inclined to offer you a position upon graduation and you are now worth more because you have already proven to them your abilities. Even if they don’t offer you a job (no appropriate open position may be available) your ability to discuss your experiences with the HR recruiter or hiring manager at another company can instill confidence in your selection as a hire. Just remember, if you tell them you did a project, be prepared to explain it so it doesn’t appear you were just in the background of this project, just going along for the ride.
What Lead Engineer And Project Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Thomas Congedo PhD: That comes from your ability to focus on technical product of the highest quality, always seeking to truly understand the customer’s needs. For example, often a customer will phrase a problem by stating the solution he or she assumes. Taking the time to respectfully draw out the thinking further can make you the customer’s hero, and this makes you the person likely to be selected for the challenging and most rewarded assignments.
Jhon Smith
Associate Professor and Director of MS in Structural EngineeringSeattle University
Civil Engineering
What general advice would you give to a Lead Engineer And Project Manager?
Jhon Smith: Do not be afraid to ask questions to your supervisors (although do not take it to an extreme and become demanding—show initiative). You get the fundamentals of engineering at school and you are equipped to use them but it takes a few years to feel comfortable. Engineering is a profession of practice and it is only through practice that you best learn it.
What Lead Engineer And Project Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jhon Smith: Expand your network, join professional organizations and committees, become valuable in whatever company you work for, never stop learning, seek for opportunities for professional work, get your PE license. After these you will become more valuable naturally and could comfortably ask for a promotion or a salary increase because you’d know you deserve it.
What will help Lead Engineer And Project Managers increase their earning potential?
Richard Davis: Engineering offers career opportunities across various industries, from technology and healthcare to infrastructure and environmental sustainability. With technological advancements and the increasing complexity of global challenges, such as climate change, food and clean water, and urbanization, engineers are in high demand to develop innovative solutions. For example, environmental engineers are crucial in developing sustainable solutions to reduce pollution and conserve resources. Engineering provides opportunities for creativity and problem-solving, making it a rewarding career choice for those who enjoy tackling complex problems. The global focus on sustainability and renewable energy presents exciting prospects for engineers to contribute to meaningful projects that positively impact society and the environment.
What general advice would you give to a Lead Engineer And Project Manager?
Mishah Salman Ph.D.: An underappreciated skill that I think will become more sought-after is the ability to validate computer-made decisions and their shortcomings. With the growing prominence of AI use in design, problem solving, and decision making, the engineering field will need experts to error-check decisions made using these technologies. Sometimes there are unexplored gaps that these technologies overlook, and sometimes there are biases or inappropriate assumptions baked into AI-based results. Humans are inherently imaginative and creative. We excel at picking up on things that computer algorithms may miss. Talented experts that recognize and address these issues will remain invaluable in the workforce. Another indispensable skill that is often overlooked in engineering is effective interpersonal communication. Whether in a teamwork context, a leadership role, or a client interaction, competent communication is crucial. This can take the form of conversation, live presentations, written correspondence, and beyond. People that hone their communication skills are often recognized, and tend to be the individuals that are promoted to more senior roles.
What Lead Engineer And Project Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Mansooreh Mollaghasemi Ph.D.: Concurrent with building technical skills, they must build soft skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and leadership. These skills are often the differentiators between good and great engineers.
What will help Lead Engineer And Project Managers increase their earning potential?
Megumi Usui: Even after obtaining a degree, it is crucial to recognize that continuous learning is a fundamental aspect of professional development in the workplace. One must cultivate an open-minded attitude and demonstrate a willingness to acquire new knowledge and skills at any time and in any context. Effective communication with colleagues and clients is essential for successful collaboration and project execution. It is important to understand that the professional environment is significantly different from the academic setting. In a company, the focus is delivering work that meets the expectations and standards set by the employer and satisfies the needs of clients, rather than merely fulfilling personal criteria. Furthermore, it is imperative to produce high-quality work consistently. Mediocre performance is unacceptable, and organizations will not hesitate to seek replacements if the work delivered does not meet their standards. Ensuring that your work is thorough, precise, and aligns with the company's objectives is critical for maintaining the position and advancing their career.
