Year over year, more engineers are stepping into bigger roles. Some are moving toward research or teaching positions, others are already leading teams and are looking to grow into positions that shape policy or guide major technical decisions.
The American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) report notes that in 2019, U.S. universities awarded just 12 PhDs in engineering management. In 2020, the number rose to 47. Since then, totals have stayed above 80 each year.1 This is not a random jump. It shows growing interest among professionals and growing support from universities that see lasting value in this kind of training.
Part of that shift comes from better access. Earning a doctorate once meant quitting your job or moving across the country; that’s no longer the case. With online PhD programs, students can progress through coursework on their own time. That opens the door to people who are working full-time, raising a family, or just trying to keep their lives in balance while earning a degree.
Even with that flexibility, these programs carry the same weight. Students still conduct original research and write a dissertation. The standards are the same, and the work is demanding. The format just makes it more manageable. A well-built online PhD in Engineering Management still expects deep technical skill and the ability to plan, lead, and deliver at a high level.