Engineering Management

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, engineering managers make an average of $97,630 a year. Education can be an essential part of securing necessary training for the engineering management field, though no degree or certificate program can guarantee a particular career or salary.

Job Responsibilities

Management is an important level in any business, but managers in the engineering field have a particular set of responsibilities. Engineering management needs a basic skill-set that includes:

• Knowledge of the technology
• Experience with the product or research
• Ability to maintain updated knowledge

Specialized engineering educational programs can further serve to deepen an engineer's knowledge in his or her chosen field. In addition to the skills that engineers at any level must have, engineering management should be able to:

• Lead projects and teams of various sizes
• Communicate effectively with vendors, employees, and superiors
• Organize technology, research, and product information
• Anticipate and solve problems within personnel or technology

An educational program in engineering management can be an efficient way to educate engineers on the specifics of management work within the field. From there, engineering managers can choose to specialize in a variety of fields, including:

• Research and development offices
• Educational facilities
• Industrial plants
• Engineering design departments

Engineering management careers stretch beyond the above possibilities, and can include international business, government work, and other fields. For engineers with the ability to organize, lead, and communicate effectively, working in engineering management may be the most logical next step of an engineering career.