Salary guide, May 2025
VP of Engineering pay, United States
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
This is what we do all day: recruit manufacturing professionals.
The median annual wage for Architectural and Engineering Managers in the United States was $171,270 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $139,360 and $212,500.
Also searched as: Director of Engineering, Chief Engineer, CTO. These titles share this page because BLS reports them under one occupation.
Broader occupation · SOC 11-9041 Architectural and Engineering Managers
BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title.
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $120,810 | $139,360 | $171,270 | $212,500 | $262,760 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $58.08 | $67.00 | $82.34 | $102.16 | $126.33 |
BLS estimated 220,260 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 11-9041 Architectural and Engineering Managers, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
How does pay compare in the target metros?
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $167,160 | $132,350 to $203,900 | 1,610 | 0.4 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $169,310 | $137,270 to $205,740 | 1,480 | 0.72 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $177,990 | $158,600 to $213,580 | 1,780 | 0.89 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $169,780 | $139,040 to $208,590 | 1,850 | 1.76 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $183,890 | $157,290 to $222,800 | 7,580 | 0.56 |
| Northern New Jersey within New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $183,890 | $157,290 to $222,800 | 7,580 | 0.56 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $172,160 | $141,460 to $219,080 | 5,970 | 1.04 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $163,430 | $133,100 to $200,400 | 6,670 | 1.04 |
Rank every metro for VP of Engineering
What should you know about pay by manufacturing industry, United States?
Same BLS occupation, national estimates for each manufacturing industry (NAICS) BLS publishes, May 2025. Industry names are BLS labels. Nested NAICS rows overlap; they are not independent samples and must not be added together. Identical source rows repeated at different publication levels appear once.
- Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing (NAICS 334000)$179,720
- Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing (NAICS 324000)$178,170
- Transportation Equipment Manufacturing (NAICS 336000)$176,340
- Miscellaneous Manufacturing (NAICS 339000)$169,200
- Chemical Manufacturing (NAICS 325000)$168,900
- Paper Manufacturing (NAICS 322000)$167,160
- Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing (NAICS 312000)$163,680
- Food Manufacturing (NAICS 311000)$162,240
- Machinery Manufacturing (NAICS 333000)$162,200
- Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing (NAICS 335000)$160,140
- Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing (NAICS 327000)$154,710
- Primary Metal Manufacturing (NAICS 331000)$145,920
- Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing (NAICS 326000)$145,770
- Printing and Related Support Activities (NAICS 323000)$143,560
- Textile Mills (NAICS 313000)$140,590
Bars compare up to 15 non-overlapping 3-digit manufacturing subsectors with exact annual medians. More detailed scopes remain in the table, identified by code and publication level.
| NAICS / scope | Industry | Employment | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31-33 · sector | Manufacturing | 77,280 | $137,220 | $169,690 | $210,340 |
| 334000 · 3-digit | Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | 19,820 | $158,830 | $179,720 | $219,310 |
| 336000 · 3-digit | Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 18,950 | $149,140 | $176,340 | $215,580 |
| 333000 · 3-digit | Machinery Manufacturing | 11,930 | $130,970 | $162,200 | $196,430 |
| 336400 · 4-digit | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 11,760 | $169,310 | $192,800 | $220,610 |
| 334500 · 4-digit | Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | 9,080 | $158,840 | $177,090 | $216,340 |
| 3330A1 · 4-digit | Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 8,580 | $130,920 | $160,430 | $192,970 |
| 334400 · 4-digit | Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | 7,670 | $161,720 | $183,950 | $225,030 |
| 325000 · 3-digit | Chemical Manufacturing | 5,310 | $137,290 | $168,900 | $199,930 |
