Career Trends: Architectural and Engineering Managers

Architectural and engineering managers plan, direct, and coordinate activities in architectural and engineering companies.

Most architectural and engineering managers work in offices, although some may also work in laboratories and industrial production plants or at construction sites. Most work full time, and about half worked more than 40 hours a week in 2014.

Architectural and engineering managers typically need at least a bachelor’s degree and considerable work experience as an architect or engineer.

Employment of architectural and engineering managers is projected to grow 2 percent from 2014 to 2024, slower than the average for all occupations. Employment growth will largely reflect the growth of the industries in which these managers are employed. Very strong competition for jobs can be expected.

This occupation supported 193,800 jobs in 2012 and 182,100 jobs in 2014, reflecting a decline of 6.0%. In 2012, this occupation was projected to increase by 6.8% in 2022 to 206,900 jobs. As of 2014, to keep pace with prediction, the expected number of jobs was 196,400, compared with an observed value of 182,100, 7.3% lower than expected. This indicates current employment trends are much worse than the 2012 trend within this occupation. In 2014, this occupation was projected to increase by 1.9% in 2024 to 185,800 jobs. Linear extrapolation of the 2012 projection for 2022 results in an expected number of 209,500 jobs for 2024, 12.8% higher than the 2014 projection for 2024. This indicates expectations for future employment trends are much worse than the 2012 trend within this occupation.