Published:Jan 26, 2025

Explore MEM Graduate Salary Ranges

Reviewed By John Bade

Program Director, Professor of Practice, Master of Engineering Management program (MEM) and Master of Project Management program (MPM) at Washington University in St. Louis

A master of engineering management, also known as MEM, is a professional degree designed to bridge the gap between engineering, technology, and management. An MEM graduate might find work as a product manager, operations manager, product manager, or in a variety of capacities within the world of engineering.

Whether you just finished your bachelor’s degree in engineering or have been in the field for a while, an MEM degree can improve your career advancement prospects. MEM graduates are equipped with the management skills needed to become effective managers and executives, positioning you to effectively grow your career.

Why Should You Pursue an Online Master’s in Engineering Management?

As a professional engineer interested in improving your skill set and advancing your career, the flexibility and opportunity of an online MEM program could be the strongest option. An online MEM will build on your existing technical skills, preparing you for management positions.

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Obtaining your MEM degree can help advance your career in the following ways:

Prepare for engineering management roles: An engineering management program introduces you to emerging technology, builds upon what you learned in an undergraduate program, and could allow you to specialize in a growth area of engineering. Like an MBA, the MEM could provide a stronger knowledge base to pursue upper-level management and executive roles as a team leader.
Plan a career path: Undertaking an advanced engineering degree could allow you to specialize in a different area of engineering. For instance, an MEM graduate could pursue a specialized engineering role, such as operations manager, rather than being tasked with more general duties.
Take on more responsibility: Contrary to a doctoral degree, a master’s degree in engineering management sharpens your skill set for the real world. As such, master’s engineering graduates learn the soft skills needed for a professional environment. An MEM can create valuable context as you grow your career, helping you understand other aspects of the business.
Increase your salary: In addition to giving many graduates a foundational academic background, a master’s degree in engineering management also increases your salary growth potential.

What Are the Salaries for Master of Engineering Management Graduates?

A master’s degree in engineering management equips you with various management skills. This can lead to a lucrative position in the engineering field and set you apart from your purely technical peers.

Upon completion of an MEM program, a graduate can pursue many different career paths with a range of annual salaries, including:

Engineering Manager

Average annual salary: $165,370

Engineering managers are tasked with planning, coordinating, and directing activities in the field of engineering. Operational responsibilities typically involve overseeing engineering teams and projects as well as strategizing, managing, and designing projects to ensure they’re completed correctly, efficiently, and on schedule.

Operations Manager

Average annual salary: $169,930

Operations managers track inventory and supply levels, forecast needs, maintain vendor relationships, and implement supply chain and warehouse best practices. They may also be in charge of certain aspects of financial management, controlling operational costs, allocating resources, and partnering with finance teams to create budgets.

Production Manager

Average annual salary: $116,970

Overseeing the operations of manufacturing and related plants, production managers ensure teams stay within budget and enhance efficiencies. They set production schedules, are responsible for occupational safety and health, make cost adjustments, manage and evaluate production procedures, and estimate costs and prepare budgets.

Mechanical Engineer

Average annual salary: $99,510

Your duties in this position may include researching, designing, developing, and building thermal and mechanical devices and sensors such as engines, machines, and tools in a mechanical engineering industry. Adding an MBA degree or a master’s in engineering management degree can help prepare you for leadership positions.

Civil Engineer

Average annual salary: $95,890

Your primary responsibility in this position would be to conceive, design, build, operate, and maintain infrastructure systems, engineering projects, and other engineering management duties in the private and public sectors. This includes airports, bridges, public universities and dams. Also, an MEM degree would serve a value if you are interested in becoming an engineering manager.

Petroleum Engineer

Average annual salary: $135,690

In this position, you'd be required to design and develop techniques for extracting gas and oil deposits from the earth's surface among other petroleum engineering tasks. Undertaking a graduate degree in engineering management or an MBA degree with such an experience could lead to managerial positions.

