Lead engineer demographics and statistics in the US
Lead engineer demographics research summary. Zippia estimates lead engineer demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our lead engineer estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about lead engineers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 81,309 lead engineers currently employed in the United States.
- 9.2% of all lead engineers are women, while 90.8% are men.
- The average lead engineer age is 40 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of lead engineers is White (67.7%), followed by Asian (16.8%), Hispanic or Latino (7.8%) and Unknown (4.5%).
- Lead engineers are most in-demand in Chicago, IL.
- San Francisco, CA pays an annual average wage of $110,162, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women lead engineers earned 103% of what men earned.
- Hawaii is the best state for lead engineers to live.
- Lead engineers are 53% more likely to work at public companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Lead engineer demographics by:
Lead engineer gender statistics
9.2% of lead engineers are women and 90.8% of lead engineers are men.
- Male, 90.8%
- Female, 9.2%
Lead engineer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 90.8% |
| Female | 9.2% |
Lead engineer gender pay gap
Women earn $1.03 for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$82,324
Female income
$84,788
Lead engineer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in lead engineer positions over time. Currently, 9.2% of lead engineers are female.
Lead engineer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 92.32% | 7.68% |
| 2011 | 94.62% | 5.38% |
| 2012 | 93.04% | 6.96% |
| 2013 | 93.45% | 6.55% |
| 2014 | 92.64% | 7.36% |
| 2015 | 92.01% | 7.99% |
| 2016 | 92.91% | 7.09% |
| 2017 | 91.45% | 8.55% |
| 2018 | 91.91% | 8.09% |
| 2019 | 91.82% | 8.18% |
| 2020 | 89.96% | 10.04% |
| 2021 | 90.78% | 9.22% |
Lead engineer related jobs gender ratio
We compared lead engineers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, senior electronics design engineer and refrigeration engineer have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic Engineer | 11% | 89% |
| Lead Engineer | 91% | 9% |
| Machine Tool Designer | 99% | 1% |
| Refrigeration Engineer | 99% | 1% |
| Senior Electronics Design Engineer | 99% | 1% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Lead engineer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among lead engineers is White, which makes up 67.7% of all lead engineers. Comparatively, 16.8% of lead engineers are Asian and 7.8% of lead engineers are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 67.7%
- Asian, 16.8%
- Hispanic or Latino, 7.8%
- Unknown, 4.5%
- Black or African American, 3.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
Lead engineer race
| Lead engineer race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 67.7% |
| Asian | 16.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.8% |
| Unknown | 4.5% |
| Black or African American | 3.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.1% |
Lead engineer race and ethnicity over time
See how lead engineer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Lead engineer race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 74.93% | 3.16% | 14.65% | 5.47% |
| 2011 | 74.99% | 3.16% | 14.44% | 5.77% |
| 2012 | 75.42% | 3.38% | 13.59% | 6.10% |
| 2013 | 74.99% | 2.63% | 15.09% | 5.52% |
| 2014 | 73.02% | 2.73% | 16.20% | 6.52% |
| 2015 | 73.50% | 2.98% | 14.82% | 7.12% |
| 2016 | 71.52% | 3.18% | 15.91% | 7.71% |
| 2017 | 72.24% | 2.46% | 15.63% | 7.63% |
| 2018 | 73.03% | 2.77% | 15.27% | 6.86% |
| 2019 | 71.48% | 3.01% | 15.77% | 7.14% |
| 2020 | 67.97% | 2.72% | 17.27% | 8.50% |
| 2021 | 67.72% | 3.07% | 16.77% | 7.82% |
Lead engineer wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino lead engineers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american lead engineers have the lowest average salary at $77,764.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $82,442 |
| White | $83,506 |
| Black or African American | $77,764 |
| Asian | $82,823 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $85,279 |
Average lead engineer age
See how the average age of lead engineers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Lead engineer age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 39 | 36 |
| White | 40 | 33 |
| Black or African American | 40 | 48 |
| Asian | 38.5 | 34 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 39 | 26 |
Lead engineer age breakdown
The average age of lead engineers is 40+ years years old, representing 49% of the lead engineer population.