| 332000 · 3-digit | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 5,270 | $122,050 | $140,510 | $169,040 |
| 339000 · 3-digit | Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 4,190 | $137,590 | $169,200 | $206,810 |
| 335000 · 3-digit | Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | 4,150 | $132,920 | $160,140 | $192,140 |
| 336300 · 4-digit | Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 4,120 | $129,410 | $157,330 | $174,550 |
| 339100 · 4-digit | Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | 3,240 | $144,010 | $171,190 | $210,000 |
| 3320A1 · 4-digit | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | 2,810 | $124,820 | $147,400 | $169,630 |
| 325400 · 4-digit | Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | 2,670 | $137,780 | $169,340 | $202,830 |
| 326000 · 3-digit | Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | 2,350 | $127,350 | $145,770 | $171,520 |
| 3250A1 · 4-digit | Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | 2,180 | $138,760 | $166,850 | $196,740 |
| 326100 · 4-digit | Plastics Product Manufacturing | 1,870 | $127,920 | $147,700 | $173,290 |
| 335900 · 4-digit | Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 1,790 | $137,730 | $165,520 | $210,850 |
| 335300 · 4-digit | Electrical Equipment Manufacturing | 1,760 | $130,100 | $157,280 | $180,560 |
| 334200 · 4-digit | Communications Equipment Manufacturing | 1,690 | $159,680 | $178,010 | $219,080 |
| 336100 · 4-digit | Motor Vehicle Manufacturing | 1,470 | $142,060 | $170,820 | $209,450 |
| 3320A2 · 4-digit | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | 1,430 | $117,930 | $136,900 | $167,490 |
| 331000 · 3-digit | Primary Metal Manufacturing | 1,290 | $128,190 | $145,920 | $177,000 |
| 333600 · 4-digit | Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing | 1,200 | $164,040 | $179,100 | $215,860 |
| 333300 · 4-digit | Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | 1,190 | $131,880 | $168,240 | $203,010 |
| 334100 · 4-digit | Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | 1,140 | $137,090 | $179,270 | $224,400 |
| 333500 · 4-digit | Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing | 970 | $124,270 | $134,350 | $165,050 |
| 339900 · 4-digit | Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 940 | $126,670 | $153,170 | $186,260 |
| 332700 · 4-digit | Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 910 | $116,610 | $137,490 | $165,720 |
| 311000 · 3-digit | Food Manufacturing | 900 | $140,840 | $162,240 | $195,440 |
| 324000 · 3-digit | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 750 | $161,880 | $178,170 | $222,270 |
| 324100 · 4-digit | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 750 | $161,880 | $178,170 | $222,270 |
| 322000 · 3-digit | Paper Manufacturing | 660 | $137,450 | $167,160 | $188,490 |
| 336600 · 4-digit | Ship and Boat Building | 610 | $133,420 | $168,410 | $208,000 |
| 332710 · 5-digit | Machine Shops | 570 | $112,120 | $135,840 | $165,410 |
| 337000 · 3-digit | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing | 550 | $107,720 | $133,440 | $160,790 |
| 327000 · 3-digit | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 540 | $129,060 | $154,710 | $184,360 |
| 3370A1 · 4-digit | Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) | 510 | $106,410 | $131,150 | $158,650 |
| 326200 · 4-digit | Rubber Product Manufacturing | 480 | $126,070 | $141,240 | $168,240 |
| 3250A2 · 4-digit | Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) | 460 | $133,900 | $155,390 | $176,300 |
| 336200 · 4-digit | Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing | 460 | $118,280 | $137,580 | $166,450 |
| 322200 · 4-digit | Converted Paper Product Manufacturing | 360 | $135,630 | $163,540 | $186,960 |
| 331500 · 4-digit | Foundries | 360 | $125,410 | $134,640 | $161,410 |
| 332720 · 5-digit | Turned Product and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 340 | $123,470 | $139,830 | $166,660 |
| 331100 · 4-digit | Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing | 310 | $129,920 | $155,070 | $197,180 |
| 335100 · 4-digit | Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing | 310 | $128,100 | $151,980 | $184,410 |
| 322100 · 4-digit | Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills | 300 | $141,720 | $169,750 | $193,370 |
| 335200 · 4-digit | Household Appliance Manufacturing | 290 | $130,900 | $160,810 | $167,440 |