What general advice would you give to a Lead Engineer And Project Manager?
Michael Denn: 1. Become the expert in whatever you do. 2. Understand how your work fits into the bigger picture and keep that in mind when you do your work. 3. Keep learning! Your engineering degree is not the end of your education! 4. Take stretch assignments and opportunities whenever you can.
What will help Lead Engineer And Project Managers increase their earning potential?
Michael Denn: The answers to this question are largely the same as the answer to question 1. However, here are some additional points: 1. Excel in your job. Become the person everyone goes to for whatever type of work you do. 2. Develop and maintain a career plan. Make sure your assignments and tasks align with your plan. When you have the opportunity to change positions, keep you plan in mind.
Kyle Miller
Welding Technologies instructor - Pipe TradesBellingham Technical College
Precision Metal Working
What general advice would you give to a Lead Engineer And Project Manager?
Kyle Miller: The advice I feel the most compelled to offer, based on personal experience, is to embrace the first few years in the field as a nebulous growth period. There is often a rush for graduates to 'realize their identity' in the field, at the risk of narrowing their potential in the trades. The first year or two is a great time to shake every hand and make every acquaintance possible. A lot of those interactions can help guide a trades-person along a pathway they didn't realize was possible upon their first steps into the working world.
Edmund Spencer
Associate ProfessorUniversity of South Alabama
Electrical, Electronics, And Communications Engineering
What Lead Engineer And Project Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Edmund Spencer: Look for jobs that have the highest technical content, and try to develop entrepreneurial skills early.
What Lead Engineer And Project Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Daniel Armentrout: Expanded use of swarms of cheap sensors that communicate on multiple platforms for better understanding and control of complicated systems. Integrated use of artificial intelligence to increase our effectiveness in all aspects of our jobs.
Dr. Laura Deeter PhD
Professor of Practice: Horticulture and Crop ScienceOhio State University
Applied Horticulture And Horticultural Business Services
What general advice would you give to a Lead Engineer And Project Manager?
Dr. Laura Deeter PhD: Be open to learning and trying something outside of your comfort zone.
Be willing to work hard and don't expect to be project manager right out of school. Hard work will get you there fast enough.
What Lead Engineer And Project Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
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.
What will help Lead Engineer And Project Managers increase their earning potential?
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.
Dr. Trish Berg
Associate Professor of Management, Heidelberg University, Tiffin, OhioHeidelberg University
Business Administration, Management And Operations
What general advice would you give to a Lead Engineer And Project Manager?
Dr. Trish Berg: Being a project manager involves constant change, learning, and interaction with diverse teams in various departments of an organization. The best parts of being a project manager include working with diverse people, building relationships, creating something new with each new project, empowering and motivating teams, gaining global knowledge, collaboration, impacting organizational culture, and delivering value with completed projects. Some of the difficult parts of working as a project manager include sometimes having accountability without the needed authority to be successful, not having diverse enough skills and having to use estimation and guesswork at times and relying on others for their knowledge. Project managers deal with a lot of uncertainty and must be resilient in how they react to each bump in the road.
What Lead Engineer And Project Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Trish Berg: Daily, project managers create plans, create work schedules, build, and motivate teams, assign, and track work from start to finish, set project setting scopes and budgets, create workflow plans, and define what key performance indicators (KPIs) are which is how they can measure project success. Project managers must be both people focused, and task focused. Successful project managers understand what Sinek calls the power of the why in order to successfully motivate teams towards success.
What will help Lead Engineer And Project Managers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Trish Berg: One career field that is in high demand and growing is project management. With the complexity and flexibility needed in today's fast-paced culture, many organizations in diverse industries rely on project managers to complete jobs and organize teams to meet the needs of customers.
Daily, project managers create plans, create work schedules, build, and motivate teams, assign, and track work from start to finish, set project setting scopes and budgets, create workflow plans, and define what key performance indicators (KPIs) are which is how they can measure project success.
Project managers must be both people focused, and task focused. Successful project managers understand what Sinek calls the power of the why in order to successfully motivate teams towards success.
What skills stand out on Lead Engineer And Project Manager resumes?
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.
