Career
Architectural and engineering managers
Lead the engineers and architects behind major projects.
$171,270
Median pay
+5.5%
Job growth, 2025–35
14,900
Openings a year
Bachelor's degree
Typical education
4 years
Typical time after high school
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- Manage the coordination and overall integration of technical activities in architecture or engineering projects.
- Direct, review, or approve project design changes.
- Consult or negotiate with clients to prepare project specifications.
- Prepare budgets, bids, or contracts.
- Present and explain proposals, reports, or findings to clients.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on persuasion & leadership, then ideas & analysis?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Manage the coordination and overall integration of technical activities in architecture or engineering projects.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Writing, Speaking.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
4 years of education after high school (bachelor's degree), for a median of $171,270 a year and 14,900 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- Business AdministrationSee the degree →
- Mechanical EngineeringSee the degree →
- Electrical EngineeringSee the degree →
- Civil EngineeringSee the degree →
- Computer EngineeringSee the degree →
- Chemical EngineeringSee the degree →
- Biomedical EngineeringSee the degree →
- Aerospace EngineeringSee the degree →
- Industrial EngineeringSee the degree →
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Project Management Specialists$102,320 · +6.7%
- Industrial Engineers$102,440 · +12.4%
- Logistics Engineers
- Electrical Engineers$120,630 · +9.9%
- Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary$109,270 · +7.8%
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
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Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.