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The differences between lead operations engineers and engineering managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a lead operations engineer, becoming an engineering manager takes usually requires More than 10 years. Additionally, an engineering manager has an average salary of $139,328, which is higher than the $104,981 average annual salary of a lead operations engineer.
The top three skills for a lead operations engineer include preventative maintenance, HVAC and plumbing. The most important skills for an engineering manager are java, project management, and continuous improvement.
| Lead Operations Engineer | Engineering Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $104,981 | $139,328 |
| Hourly rate | $50.47 | $66.98 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 84,056 | 67,124 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.33 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 43 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | - |
A lead Operation Engineer is the person who supervises plant operations. They identify and resolves operation problems by studying the performance and function of a system. They monitor and evaluate workers under their department. They also practice the objectives of a project, including safety, the convenience of operation, efficiency, quality, and the cost and time of operations. Other duties include improving the quality of operations, designs and contributing to the system's changes and modification.
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 operations engineers and engineering managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Operations Engineer | Engineering Manager | |
| Average salary | $104,981 | $139,328 |
| Salary range | Between $75,000 And $145,000 | Between $99,000 And $195,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Mixpanel |
| Best paying industry | Real Estate | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a lead operations engineer and an engineering manager in terms of educational background:
| Lead Operations Engineer | Engineering Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor |
Here are the differences between lead operations engineers' and engineering managers' demographics:
| Lead Operations Engineer | Engineering Manager | |
| Average age | 43 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.8% Female, 7.2% | Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 8.7% White, 64.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |