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The differences between senior engineering managers and senior engineers 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 senior engineering manager, becoming a senior engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a senior engineering manager has an average salary of $155,753, which is higher than the $108,743 average annual salary of a senior engineer.
The top three skills for a senior engineering manager include java, architecture and cloud. The most important skills for a senior engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Senior Engineering Manager | Senior Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $155,753 | $108,743 |
| Hourly rate | $74.88 | $52.28 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 70,918 | 343,200 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 48 | 41 |
| Years of experience | - | 6 |
Senior engineering managers are the leaders who oversee and supervise a team of engineers. These executives are the ones who develop, modify, create, and test solutions to technical-related problems. They direct and coordinate the production, quality assurance, maintenance, operations, or testing in industrial plants. It is part of their job to handle the research and development of new procedures and products. They are also involved in improving the advance scientific research and manufacturing processes of the company.
A senior engineer is responsible for overseeing all operations within a designated area. With years of experience and expertise, a senior engineer may take charge of establishing goals, deadlines, and budgets for a particular project. They must devise and implement strategies that would improve the quality of workflow and deliver significant results. Furthermore, a senior manager must also supervise a team of skilled engineers, leading them in the joint effort to reach the company's vision and mission, all while adhering to the safety standards and regulations.
Senior engineering managers and senior engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Engineering Manager | Senior Engineer | |
| Average salary | $155,753 | $108,743 |
| Salary range | Between $110,000 And $218,000 | Between $82,000 And $144,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Airbnb | Roku |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a senior engineering manager and a senior engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Engineering Manager | Senior Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between senior engineering managers' and senior engineers' demographics:
| Senior Engineering Manager | Senior Engineer | |
| Average age | 48 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.9% Female, 10.1% | Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.9% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 17.6% White, 66.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.1% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 5% |