Software Engineer

Average annual salary: $130,160

In this position, you'd be required to design and develop computer application software and systems software. This position requires a computer science or systems engineering background. Engineering managers can use what they know of engineering principles to lead teams of software engineers, data scientists, or other tech professionals.

Program Manager

Average annual salary: $98,580

Program managers in engineering develop systems and systems that move engineering projects from ideation to implementation. In this role, you may be responsible for quality control and project cost while keeping human safety and the environment at the forefront of your mind. Furthermore, you may help in the designing and testing of products, as well as supervise the production process.

Electrical Engineer

Average annual salary: $109,010

Electrical engineers design, test, and analyze electrical systems. They must be well versed in mathematical principles as well as computer systems. Electrical engineers can work in a range of industries, such as aerospace, cybersecurity, and in government organizations. Engineering managers lead projects for teams of electrical engineers to ensure timing, scope, and budget are maintained.

What Factors Influence an Engineering Manager’s Salary?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average salary for an engineering manager is $172,290.¹¹ However, several factors can affect the salary of an engineering manager:

Industry:

Engineering manager salaries vary considerably. Having a good understanding of the industries that typically pay higher salary can help shape your career path. For example, engineering management roles in emerging industries tend to pay more than traditional industries because they have fewer engineering technology professionals already working within them.
Location:

The average engineering manager salary varies by city and state. According to BLS data from 2023, an engineering manager could earn an annual salary of $220,450 in the San Francisco Bay Area; however, in the NYC metro area, the average salary is $189,970.¹¹
Academic History and Certifications:

An MEM degree program can place you on par with other senior professionals in the engineering field vying for management roles. Many companies see value in MEM degrees because they provide professionals with principles and knowledge a conventional engineer may not have.
Job Experience:

In engineering, seniority is often rewarded with higher salaries. In some cases, greater managerial responsibility reflects an employee’s experience and institutional knowledge within a single organization.

If you’re interested in earning a higher annual salary and advancing your career in engineering, technology, and management, consider a master's in engineering management. You can leverage the knowledge and experience gained through this MEM program throughout your whole career.

Sources:

¹http://salary.com/

²https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/architectural-and-engineering-managers.htm

³https://www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes111021.htm

⁴https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/industrial-production-managers.htm

⁵https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/mechanical-engineers.htm

⁶https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/civil-engineers.htm

⁷https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/petroleum-engineers.htm

⁸https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/software-developers.htm

⁹https://www.zippia.com/salaries/engineering-program-manager/

¹⁰https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/electrical-and-electronics-engineers.htm

¹¹https://www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes119041.htm

Author & Editor bios

Written By

Revised By

John Bade

John has 30+ years of experience at The Boeing Company (recently retired). His last role at Boeing was the Vice President of Boeing Defense Saudi Arabia where he served on the Board of Directors for BITG, AAI and the SRSC. Previous to that, John held numerous executive positions where he was responsible for various aspects of Program Management, Business Development, Strategy, etc.

Since joining Boeing in 1988, Bade had worked in a wide variety of leadership positions with increasing responsibility in Engineering, Quality, Supplier Management, Product Support, Program Management and Business Development. Bade had held several international program management assignments working in Japan, Italy, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

John holds bachelors and Masters Degrees in Engineering Management from the Missouri University of Science and Technology. He continued his education at Saint Louis University obtaining his Master of Business Administration and completed his PhD. in Engineering Management at the Missouri University of Science and Technology.

John has been teaching evening graduate courses at the Missouri University of Science and Technology, and Washington University in Saint Louis in Strategic Management, Technology, Continuous Improvement, Six Sigma, Statistical Process Control, Taguchi, Project Management, Entrepreneurship, Emerging and Disruptive Technologies and Total Quality Management. He has also taught at AL Faisal University in Riyadh Saudi Arabia. He has been teaching various courses for 25+ years.