Mechanical engineering manager vs manager, systems engineering

The differences between mechanical engineering managers and managers, systems engineering can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes More than 10 years to become a mechanical engineering manager, becoming a manager, systems engineering takes usually requires 6-8 years. Additionally, a manager, systems engineering has an average salary of $130,127, which is higher than the $116,922 average annual salary of a mechanical engineering manager.

The top three skills for a mechanical engineering manager include CAD, mechanical design and solidworks. The most important skills for a manager, systems engineering are systems engineering, architecture, and DOD.

Mechanical engineering manager vs manager, systems engineering overview

	Mechanical Engineering Manager	Manager, Systems Engineering
Yearly salary	$116,922	$130,127
Hourly rate	$56.21	$62.56
Growth rate	2%	16%
Number of jobs	74,789	174,962
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 74%	Bachelor's Degree, 70%
Average age	48	47
Years of experience	-	8

What does a mechanical engineering manager do?

A mechanical engineering manager is responsible for leading the mechanical projects and processes of an organization to ensure high-quality deliverables according to business requirements and specifications. Mechanical engineering managers inspect the tools and equipment and coordinate with trusted suppliers for low-cost reduction materials and control installations. They also resolve mechanical issues and determine the best management techniques to prevent downtimes and operational delays. A mechanical engineering manager must have excellent communication and critical-thinking skills, especially in analyzing blueprints and schematics to secure components.

What does a manager, systems engineering do?

A systems engineering manager is responsible for monitoring the efficiency of the company's technology systems and network infrastructure. System engineering managers inspect the output deliverables of computer systems, identifying process improvement techniques to improve optimal performance and maintain high-quality results. They handle the department's budget and allocate adequate resources to support project management operations and requirements. A systems engineering manager must have excellent knowledge of the technology industry, handling technical complexities, and configuring system management tools.

Mechanical engineering manager vs manager, systems engineering salary

Mechanical engineering managers and managers, systems engineering have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Mechanical Engineering Manager	Manager, Systems Engineering
Average salary	$116,922	$130,127
Salary range	Between $82,000 And $165,000	Between $96,000 And $176,000
Highest paying City	Mountain View, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Meta	Pure Storage
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Manufacturing

Differences between mechanical engineering manager and manager, systems engineering education

There are a few differences between a mechanical engineering manager and a manager, systems engineering in terms of educational background:

	Mechanical Engineering Manager	Manager, Systems Engineering
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 74%	Bachelor's Degree, 70%
Most common major	Mechanical Engineering	Electrical Engineering
Most common college	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor	Carnegie Mellon University

Mechanical engineering manager vs manager, systems engineering demographics

Here are the differences between mechanical engineering managers' and managers, systems engineering' demographics:

	Mechanical Engineering Manager	Manager, Systems Engineering
Average age	48	47
Gender ratio	Male, 94.6% Female, 5.4%	Male, 87.8% Female, 12.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.5% Asian, 12.9% White, 70.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 12.7% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	9%	11%

Differences between mechanical engineering manager and manager, systems engineering duties and responsibilities

Mechanical engineering manager example responsibilities.

Coordinate and manage prototype development and validation testing.
Manage QA for research orient development efforts and for high visibility, production focuse development efforts tie to revenue generation.
Work with the in-house UL and compliance engineers, ESD engineers, and the shock/vibration engineers.
Design various hand-held and permanently mount RF instruments for use in RF broadcast and transmission installations.
Engineer and/or design and/or value engineer (redesign) new and/or existing HVAC systems for commercial and/or industrial applications.
Select HVAC equipment such as boilers, chillers, cooling towers, air handling units and roof top units.

Manager, systems engineering example responsibilities.

Manage office operations and procedures, including administering payroll, preparing office correspondence, and managing documentation.
Lead ITIL project to develop and implement internal training curriculum.
Manage enterprise systems, including technology selection, upgrades, optimization and performance against SLA targets.
Partner with sales to achieve sustain growth by developing new products and services such as VOIP and IPTV.
Manage the SDLC for insurance and financial services subsidiary for numerous components to supplement and enhance their agency software.
Manage a team of 19 technicians with expertise ranging from electrical to HVAC and providing 7/24/365 support and coverage.

Mechanical engineering manager vs manager, systems engineering skills

Common mechanical engineering manager skills

CAD, 9%
Mechanical Design, 8%
Solidworks, 7%
Project Management, 6%
Continuous Improvement, 6%
Mechanical Systems, 4%

Common manager, systems engineering skills

Systems Engineering, 13%
Architecture, 8%
DOD, 5%
Infrastructure, 5%
Project Management, 5%
RF, 3%

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Mechanical Engineering Manager vs Manager, Systems Engineering

Updated January 8, 2025

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