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The role of a Manager of Engineering Department is crucial in overseeing engineering projects, ensuring they meet both technical standards and deadlines. As of October 2025, the average salary for this position is $115,954 per year or $56 per hour. Salary levels can vary significantly based on factors such as location, experience, and industry.
Different states offer varying salary scales. For instance, states like California and Texas tend to provide higher compensation due to the demand for skilled engineering professionals. Additionally, urban areas often present better salary opportunities compared to rural regions.
Cities such as San Francisco, New York, and Seattle are known for their competitive salaries for engineering managers. Potential candidates should consider these locations if salary is a primary concern. Moreover, gaining experience can lead to higher paying roles, particularly in leadership positions within major corporations.
With a clear path for growth, those in managerial roles can expect increased responsibilities and corresponding salary increases. Networking and continuous learning are essential for those looking to advance their careers in engineering management.
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The highest-paying states for managers of engineering department are California, Washington, and Alaska. The lowest average manager of engineering department salary states are North Carolina, Iowa, and Wyoming.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $154,979 | $74.51 |
| 2 | Alaska | $144,436 | $69.44 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $137,357 | $66.04 |
| 4 | California | $159,698 | $76.78 |
| 5 | Oregon | $139,375 | $67.01 |
| 6 | Nevada | $141,145 | $67.86 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $126,544 | $60.84 |
| 8 | Arizona | $118,890 | $57.16 |
| 9 | Texas | $128,857 | $61.95 |
| 10 | Utah | $114,859 | $55.22 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $116,305 | $55.92 |
| 12 | Idaho | $117,244 | $56.37 |
| 13 | Maine | $113,449 | $54.54 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $122,329 | $58.81 |
| 15 | Montana | $112,881 | $54.27 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $132,371 | $63.64 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $115,708 | $55.63 |
| 18 | Michigan | $110,888 | $53.31 |
| 19 | Vermont | $105,107 | $50.53 |
| 20 | New York | $115,675 | $55.61 |
| 21 | Delaware | $106,485 | $51.19 |
| 22 | Virginia | $108,609 | $52.22 |
| 23 | Colorado | $107,000 | $51.44 |
| 24 | Rhode Island | $103,455 | $49.74 |
| 25 | Indiana | $105,093 | $50.53 |
| 26 | Hawaii | $108,591 | $52.21 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $106,901 | $51.39 |
| 28 | Oklahoma | $105,997 | $50.96 |
| 29 | Louisiana | $106,946 | $51.42 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $102,844 | $49.44 |
| 31 | Arkansas | $97,083 | $46.67 |
| 32 | Mississippi | $104,303 | $50.15 |
| 33 | Georgia | $103,477 | $49.75 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $98,861 | $47.53 |
| 35 | West Virginia | $98,214 | $47.22 |
| 36 | Florida | $101,797 | $48.94 |
| 37 | Maryland | $102,603 | $49.33 |
| 38 | North Dakota | $98,441 | $47.33 |
| 39 | District of Columbia | $98,750 | $47.48 |
| 40 | Alabama | $97,980 | $47.11 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $100,624 | $48.38 |
| 42 | Ohio | $99,333 | $47.76 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $90,954 | $43.73 |
| 44 | Illinois | $99,160 | $47.67 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $96,908 | $46.59 |
| 46 | Kansas | $96,837 | $46.56 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $94,885 | $45.62 |
| 48 | Iowa | $91,058 | $43.78 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $90,069 | $43.30 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $90,472 | $43.50 |
| 51 | Missouri | $88,618 | $42.60 |
The highest-paying cities for managers of engineering department are San Jose, CA, Hillsboro, OR, and San Antonio, TX.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $172,489 | $82.93 |
| 2 | Hillsboro, OR | $140,474 | $67.54 |
| 3 | San Antonio, TX | $129,691 | $62.35 |
| 4 | Philadelphia, PA | $127,168 | $61.14 |
| 5 | Duluth, MN | $124,467 | $59.84 |
| 6 | Phoenix, AZ | $119,291 | $57.35 |
| 7 | Utica, NY | $116,826 | $56.17 |
| 8 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $109,064 | $52.43 |
| 9 | Idaho Falls, ID | $107,876 | $51.86 |
| 10 | Denver, CO | $106,750 | $51.32 |
| 11 | New Orleans, LA | $106,252 | $51.08 |
| 12 | Baltimore, MD | $102,960 | $49.50 |
| 13 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | $101,247 | $48.68 |
| 14 | Columbus, OH | $98,515 | $47.36 |
| 15 | Kansas City, KS | $96,725 | $46.50 |