| 331400 · 4-digit | Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing | 270 | $139,150 | $162,560 | $183,950 |
| 336500 · 4-digit | Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing | 260 | $154,180 | $167,850 | $199,610 |
| 336900 · 4-digit | Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 260 | $124,460 | $143,830 | $170,290 |
| 311900 · 4-digit | Other Food Manufacturing | 200 | $147,420 | $166,120 | $193,680 |
| 331300 · 4-digit | Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing | 190 | $120,290 | $140,260 | $168,600 |
| 334300 · 4-digit | Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing | 180 | $152,310 | $172,680 | $210,320 |
| 311500 · 4-digit | Dairy Product Manufacturing | 170 | $139,100 | $156,650 | $187,200 |
| 321000 · 3-digit | Wood Product Manufacturing | 170 | $108,760 | $135,450 | $160,810 |
| 312000 · 3-digit | Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing | 160 | $147,830 | $163,680 | $179,880 |
| 331200 · 4-digit | Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel | 150 | $128,080 | $144,020 | $195,010 |
| 312100 · 4-digit | Beverage Manufacturing | 140 | $145,610 | $163,250 | $176,890 |
| 311400 · 4-digit | Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing | 130 | $139,700 | $165,720 | $177,000 |
| 321900 · 4-digit | Other Wood Product Manufacturing | 130 | $111,790 | $137,330 | $160,440 |
| 332800 · 4-digit | Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities | 130 | $123,280 | $133,960 | $169,990 |
| 311800 · 4-digit | Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing | 110 | $132,620 | $156,340 | $202,510 |
| 313000 · 3-digit | Textile Mills | 100 | $121,700 | $140,590 | $165,250 |
| 311300 · 4-digit | Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing | 90 | $149,330 | $167,020 | $208,470 |
| 311600 · 4-digit | Animal Slaughtering and Processing | 90 | $155,460 | $178,790 | $211,910 |
| 323000 · 3-digit | Printing and Related Support Activities | 90 | $131,110 | $143,560 | $165,320 |
| 323100 · 4-digit | Printing and Related Support Activities | 90 | $131,110 | $143,560 | $165,320 |
| 311200 · 4-digit | Grain and Oilseed Milling | 80 | $132,120 | $160,800 | $209,530 |
| 314000 · 3-digit | Textile Product Mills | 80 | $108,130 | $125,000 | $161,220 |
| 313200 · 4-digit | Fabric Mills | 60 | $124,350 | $142,990 | $168,260 |
| 314900 · 4-digit | Other Textile Product Mills | 60 | $104,010 | $119,660 | $162,260 |
| 339910 · 5-digit | Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing | 50 | $143,870 | $167,760 | $192,510 |
| 311100 · 4-digit | Animal Food Manufacturing | 40 | $122,640 | $149,750 | $169,220 |
| 337900 · 4-digit | Other Furniture Related Product Manufacturing | 40 | $137,270 | $165,820 | $178,300 |
What should you know about manufacturing pay mix?
For VP of Engineering, separate the guaranteed salary from any discretionary bonus or commission arrangement. OEWS measures straight-time gross wages, not pure base salary or total compensation. It includes base rate, guaranteed pay, commissions and production bonuses. It excludes overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits.
An attendance bonus is not a production bonus; confirm its purpose and treatment rather than adding every bonus to the BLS figure. Skills-based pay steps affect the base rate when they are part of straight-time pay; BLS does not publish a separate rate for each plant's skill grade. Ask whether a tool allowance is expense reimbursement or wage pay. OEWS does not publish a separate tool-allowance component. Keep these items separate in the offer so the published wage is not mistaken for the whole package.
Pay mix here means how published medians for this one BLS occupation differ across manufacturing industries and against the all-industry median. It does not split pay into base, incentive or overtime. BLS wages are straight-time gross pay and exclude overtime, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses.
What should you know about two BLS releases?
| Release period | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | $134,930 | $167,740 | $207,210 |
| May 2025 | $139,360 | $171,270 | $212,500 |
These are two separate BLS estimates from different survey panels. The workers and employers behind them differ, so the gap is not like-for-like pay for the same workers and is not a growth rate. We show no percentage change.
