Architectural and Engineering Managers

Architectural and engineering managers plan, direct, and coordinate activities in the fields of architecture and engineering.

Duties

Architectural and engineering managers typically do the following:

• Make detailed plans to research and develop products, processes, or designs
• Determine staff, training, and equipment needs
• Propose budgets for projects and programs
• Hire and supervise staff
• Oversee research and development projects, including directing staff output and quality
• Coordinate work and collaborate with other staff and managers

Architectural and engineering managers use their knowledge of architecture or engineering to oversee a variety of activities. They may direct and coordinate construction or manufacturing related to production, operations, quality assurance, testing, or maintenance.

As part of their oversight responsibilities, architectural and engineering managers set goals and develop detailed plans, including production schedules. They also prepare budgets for projects, staff, and equipment needs. In this way, managers anticipate problems that may arise and which might otherwise hinder a project’s completion.

Architectural and engineering managers hire staff and assign them to carry out specific parts of a project. They also supervise employees’ work, which may include collaborating with other organizations, to monitor the project’s quality and progress through completion.

Architectural and engineering managers held about 212,500 jobs in 2024. The largest employers of architectural and engineering managers were as follows:

Most architectural and engineering managers work in offices. Some work in settings such as research laboratories or industrial production plants. These managers may work in groups and supervise other staff members, such as architects and engineers. They are often under pressure to meet deadlines and budgets.

Work Schedules

Most architectural and engineering managers work full time. Working more than 40 hours a week is common, especially when meeting deadlines.

To enter the occupation, architectural and engineering managers typically need at least a bachelor’s degree and considerable work experience as an architect or engineer.

The median annual wage for architectural and engineering managers was $167,740 in May 2024.

Employment of architectural and engineering managers is projected to grow 4 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

About 14,500 openings for architectural and engineering managers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.