| 16 | Raleigh, NC | $95,815 | $46.06 |
| 17 | Saint Louis, MO | $89,034 | $42.80 |
A manager of engineering department's salary ranges from $78,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $170,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $170,000 | $14,167 | $82 |
| 75th Percentile | $142,000 | $11,833 | $68 |
| Average | $115,954 | $9,663 | $56 |
| 25th Percentile | $94,000 | $7,833 | $45 |
| 10th Percentile | $78,000 | $6,500 | $38 |
The highest paying types of managers of engineering department are engineering director, senior engineering manager, and vice president of engineering.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research And Development Manager | $117,507 | $9,792 | $56.49 | 125,447 |
| Design Manager | $102,637 | $8,553 | $49.34 | 61,273 |
| Research And Development Director | $137,944 | $11,495 | $66.32 | 102,901 |
| Manager | $58,651 | $4,888 | $28.20 | 1,236,194 |
| Engineering Program Manager | $122,604 | $10,217 | $58.94 | 148,543 |
| Engineering/Maintenance Manager | $99,907 | $8,326 | $48.03 | 125,639 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for Managers of engineering department, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Michael Rudisill
Department Head and Professor of Engineering Technology, Northern Michigan University
Top companies hiring managers of engineering department now:
Manager of engineering department salaries at Activision Blizzard and ASR Group are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average manager of engineering department salary at companies like Corning Incorporated and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Activision Blizzard | $154,473 | $74.27 |
| 2 | ASR Group | $153,629 | $73.86 |
| 3 | Corning Incorporated | $149,412 | $71.83 |
| 4 | Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory | $136,143 | $65.45 |
| 5 | Florida Crystals | $135,603 | $65.19 |
| 6 | Woods Services | $135,380 | $65.09 |
| 7 | Cirrus Aircraft | $132,633 | $63.77 |
| 8 | Intertek | $124,460 | $59.84 |
| 9 | Enterprise Holdings | $122,431 | $58.86 |
| 10 | CONMED | $120,513 | $57.94 |
| 11 | Amec Foster Wheeler | $117,904 | $56.68 |
| 12 | Colorado State Express | $117,904 | $56.68 |
| 13 | ASR | $116,854 | $56.18 |
| 14 | Idaho National Lab | $116,237 | $55.88 |
| 15 | Northrop Grumman | $115,939 | $55.74 |
| 16 | Marine Spill Response | $115,898 | $55.72 |
| 17 | Dewberry | $115,620 | $55.59 |
| 18 | Hormann | $115,618 | $55.59 |
| 19 | WorleyParsons | $114,286 | $54.95 |
| 20 | SSOE Group | $113,269 | $54.46 |
The average manager of engineering department salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $133,260 | $64.07 |
| 2 | Automotive | $118,974 | $57.20 |
| 3 | Internet | $117,787 | $56.63 |
| 4 | Manufacturing | $117,722 | $56.60 |
The average manager of engineering department salary has risen by $21,201 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average manager of engineering department earned $94,753 annually, but today, they earn $115,954 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for managers of engineering department over the last decade.
Compare manager of engineering department salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare manager of engineering department salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $116,000 | $55.75 | +3.1% |
| 2024 | $112,000 | $53.99 | +2.8% |
| 2023 | $109,000 | $52.48 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $107,000 | $51.34 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $104,000 | $50.23 | +1.4% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northrop Grumman | Specialty Systems Engineering Department Manager | Roy, UT | 06/19/2025 | $161,500 |
| Day & Zimmermann | Piping Engineering Department Manager | Greenville, NC | 06/18/2025 | $136,400 |
| State of Colorado | Department Manager, Department of Geology and Geological Engineering | Boone, CO | 06/18/2025 | $70,000 |
| Mines.Edu | Department Manager-Geology and Geological Engineering | Boone, CO | 06/18/2025 | $70,000 |
| Colorado School of Mines | Department Manager-Geology and Geological Engineering | Golden, CO | 06/12/2025 | $70,000 |
| Job.com | Water/Wastewater Engineering Department Manager | Buffalo, NY | 06/10/2025 | $120,000 |
| Northrop Grumman | Specialty Systems Engineering Department Manager | Roy, UT | 04/29/2025 | $161,500 |
| Wendel LLC | Water Wastewater Engineering Department Manager | Rochester, NY | 04/28/2025 | $120,000 |
| Hargrove Engineers & Constructors | Structural Engineering Department Manager | Concord, CA | 04/23/2025 | $155,000 |
| Northrop Grumman | Specialty Systems Engineering Department Manager | Roy, UT | 03/28/2025 | $161,500 |
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