Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between senior directors of engineering and engineering managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes More than 10 years to become both a senior director of engineering and an engineering manager. Additionally, a senior director of engineering has an average salary of $177,949, which is higher than the $139,328 average annual salary of an engineering manager.
The top three skills for a senior director of engineering include cloud, architecture and continuous improvement. The most important skills for an engineering manager are java, project management, and continuous improvement.
| Senior Director Of Engineering | Engineering Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $177,949 | $139,328 |
| Hourly rate | $85.55 | $66.98 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 75,555 | 67,124 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.33 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A senior director of engineering is responsible for the collaborative success of the engineering and technical projects of the organization. Senior directors of engineering coordinate with different project teams to identify and develop cost-reduction processes, as well as strategizing on procedures to maximize the team's effort and productivity within the approved deadline. They also implement quality assurance policies to ensure the efficiency and accuracy of the project's adherence to client specifications and business requirements. A senior director of engineering reports to the senior management, conducting data analysis and identifying business opportunities to maintain the company's financial growth and stability.
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.
Senior directors of engineering and engineering managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Director Of Engineering | Engineering Manager | |
| Average salary | $177,949 | $139,328 |
| Salary range | Between $120,000 And $262,000 | Between $99,000 And $195,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Mixpanel |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a senior director of engineering and an engineering manager in terms of educational background:
| Senior Director Of Engineering | Engineering Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor |
Here are the differences between senior directors of engineering' and engineering managers' demographics:
| Senior Director Of Engineering | Engineering Manager | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.3% Female, 6.7% | Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 17.0% White, 66.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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% |