Also called: Engineering Manager, Director of Engineering
Leads a team of software engineers: hiring, coaching, planning, and making sure the team ships.
Your calendar is full of one-on-ones, planning meetings, and conversations with product managers about what to build next. You unblock engineers, settle disagreements, and occasionally still dive into the code.
BLS computer and information systems managers median $175,140 (May 2025).
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 10 years after high school. Bachelor's plus several years as a strong engineer before moving into management.
Ways in: 4-year college, On-the-job training. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Computer Science, Software Engineering, Business Administration.
Growing much faster than average (about 16% over 10 years). BLS projects 16% growth for computer and information systems managers, 2025-35.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. AI may make teams smaller, meaning fewer manager slots; hiring, coaching and planning stay human work.
Classes: AP Computer Science A, Speech or debate, Psychology.
Official data: O*NET occupation 11-3021.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.