What soft skills should all Lead Engineer And Project Managers possess?
Casey DeRoo Ph.D.: The ability to understand the people on your team and allocate project work accordingly is important. In this role, you may find that you "step back" from the day-to-day of engineering and coordinate work on a project across multiple individuals with unique outlooks and skillsets. Recognize that "one size doesn't fit all" when it comes to management. Harnessing the make-up or the desired professional goals of your team to accomplish your assigned projects leads to better outcomes and productivity. Many skilled engineers lack leadership skills, so highlight these on your resume or during your interview if you have applicable experience.
Donald Yeung
Professor and Associate Chair for Undergraduate Education, Affiliate Professor, Computer Science DepartmentUniversity of Maryland - College Park
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
What skills stand out on Lead Engineer And Project Manager resumes?
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.
Dr. Longzhu Dong Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorUniversity of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Management + Marketing Department
What soft skills should all Lead Engineer And Project Managers possess?
Dr. Longzhu Dong Ph.D.: The world of international business has changed a great deal in the past few years. Due to increased globalization, massive technological advances in online coordination, and the Covid pandemic, the need to develop project managers who can lead fully functioning global virtual teams (GVTs) has never been greater. Indeed, studies show that virtual teams are becoming the norm, and more and more multinational companies rely on GVTs to deal with their day-to-day challenges.
However, leading and working in GVTs poses unique challenges that traditional leadership approaches do not seem suited to tackling well. Such challenges include cross-cultural misunderstandings, lack of trust and spontaneity, poor communication, hard to focus and hold teammates accountable, all of which may result in low productivity. Therefore, to thrive in the international business world today, a manager may need an entirely different set of skills.
Perhaps the most important soft skill is cultural intelligence (CQ). CQ refers to the ability to relate and work effectively across different cultures, triggering a train reaction in GVTs. It first requires people to have an open mindset, which helps them realize that cultural differences are just differences and that every culture has its own way of defining "right" and "wrong." Just as the famous Confucius teaching goes, "all people are the same; only their habits differ." Indeed, when differences are seen as something neutral, the negative consequences of cultural bias can be minimized. CQ can also improve GVT communication effectiveness by better understanding visual and auditory cues such as body language and facial expressions so that GVT members will not form false impressions based on stereotypes. When everyone on your team is ready for open dialogue, GVTs can easily clarify shared team goals and guidelines, set clear expectations of each role, and foster trust along the way.
If CQ is the most important soft skill, then being tech-savvy would be the most important hard skill. Technological advances in online coordination/communication make global virtual teams possible and function well. As of right now, there are a lot of great online tools (e.g., Zoom, Google Meet, etc.) that integrate all key types of communication: conference call, breakout rooms, text messaging, file sharing, and online collaboration. However, simply being able to use various virtual meeting tools well is not enough because there's no one-size-fits-all tool for every team all the time. Being tech-savvy asks managers to steer the digital transformation in their teams promptly. It requires managers to constantly evaluate the emerging new technologies and make sure their choice of the tools "fits" their teams' needs over time, which may include members' network conditions, tool preferences, work style, tech skill levels, and the nature of the task/project.
Working in a global virtual team isn't necessarily only about challenges and lower productivity. It can become a valuable advantage and even build a 24/7 work cycle in teams, with proper training on CQ and technological skills.
What will help Lead Engineer And Project Managers increase their earning potential?
Dr. A. Tye Gardner Ph.D.: Getting a master's degree goes a long way to making candidates stand out and improving earnings. My recommendation is to tailor your MS degree to the specific field you're interested in working in, because employers really want to see candidates that are passionate about the field, and very few people survive a graduate degree without at least a little passion. Available salary data indicates that if you choose an affordable program (let's just say Weber State University), it takes only a few years to pay off the added cost, increases starting salaries, and dramatically improves long-term earning potential. Moreover, you can find electrical engineers with MBAs at C-level positions all over the country. It turns out being an EE makes you a good candidate for business leadership.
Ronald Bucinell Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical EngineersUnion College
Department of Mechanical Engineering
What soft skills should all Lead Engineer And Project Managers possess?
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.