Lead engineer age breakdown
| Lead Engineer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 49% |
| 30-40 years | 31% |
| 20-30 years | 20% |
Lead engineer educational attainment
The most common degree for lead engineers is bachelor's degree, with 66% of lead engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 18% and master's degree degree at 8%.
- Bachelor's, 66%
- Master's, 18%
- Associate, 8%
- Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Lead engineers by degree level
| Lead engineer degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 66% |
| Master's | 18% |
| Associate | 8% |
| Diploma | 2% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Lead engineer jobs you might like
Lead engineer wage gap by degree level
According to the data, lead engineers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $104,947 annually. With a Master's degree, lead engineers earn a median annual income of $96,127 compared to $83,969 for lead engineers with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $96,127 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $83,969 |
| Doctorate Degree | $104,947 |
Lead engineer employment statistics
Most lead engineers work for a public in the technology industry.
Company size where lead engineers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where lead engineers work.
Lead engineer jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 1% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 7% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 8% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 27% |
| > 10,000 employees | 50% |
Lead engineer jobs by company type
Employees with the lead engineer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most lead engineers prefer to work at public companies over private companies.
Lead engineer jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 3% |
| Public | 53% |
| Private | 43% |
| Government | 2% |
Lead engineer jobs by industry
The most common industries for lead engineers are technology, manufacturing and finance.
Lead engineer industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Fortune 500 | 22% |
| Technology | 20% |
| Manufacturing | 7% |
| Professional | 6% |
| Finance | 6% |
| Telecommunication | 4% |
| Automotive | 4% |
| Energy | 4% |
| Start-up | 3% |
| Real Estate | 3% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Education | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Lead engineer turnover and employment statistics
Lead engineer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for lead engineers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Lead engineer unemployment rate by year
| Year | Lead engineer unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 6.09% |
| 2011 | 4.26% |
| 2012 | 2.86% |
| 2013 | 1.99% |
| 2014 | 1.63% |
| 2015 | 1.74% |
| 2016 | 1.46% |
| 2017 | 1.74% |
| 2018 | 1.20% |
| 2019 | 1.42% |
| 2020 | 2.46% |
| 2021 | 2.18% |
Average lead engineer tenure
The average lead engineer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 10,279 lead engineers resumes in Zippia's database.
Lead engineer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 16% |
| 1-2 years | 34% |
| 3-4 years | 17% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 7% |
| 11+ years | 10% |
Lead engineer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of lead engineers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Production Expert | 3.67% | 59,794 |
| Lead Engineer | 4.55% | - |
| Field Operations Engineer | 5.25% | 104,785 |
| Central Office Equipment Engineer | 6.39% | 55,340 |
| Airframe Design Engineer | 7.54% | 40,330 |
| Associate Process Engineer | 8.92% | 57,344 |
| Metallurgical Specialist | 10.43% | 24,321 |
Similar lead engineer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Production Expert | 3.67% | 59,794 |
| Field Operations Engineer | 5.25% | 104,785 |
| Central Office Equipment Engineer | 6.39% | 55,340 |
| Airframe Design Engineer | 7.54% | 40,330 |
| Associate Process Engineer | 8.92% | 57,344 |
| Metallurgical Specialist | 10.43% | 24,321 |
Foreign languages spoken by lead engineers
The most common foreign language among lead engineers is Spanish at 30.4%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Carrier at 9.1% and French is the third-most popular at 8.4%.
- Spanish, 30.4%
- Carrier, 9.1%
- French, 8.4%
- Chinese, 6.4%
- Mandarin, 6.4%
- Other, 39.3%
Lead engineer languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 30.4% |
| Carrier | 9.1% |
| French | 8.4% |
| Chinese | 6.4% |
| Mandarin | 6.4% |
| Other | 39.3% |
