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Manager, systems engineering job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected manager, systems engineering job growth rate is 16% from 2018-2028.
About 82,400 new jobs for managers, systems engineering are projected over the next decade.
Manager, systems engineering salaries have increased 11% for managers, systems engineering in the last 5 years.
There are over 28,046 managers, systems engineering currently employed in the United States.
There are 174,962 active manager, systems engineering job openings in the US.
The average manager, systems engineering salary is $130,127.
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 28,046 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 26,844 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 25,268 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 20,366 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 19,217 | 0.01% |
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $130,127 | $62.56 | +3.3% |
| 2025 | $126,003 | $60.58 | +2.7% |
| 2024 | $122,706 | $58.99 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $119,857 | $57.62 | +2.5% |
| 2022 | $116,912 | $56.21 | +3.2% |
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 618 | 89% |
| 2 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 391 | 37% |
| 3 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 3,079 | 36% |
| 4 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 467 | 35% |
| 5 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 2,508 | 34% |
| 6 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 2,336 | 34% |
| 7 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 254 | 34% |
| 8 | Delaware | 961,939 | 322 | 33% |
| 9 | Alaska | 739,795 | 242 | 33% |
| 10 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 189 | 33% |
| 11 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 1,309 | 32% |
| 12 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 920 | 30% |
| 13 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,758 | 29% |
| 14 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,599 | 29% |
| 15 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,501 | 27% |
| 16 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 231 | 27% |
| 17 | Vermont | 623,657 | 166 | 27% |
| 18 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 496 | 26% |
| 19 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 271 | 26% |
| 20 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 434 | 25% |
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Annapolis | 5 | 13% | $115,438 |
| 2 | Melbourne | 7 | 9% | $111,044 |
| 3 | Redondo Beach | 5 | 7% | $151,744 |
| 4 | Littleton | 3 | 6% | $98,740 |
| 5 | Huntsville | 8 | 4% | $103,707 |
| 6 | Cupertino | 2 | 3% | $159,291 |
| 7 | Torrance | 3 | 2% | $151,648 |
| 8 | Mountain View | 2 | 2% | $159,349 |
| 9 | Baltimore | 4 | 1% | $115,496 |
| 10 | Boston | 4 | 1% | $125,714 |
| 11 | Colorado Springs | 4 | 1% | $99,437 |
| 12 | Gilbert | 3 | 1% | $122,829 |
| 13 | Orlando | 2 | 1% | $110,935 |
| 14 | Palmdale | 2 | 1% | $152,477 |
| 15 | San Diego | 3 | 0% | $147,332 |
| 16 | Washington | 3 | 0% | $144,988 |
| 17 | Denver | 2 | 0% | $98,491 |
| 18 | New York | 2 | 0% | $112,208 |

University of Iowa
University of South Florida

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
California State University - Sacramento
University of Pittsburgh
Illinois State University

University of Washington

University of Florida

University of Florida
Bakersfield College
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs

Indiana University

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.
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.
Casey DeRoo Ph.D.: For a large company, familiarity with work management software is essential. Tasks are assigned, issues are noted, and effort tracked/billed all through these kinds of platforms. As Operations Manager, you'll be the one checking to ensure all tasks are assigned and are completed in a timely fashion, and may even be the one breaking up a project into initial tasks first.
Casey DeRoo Ph.D.: Pay tends to scale with project team size or complexity of the budget managed. Showing an ability to lead large, diverse teams on projects with multiple stakeholders or manage a substantial annual budget will net you jobs with a larger starting salary.
University of South Florida
School of Information Systems and Management
Ehsan Sheybani Ph.D.: Analytical and problem-solving skills, Strong technical skills, The ability to work well under pressure, attention to detail, teamwork skills, organization and time management, interpersonal and communication skills, management and leadership skills.
Ehsan Sheybani Ph.D.: Leadership, motivation, communication, conflict management, trust-building, decision-making, organization, and time management.
Ehsan Sheybani Ph.D.: Negotiation, relevant technical skills, prioritization and goal setting, project planning, delegating, and budget management.
Ehsan Sheybani Ph.D.: Software development, technical sales leadership, mobile app development, business analysis, digital marketing, affiliate marketing, analytical reasoning, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and blockchain.

University of Maryland - College Park
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
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.
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.

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.: -Classroom or work-related experience with electrical circuit design and electrical schematic analysis
-Exposure to control system design and theory, communications systems principles
-Lab experience with power/analog electronics testing or test methodology
-Understanding of digital design using hardware verification languages: System Verilog
-Experience leading engineering projects
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
Tom Springer Ph.D.: Skill sets that span domain disciplines are very much in demand. Such as a computer architect or electrical engineer with a strong background in software development

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: 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.
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.

