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The differences between software project managers and project engineering managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a software project manager, becoming a project engineering manager takes usually requires More than 10 years. Additionally, a software project manager has an average salary of $115,181, which is higher than the $110,534 average annual salary of a project engineering manager.
The top three skills for a software project manager include project management, scrum and development process. The most important skills for a project engineering manager are project management, project scope, and engineering design.
| Software Project Manager | Project Engineering Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $115,181 | $110,534 |
| Hourly rate | $55.38 | $53.14 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 285,134 | 171,897 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 39 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
A software project manager is responsible for leading software projects and development from its conceptualization to final deliverables. Software project managers coordinate with the clients for their specifications and requirements, including their budget limitations and timetables. They discuss the project outline with software developers and design engineers and gather all the ideas for the design plan. A software project manager reviews every successful milestone completion, revise project plans as needed, and ensure the stability and efficiency of software applications by running quality control tests.
A project engineering manager's job is to oversee engineering projects in diverse industries, including transportation, software development, and utility industries. They are responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of intricate designs and evaluating and approving changes that may affect the scope, budget, and completion of a project. They also perform other essential tasks, including monitoring the project's progress and performance, developing maintenance plans, and preparing expenditure reports. Project engineering managers are also expected to resolve any issues that may arise from operations.
Software project managers and project engineering managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Project Manager | Project Engineering Manager | |
| Average salary | $115,181 | $110,534 |
| Salary range | Between $84,000 And $156,000 | Between $79,000 And $153,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Technology |
There are a few differences between a software project manager and a project engineering manager in terms of educational background:
| Software Project Manager | Project Engineering Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor |
Here are the differences between software project managers' and project engineering managers' demographics:
| Software Project Manager | Project Engineering Manager | |
| Average age | 39 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 67.2% Female, 32.8% | Male, 87.8% Female, 12.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 30.0% White, 52.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 12.0% White, 71.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 9% |