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Design Engineering Manager Salary in the United States

How much does a Design Engineering Manager make in the United States?

As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for a Design Engineering Manager in the United States is $137,006 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $66.

However, a Design Engineering Manager's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $159,891
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $124,538 to $148,985
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $113,187
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Design Engineering Manager Salaries

A Design Engineering Manager's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Design Engineering Manager Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Design Engineering Manager's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $95,736
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $122,546
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $136,126
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $182,586
  • Expert (over 8 years): $225,350
Levels Salary
CAE Desig... Level Design Engineering Manager$95,736
CAE Desig... Level Design Engineering Manager$122,546
Design En... Level Design Engineering Manager$136,126
CAE Desig... Level Design Engineering Manager$182,586
CAE Desig... Level Design Engineering Manager$225,350
View as Graph

How Do Design Engineering Manager Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Design Engineering Managers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $151,693.
  • California: $151,118.
  • Massachusetts: $149,104.

Top Paying Cities for Design Engineering Managers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $172,806
  • San Francisco: $170,914
  • Oakland: $167,312

What Skills Can Increase a Design Engineering Manager's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Written Communication (Mentioned in 11.11% Job Postings): Communicating information through written media to educate, inform and influence the target audience.
  • CAD (Mentioned in 2.88% Job Postings): Computer-aided design is the use of computers to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. This software is used to increase the productivity of the designer
  • Construction Management (Mentioned in 0.82% Job Postings): Construction management (CM) is a professional service that uses specialized, project management techniques to oversee the planning, design, and construction of a project, from its beginning to its end. The purpose of CM is to control a project's time / delivery, cost and quality—sometimes referred to as a project management triangle or "triple constraints." CM is compatible with all project delivery systems, including design-bid-build, design-build, CM At-Risk and Public Private Partnerships. Professional construction managers may be reserved for lengthy, large-scale, high budget undertakings (commercial real estate, transportation infrastructure, industrial facilities, and military infrastructure), called capital projects.
Skills Demand Percentage
Written Communication 11.11%
CAD 2.88%
Construction Management 0.82%
See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Design Engineering Manager's salary.

  • Interviewing: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
  • 3D Rendering: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
  • 3D Scanning: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Interviewing $152,077
11%
3D Rendering $150,707
10%
3D Scanning $147,966
8%
Get Latest Data

Design Engineering Manager Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Design Engineering Manager roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 55% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Internet and Financial Services sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 25% above the average. In contrast, Design Engineering Manager positions in Transportation or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Design Engineering Manager as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Design Engineering Manager

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Internet$171,258$82.025%
Financial Services$164,407$79.020%
Aerospace & Defense$157,557$76.015%
Healthcare$157,557$76.015%
Biotechnology$150,707$72.010%

How Education impacts a Design Engineering Manager's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Design Engineering Managers enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Design Engineering Manager with a Bachelor's Degree is between $133,664 and $143,905).

Design Engineering Manager Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Design Engineering Manager
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.4%
High School 10.3%
Associates 14.7%
Bachelors 51.6%
Masters 19.4%
Doctorate 3.6%
View as Graph

Design Engineering Manager Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Design Engineering Manager's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on October 01, 2026
$124,538
Average $137,006/year
$148,985
$10,378
Average $11,417/month
$12,415
$2,395
Average $2,635/week
$2,865
$60
Average $66/hour
$72
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $148,985 $12,415 $2,865 $72
Average $137,006 $11,417 $2,635 $66
25th Percentile $124,538 $10,378 $2,395 $60

Most common benefits for Design Engineering Manager

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Design Engineering Manager

Here are companies hiring for Design Engineering Manager and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Design Engineering Manager

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Design Engineering Manager?

The Internet industry offers the highest average compensation for Design Engineering Manager roles, with salaries approximately 25% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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