Earn Your MEM Degree in New Jersey: Schools, Jobs, and Online Options

As we will see, New Jersey is a strong location for studying engineering management. It’s also a state where this skill set is in high demand, as it is home to some of the country’s biggest players in pharmaceuticals, energy, telecommunications, and infrastructure.³

Companies like Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Prudential, and Verizon have a major presence here.^4,5 So do large utility providers like PSE&G and transit systems that keep cities connected. As these industries run on complex operations, they all need professionals who can lead engineering projects from planning through execution.

This is why job openings in engineering management in New Jersey are real opportunities to grow into cross-functional leadership roles that touch every part of a business—from product development to systems design. Roles in project management, operations, systems engineering, and compliance are becoming more common across the board, especially as industries modernize and adopt new technologies.⁶ Add to that the state’s proximity to New York City and Philadelphia—and you’ve got access to a huge professional network. 

It’s true that living in New Jersey costs more than the national average, but for engineering managers, the pay often makes up for it.⁷ The median wage of approximately $169,000 reflects what these jobs really demand: hands-on technical skill plus the judgment to lead projects and keep things on track at a larger scale.⁸

A Master of Engineering Management is a graduate degree designed for engineers who want to lead. It builds on a technical background and adds tools from project management and systems thinking to bring more structure to your engineering experience.

Unlike an MBA, which covers broad business topics for many industries, an MEM stays rooted in engineering.⁹ It’s designed for people who already speak the language of systems and specifications but want to see the full scope of a project from start to finish. Compared to a Master of Science in Engineering, it puts less focus on deep technical research and more on strategy and leadership.¹⁰

Most MEM programs are designed for people with backgrounds in fields like mechanical, civil, industrial, or electrical engineering. Some students enter early in their careers. Others come with years of experience and use this degree to step into new responsibilities.

After all, as industries shift and technical work gets more complex, companies need people who can plan ahead and keep projects aligned. As Waydev puts it, the role of an engineering manager itself is very fluid, and “just like technology, it evolves. You grow into it in your own way, by trial and error.”¹¹ And the first step toward this growth is enrolling in an engineering management program.

No matter where you study, including New Jersey, most engineering management programs start with the same question: how do you take what you already know as an engineer and use it to manage people, plans, and problems at a higher level? The answer usually begins with core classes in project control, budgeting, and systems coordination. These are all things you’ll actually use when you’re in charge of keeping a project on track.

At New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), for example, the engineering management curriculum includes courses in engineering project planning and cost estimating. From there, students can explore supply chain systems, quality control, or even tech entrepreneurship (AKA technology management), depending on where they want to take their careers.¹²

Stevens Institute of Technology (Stevens) offers similar core material revolving around project management, but mixes in systems modeling along with data and decision analysis. Electives cover areas like construction management or data visualization, and the whole program is online.¹³ Nonetheless, it remains grounded in what engineers actually deal with in the field.

No matter which school you choose, the idea is the same. These programs help you shift from contributing to a project to running the entire thing while staying connected to the technical side that brought you here in the first place.

If you’re working full time, an online engineering management degree can make it possible to keep your job and earn a credential that moves you forward. In New Jersey, several schools offer programs that are flexible enough to fit around your schedule without losing academic depth.

At NJIT, the program is delivered entirely online using Canvas.¹⁴ Once enrolled, you’ll access each course through the platform. There, you can view materials, join discussion threads, complete assignments, and keep track of deadlines. Some instructors schedule live Zoom sessions, but most of the learning happens when it works for you.

Stevens also offers its MEM program fully online. Students log in to WebCampus, the Stevens Online course delivery tech platform, but courses are hosted in Canvas and Zoom, just like at NJIT.¹⁵ The setup supports recorded lectures, instructor feedback, and occasional live meetings. You stay connected to the course, but on terms that work alongside your job.

Rowan University’s online option follows the same model. You log in to the Rowan Online Canvas LMS to watch lectures, post in forums, and submit your work.¹⁶ The program clearly outlines what you’ll need from a tech standpoint: strong internet, a webcam and mic, and, for some courses, access to specialized tools depending on the focus.¹⁷

Each of these schools gives you room to keep moving forward professionally while adding new skills. You don’t need to commute or shift your work hours, and the structure is built to support real progress, even when life is busy.

Here’s a more in-depth look at each of them:

If you’ve got a master’s in engineering management and you’re job hunting in New Jersey, there’s no single path your career will take, but most graduate students start at the intersection of tech skills and leadership.

Popular titles include Project Manager and Engineering Manager, but what you actually do from day to day depends on where you land. That might mean keeping a product on schedule, making sure a system upgrade doesn’t derail operations, or just juggling teams and timelines. Some jobs are more technical, others more strategic.

In early May 2025, for example, Lockheed Martin was looking to fill a hardware engineering manager role in Moorestown.²¹ The job meant leading a team of about 20 to 24 mechanical engineers, working across design, analysis, verification, and production support. Around the same time, PSEG was looking for a Project Manager with experience in the nuclear industry, who would be responsible for “managing, planning, specifications, bids, design, licensing, procurement of materials and services, and construction of major projects” in the field.²²

Certifications also carry weight. A PE license, PMP, or Six Sigma credential won’t guarantee a job, but they are a welcome plus, especially for graduate students targeting sectors where regulation or quality control are paramount, like energy or pharma. Some companies that ask for a PMP certification may also allow you to obtain it within the first year of employment, as is the case with the aforementioned Nuclear Project Manager job with PSEG in Hancock’s Bridge.