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What is a vice president of engineering and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
5 min read
Quoted expert
Yi Yang PhD
introduction image

A vice president of engineering is an individual responsible for overseeing engineering teams and ensuring that projects are completed on time and within budget. They are also responsible for developing and implementing strategies to improve engineering processes and products. A VP of engineering works closely with other executives to align engineering efforts with overall company goals. Ultimately, a VP of engineering is responsible for driving innovation and ensuring the success of engineering initiatives within a company.

What general advice would you give to a vice president of engineering?

Yi Yang PhDYi Yang PhD LinkedIn profile

Associate Professor, Pennsylvania State University - Abington

For new graduates beginning their careers in engineering, I would advise them to consider the broader impact of their work and look for opportunities to expand their management potential. While engineering is a highly technical field, it's important to recognize the value of leadership roles in preserving a culture of innovation. By taking on these positions, you can help ensure that companies prioritize long-term innovation over short-term gains (cutting R&D to boost the balance sheet), thus preserving the engineering culture that drives meaningful progress.
ScoreVice President Of EngineeringUS Average
Salary
8.9

Avg. Salary $150,651

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.4

Growth rate 2%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
1.6
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.16%

Asian 13.60%

Black or African American 3.14%

Hispanic or Latino 9.02%

Unknown 4.70%

White 69.38%

Gender

female 6.96%

male 93.04%

Age - 48
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 - 48
Stress level
7.4

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
10.0

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
3.5

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a vice president of engineering?

Pros

  • High salary and benefits

  • Opportunities for growth and advancement

  • Ability to lead and shape the direction of the company's engineering efforts

  • Exposure to cutting-edge technology and innovation

  • Opportunity to establish industry connections and partnerships

Cons

  • High levels of stress and pressure

  • Responsibility for the success or failure of large-scale projects

  • Need to stay up-to-date on industry trends and advancements

  • Need to manage conflicting priorities and limited resources

  • Limited time for hands-on technical work

Vice president of engineering career paths

Key steps to become a vice president of engineering

  1. Explore vice president of engineering education requirements

    Most common vice president of engineering degrees

    Bachelor's

    68.5 %

    Master's

    19.3 %

    Associate

    6.9 %
  2. Start to develop specific vice president of engineering skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Architecture7.51%
    Cloud6.39%
    Infrastructure6.08%
    Java5.17%
    Python5.15%
  3. Complete relevant vice president of engineering training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New vice presidents of engineering 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 vice president of engineering based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real vice president of engineering resumes.
  4. Research vice president of engineering duties and responsibilities

    • Manage the process engineering group as pertains to BOM entry, time studies, and product routings on the floor.
    • Submit products for agency certification, achieve UL certification.
    • Manage and coordinate all hardware/software engineering, installation, and service of HVAC temperature control system projects.
    • Direct verification of product with OEM products.
  5. Get vice president of engineering experience

    Generally, it takes more than 10 years to become a vice president of engineering. The most common roles before becoming a vice president of engineering include engineering director, engineering manager team lead and senior software engineer.
  6. Prepare your vice president of engineering resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your vice president of engineering 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 vice president of engineering resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable vice president of engineering resume templates

    Build a professional vice president of engineering 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 vice president of engineering resume.
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    Vice President Of Engineering Resume
    Vice President Of Engineering Resume
  7. Apply for vice president of engineering jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a vice president of engineering 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 vice president of engineering job

Zippi

Are you a vice president of engineering?

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Average vice president of engineering salary

The average vice president of engineering salary in the United States is $150,651 per year or $72 per hour. Vice president of engineering salaries range between $97,000 and $233,000 per year.

Average vice president of engineering salary
$150,651 Yearly
$72.43 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do vice presidents of engineering rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Vice president of engineering reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2022
Pros

Able to see ideation to fruition and achieve success together as a team.

Cons

If company is not supportive of new technology advancement.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2022
Cons

I am responsible for everything be it any side of the business


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2020
Pros

Being able to solve technical problems and manage staff for work

Cons

Less pay and not being able to freely speak what's on my mind


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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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