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Engineering Manager salary

Verified

Updated March 2025

Engineering managers plan, direct, and coordinate activities in architecture and engineering, leading teams and owning technical delivery.

Median pay

$167,740

U.S. typical

Top earners

$239,200

90th percentile

Entry level

$131,000

0–2 yrs

Senior

$226,500

15+ yrs

The median engineering manager salary in the U.S. is about $167,740 per year. Entry-level pay starts near $111,450, while top earners (90th percentile) make $239,200 or more. Add your city and experience for a sharper, local number.

Median annual wage

$167,740

Mean

$175,710

10th pct · $111,45090th pct · $239,200

What engineering managers do

Set technical direction, manage engineers and budgets, coordinate projects, and own hiring and delivery outcomes.

Engineering managers plan, direct, and coordinate activities in architecture and engineering, leading teams and owning technical delivery.

What affects engineering manager pay

  • ▹Team size and scope of responsibility
  • ▹Industry (tech and oil & gas pay above average)
  • ▹Years of management experience
  • ▹Equity and bonus (large at senior levels in tech)
  • ▹Metro cost of labor

Engineering Manager salary by experience

Pay typically climbs from about $131,000 for entry level engineers to $226,500+ at the principal / staff level.

Entry level 0–2 yrs
$131,000
Early career 3–5 yrs
$157,500
Mid level 6–9 yrs
$181,000
Senior 10–14 yrs
$204,500
Principal / Staff 15+ yrs
$226,500

Your actual offer depends on company, location, and specialization — run the calculator for a tailored range.

Highest-paying cities for engineering managers

Published engineering manager pay in the top-paying U.S. metro areas, vs the national benchmark.

15results

Engineering Manager salary by state

All 51 states with published engineering manager wage data, ranked highest to lowest. Open a state for its full metro-level breakdown.

RankStateMedian90th pct
1New Mexico$215,730≥$239,200
2California$201,810≥$239,200
3Washington$181,080≥$239,200
4Massachusetts$178,800≥$239,200
5District of Columbia$176,950$212,700
6Colorado$176,610≥$239,200
7New Jersey$174,230≥$239,200
8Delaware$173,910$217,440
9New York$173,530≥$239,200
10Arizona$172,680≥$239,200
11Connecticut$171,770$230,010
12New Hampshire$171,630≥$239,200
13Texas$170,650≥$239,200
14Rhode Island$170,410$232,160
15Virginia$168,780$228,260
16Minnesota$168,220$217,410
17Louisiana$167,840$232,440
18Florida$167,680$225,770
19Maryland$167,500$223,570
20Oregon$166,860$237,050
21South Carolina$163,790$224,910
22North Carolina$163,430$224,060
23Michigan$163,000$215,840
24Ohio$159,940$215,080
25Georgia$158,920$213,470
26Vermont$158,030$216,590
27Alabama$157,520$222,160
28Illinois$157,480$218,230
29Idaho$157,360$213,760
30Pennsylvania$154,400$208,800
31Tennessee$153,920$213,620
32Missouri$153,670$211,540
33Nevada$153,340$226,620
34Oklahoma$153,130≥$239,200
35South Dakota$152,540$215,360
36Alaska$152,290$214,320
37Utah$149,990$213,640
38Hawaii$148,620$208,360
39Kansas$147,020$220,520
40Indiana$144,880$216,930
41West Virginia$143,800$213,230
42Wyoming$141,990$208,980
43North Dakota$140,560$203,090
44Maine$140,430$204,280
45Wisconsin$138,710$197,160
46Iowa$137,870$198,000
47Mississippi$136,010$197,800
48Kentucky$134,880$193,660
49Nebraska$134,090$201,560
50Arkansas$132,660$198,900
51Montana$128,680$196,670

Figures are published state wage data, not modeled. States without published data for this occupation are not listed. See Source details for provenance.

Engineering Manager salary — frequently asked questions

How much does an engineering manager make?
The median engineering manager salary in the U.S. is about $167,740 per year. Most engineering managers earn between $111,450 and $239,200, and top earners (90th percentile) make $239,200 or more. These national figures come from published U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS) wage data.
What is the highest engineering manager salary?
Top-earning engineering managers (90th percentile) make about $239,200 or more nationally. In the highest-paying metros, estimated pay can run even higher — for example around $226,940 in San Jose. Metro figures are cost-of-labor estimates, not direct BLS metro data.
How much do entry-level engineering managers make?
Entry-level engineering managers (0–2 years) earn about $131,000 per year, rising to roughly $181,000 at mid-level and $226,500+ at the principal/staff level. These by-experience figures are modeled estimates based on typical engineering career progression.
Do engineering managers make good money?
Yes. The median engineering manager salary of $167,740 is 39% above the roughly $120,395 median across engineering occupations, and experienced engineering managers can earn $239,200 or more.
Which cities pay engineering managers the most?
Estimated engineering manager pay is highest in San Jose ($226,940), Midland ($209,970), and San Francisco ($208,580). These are cost-of-labor estimates that adjust the national baseline by local wage levels — not direct BLS metro wages.
How can an engineering manager earn more?
Engineering Manager pay rises most with team size and scope of responsibility, industry (tech and oil & gas pay above average), and years of management experience. Moving to a higher-cost metro, specializing, and taking on senior or lead scope are the biggest levers — the salary calculator lets you model each one.
Source details

Published wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 11-9041 (Architectural and Engineering Managers), national.

Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →

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