Recruiter's read. Qualitative, not BLS data.
What should you know about product versus engineer-to-order work?
Leading engineering for a catalog product line is a different task from leading it for custom, order driven systems. We confirm which the candidate has run, how they managed quoting risk, repeatability and engineering hours against customer commitments, and where they drew the line.
What should you know about questions?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
What is the median pay for a VP of Engineering?
The median annual wage for Architectural and Engineering Managers in the United States was $171,270 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $139,360 and $212,500. This is the broader occupation BLS publishes, not a figure for this exact title.
What does the 10th percentile mean here?
10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than $120,810. 90% earned less than $262,760.
Does this include overtime or bonuses?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
Is this the pay for a VP of Engineering at a plant?
BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title. These are occupation estimates across all industries, not an offer for a particular manufacturing title.
How many people work in this occupation?
BLS estimated 220,260 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
What should you know about related?
What does this data mean for your opening?
The middle-band width for this occupation is $73,140, calculated from the P75 value of $212,500 and the P25 value of $139,360. This range reflects the breadth of leadership roles from smaller team managers to high-level executives. The P10 level starts at $120,810, while the P90 reaches $262,760.
VPs of Engineering are mapped to the broader BLS classification for Architectural and Engineering Managers, SOC 11-9041. As the BLS provides aggregate data for all engineering managers, it does not publish a distinct salary for this executive title. Manufacturing Headhunters notes that actual duties such as overseeing product roadmaps, managing lab resources, and ensuring standards like CE or UL compliance are aggregated into this broader group. For VP of Engineering in the United States, releases are separate survey estimates. The May 2025 median is $171,270; the May 2024 median is $167,740. Their arithmetic difference is $3,530. They are not the same workers' raises and do not establish a pay trend or its cause. For VP of Engineering in the United States, OEWS measures straight-time gross wages, not pure base salary or total compensation. Commissions and production bonuses are included; overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits are excluded.
The middle-band width for this occupation is $73,140, calculated from the P75 value of $212,500 and the P25 value of $139,360. This range reflects the breadth of leadership roles from smaller team managers to high-level executives. The P10 level starts at $120,810, while the P90 reaches $262,760. This variance indicates the high premium placed on executive leadership in engineering sectors. For VP of Engineering in the United States, OEWS measures straight-time gross wages, not pure base salary or total compensation. Commissions and production bonuses are included; overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits are excluded.
Geographic salary data shows significant variance across hubs. The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro reports a median of $190,900, a $9,500 change from the prior period. The Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro reports a median of $168,550, a $660 change. Detroit holds a location quotient of 3.43, indicating a very high concentration of this occupational group compared to Los Angeles at 1.08. These quotients measure employment density, not candidate availability or local pay. Both hubs demonstrate how regional markets can diverge from the national median of $171,270 based on local sector demand and industry concentration.
Sectoral national data provides context for manufacturing, though these represent broad industry-wide averages. Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing reports a median of $192,800, Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing sits at $183,950, and Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing is at $179,720. These high-tier benchmarks highlight that specialized manufacturing sectors offer competitive pay for high-level management. Since these benchmarks are broader than the management role, they serve as industry indicators rather than precise salary guides. Organizations should balance these broader benchmarks with their own internal salary ranges to maintain competitive positioning for executive talent.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
What is the significance of the $73,140 middle-band width?
This band width measures the difference between the P25 and P75 percentiles. It captures the variance in compensation across the entire engineering management hierarchy, from team leads to executive leadership.
How do Los Angeles and Detroit medians compare to the national median?
The Los Angeles median of $190,900 exceeds the $171,270 national median, while Detroit’s $168,550 is slightly lower. This underscores how local manufacturing environments impact executive compensation levels.
Why does the BLS not report specific data for VPs of Engineering?
The BLS tracks by broad SOC codes to capture the entire labor force. VPs of Engineering are aggregated within the Architectural and Engineering Managers category to ensure statistical consistency.
Related recruiting or pay page · Related wage comparison 1 · Data methodology · Related wage comparison 3 · Related wage comparison 4