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What is a system development manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a system development manager. For example, did you know that they make an average of $58.91 an hour? That's $122,528 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 16% and produce 82,400 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreSystem Development ManagerUS Average
Salary
8.2

Avg. Salary $122,528

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
8.6

Growth rate 16%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
1.7
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.21%

Asian 12.65%

Black or African American 6.70%

Hispanic or Latino 10.05%

Unknown 5.20%

White 65.20%

Gender

female 21.76%

male 78.24%

Age - 47
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 47
Stress level
8.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.7

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
6.1

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

System development manager career paths

Key steps to become a system development manager

  1. Explore system development manager education requirements

    Most common system development manager degrees

    Bachelor's

    74.0 %

    Master's

    14.7 %

    Associate

    8.5 %
  2. Start to develop specific system development manager skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Infrastructure10.93%
    Systems Development8.99%
    Architecture7.27%
    Software Development7.27%
    Java7.21%
  3. Complete relevant system development manager training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New system development managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a system development manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real system development manager resumes.
  4. Research system development manager duties and responsibilities

    • Lead design of POS replenishment process and software design/implementation to significantly increase retail sales.
    • Collaborate with QA to maintain test environment and conduct different level of software testing.
    • Perform QA analysis on all aspects of vendor's original code and custom modifications.
    • Develop operational procedures and train corporate staff for support of ERP and HRIS systems.
  5. Prepare your system development manager resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your system development manager resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a system development manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable system development manager resume templates

    Build a professional system development manager resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your system development manager resume.
    System Development Manager Resume
    System Development Manager Resume
    System Development Manager Resume
    System Development Manager Resume
    System Development Manager Resume
    System Development Manager Resume
    System Development Manager Resume
    System Development Manager Resume
    System Development Manager Resume
  6. Apply for system development manager jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a system development manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first system development manager job

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Average system development manager salary

The average system development manager salary in the United States is $122,528 per year or $59 per hour. System development manager salaries range between $96,000 and $156,000 per year.

Average system development manager salary
$122,528 Yearly
$58.91 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do system development managers rate their job?

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System development manager reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2022
Cons

If company is not supportive of new technology advancement.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2020
Cons

If people don't do their work properly


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A zippia user wrote a review on May 2019
Cons

Depending on the organization, some places allow you to be more involved in strategy, while others only need a PM to manage schedules and activities. I prefer to be hands on, so for me it all depends on the organization.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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