Robert Williams Ph.D.: Modeling, simulation, CAD software; problem solving; design based on analysis and experiment; computer skills; the ability to learn new software.
Robert Williams Ph.D.: Generally, prior to 2020, salaries have risen steadily, even better than inflation. During 2020 there may have been some salary stagnation, but I am confident this will improve soon. From what I have observed in my graduating mechanical engineering seniors in recent years, their starting salaries (and even signing bonuses!) are competitive, and they can rapidly rise as the employee shows competence on the job.
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: 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: 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.

Union College
Department of Mechanical 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.
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: 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.
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.
Illinois State University
Department of Technology
Randy Jacobs: Many of the skill sets will remain the same: problem solving, communication and leadership. CM graduates are accustomed to being mobile moving from job to job and working at off-site locations. But some of those skill sets will be put to the test as the need for more "digital presence" is required of companies and construction projects.

Les Atlas: Most certainly an impact, a very strong impact. The best lesson for us is from the 1919 Spanish Flu pandemic. That strain of flu still circulates as a seasonal virus. Over 100 years laters, it is now considered a Phase 6 pandemic by the World Health Organization. While it is reduced due to current social distancing and mask wearing, the 1919 Spanish Flu virus still causes community-level outbreaks in multiple parts of the globe. Societal changes from this event of over 100 years ago are still with us.
In fact, they changed society. As is well-documented, after a high level of immunity was reached in the 1920's, the resulting labor shortage enabled workers to demand better living and working conditions, as well as better wages and public health care. As just one example of the societal changes due to the 1919 pandemic, the drop in the male labor force empowered male workers, and also changed the gender composition.
The aftermath of the 1919 pandemic was the start of women joining the labour force. In the United States, the proportion of women in the labour force rose from 18 per cent in 1900 to almost 21 per cent in 1920. In that same year, with the ratification of the 19th Amendment of the Constitution, the Congress of the United States guaranteed all American women the right to vote.
The current COVID-19 pandemic will certainly change the way we live, be it our mobility or the kinds of career options people have. After our current year-long experience in remote learning and work, will we go back to the inefficiencies of going to our office every work day? Or will remote work be acceptable, where one's residence will not be dependent upon the locations of employment. Will we avoid future hotspots of infection, choosing to instead reside and travel in areas where infection is decreasing? Will we prefer to travel on aircraft which are certified to be virus-free and frequent restaurants which are documented to be safer? Future marketing will likely make a sharp turn in this direction.

University of Florida
Computer & Information Science & Engineering Department
Peter Dobbins Ph.D.: I have heard points toward the "working remotely" model. As Computer Scientists, this is something we have known and in certain cases actually have been doing for a number of years. Industry shifts adapting to COVID have brought the fields surrounding CS into the remote work model... and are finding it works! As one of the first fields to embrace the model (a simple transition given how natural the fit), CS majors will only continue to find remote work opportunities.

Sanethia Thomas Ph.D.: San Fransico Bay remains on top with Seattle, New York, Los Angeles and Pittsburgh closley following.
Sanethia Thomas Ph.D.: When the pandemic first hit, I had students very concerned about their summer plans of having an internship, but as things worked itself out, and a lot of students maintained their internship by working remotely. In response to the declining job market, I have seen students redirect their efforts in the direction of graduate school. Many have expereinced difficulties finding job opportunities and "landing" the interview. Therefore more students are considering graduate school as we ride the wave of the pandemic.
Maryam Farahani: Thinking about the fields they want to experience or try. And to be intentional about their job search. The best advice is learning as much as they can about what company offers. Visualizing themselves in the next 5 years as a starting point. Do they want to travel a lot, or be in management positions? Do they want to be subject matter expert, or a hands-on engineer or technologist? Their goal may change as they progress in their career but having one makes a big difference in their career choices and keeping them on track.
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
Electrical and Computer Engineering Department
Dr. T.S. Kalkur: Internship experience and tools used in design.

Bipin Prabhakar: Technology will become a strategic enabler for most businesses. There will be increasing demand for graduates who can help create this technology (Computer Science/Data Science) and for graduates who can leverage technology (information Systems) to create business value.
Bipin Prabhakar: Skills by themselves on resumes do not provide enough information for the reviewer to assess a candidate. The resume has to showcase the actual capabilities rather than just listing skills. What can you actually do with the listed skill? With that said, deep skills in software development, data science and AI or the broad set of skills required to enable digital transformation will be in demand. Digital transformation requires skills in business analysis, business process and process design, technologies such as next generation ERP systems, AI and ML, cloud architectures and platforms and business analytics.
Bipin Prabhakar: There are three major sectors that hire technology graduates - the tech companies that tend to be in tech hubs and major cities, major corporations that are all over the country and consulting organizations that tend to have offices in the bigger cities with access to local clients or well-connected airports. Major employers tend to recruit nationally from the top programs across the country. The best time to find work is before graduation and the best place to find work is the campus recruitment process.