The executive who runs a company's engineering department, responsible for people, delivery, budget and engineering culture. Built In; Glassdoor via KORE1 VP of Engineering Salary Guide 2026 puts typical pay at $278,877 a year (2026). BLS does not publish separate figures for computer and information systems managers; it counts them within it manager (SOC 11-3021), whose median pay is $175,140 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 11-3021
- Management
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Vice President of Engineering in four numbers
- Median pay
- $175,140a year, or $84.20/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $108KTop 10% $298K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +15.8%Much faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+15.8%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +15.8% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 53,500685,800 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025685.8K
- Projected 2035793.9K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 685.8K Projected 2035 793.9K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Certificate5.8%
- Some college26%
- Associate's2.2%
- Bachelor's47.7%
- Post-bacc certificate2.8%
- Master's14.4%
Highest education held by computer and information systems managers Segment Value Certificate 5.8% Some college 26% Associate's 2.2% Bachelor's 47.7% Post-bacc certificate 2.8% Master's 14.4%
Also advertised as: VP of Engineering, VP Engineering, SVP of Engineering, Vice President, Software Engineering.
Pay
How much do Computer and Information Systems Managers make?
Industry-reported pay
$278,877
Average base salary plus cash bonus (equity excluded), US vice presidents of engineering, self-reported to Built In; high is the Glassdoor 90th percentile of total pay as compiled by KORE1.
- Top earners
- $561,889
Source: Built In; Glassdoor via KORE1 VP of Engineering Salary Guide 2026, 2026 (estimate from several industry sources). This is not a BLS figure: BLS counts computer and information systems managers within it manager, whose pay is shown below. Built In: Vice President of Engineering Salary in US · KORE1: VP of Engineering Salary Guide
Every vice president of engineering in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$175,140
Middle half earn $138,060 to $220,730
- 10th
- $107,550
- 25th
- $138,060
- 75th
- $220,730
- 90th
- $297,510
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $107,550 |
| 25th | $138,060 |
| Median | $175,140 |
| 75th | $220,730 |
| 90th | $297,510 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $175,140
- Median hourly wage
- $84.20/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $192,160
- People employed
- 670,570
Versus all US occupations
At $175,140, Computer and Information Systems Managers earn 244% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $124,160 a year.
Versus management occupations
Inside the Management group, where the middle occupation pays $126,060, this is 39% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $297,510 or more while the bottom 10% earn $107,550, a gap of 2.8×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 96% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
California posts the highest raw median ($218,290), but once local prices are taken into account Massachusetts leads at $203,258 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Computer and Information Systems Managers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1California | $218,290 | $197,155 | 94,720 |
| 2Massachusetts | $214,960 | $203,258 | 24,910 |
| 3New York | $214,300 | $198,571 | 48,050 |
| 4Washington | $209,370 | $195,649 | 16,960 |
| 5New Jersey | $203,460 | $186,995 | 34,470 |
| 6Virginia | $201,490 | $199,290 | 17,550 |
| 7Colorado | $199,420 | $193,514 | 11,510 |
| 8District of Columbia | $195,190 | $177,605 | 5,690 |
| 9New Hampshire | $176,540 | $169,481 | 3,810 |
| 10Minnesota | $176,380 | $178,846 | 10,970 |
Job outlook
Is Vice President of Engineering a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Much faster than average. +15.8% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | +15.8% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Computer and Information Systems Managers to change 15.8% over 2025–2035, roughly 4.5× the 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 108,100 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 53,500 openings are projected each year, 7.8% of the 685,800 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Vice President of Engineering
The typical path runs from software engineer to engineering manager to director, usually over many years, often starting with a bachelor's degree in computer science or engineering. Vice presidents are chosen for proven ability to scale teams, deliver large programs and lead other leaders, rather than for any credential.
Many reach the role by joining a startup early and growing with it, or by being hired from a larger company to bring structure to a fast-growing one. Executive search firms recruit for many of these openings. Leadership programs, executive coaching and peer networks of engineering leaders are common supports, though none is required.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
5 years or more
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as computer and information systems managers.
- Bachelor's Degree47.7%
- Some College Courses26%
- Master's Degree14.4%
- Post-Secondary Certificate5.8%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate2.8%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 47.7% |
| Some College Courses | 26% |
| Master's Degree | 14.4% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 5.8% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 2.8% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Vice President of Engineering do?
Vice presidents of engineering lead the entire engineering function at a startup or a large division at a bigger company. They are accountable for whether the department delivers what the business needs, at the quality and cost it can afford. Day to day, that means building the leadership team of directors and managers, setting engineering goals, owning the budget, and reporting to the chief executive or chief technology officer.
In many companies the work divides between a chief technology officer, who focuses on technology choices, and a vice president of engineering, who focuses on execution and people. The VP designs the organization, sets hiring plans, defines processes for planning and incident management, and represents engineering in executive and board discussions. At startups the role often includes recruiting heavily while still reviewing key designs.
Day-to-day tasks
- Build and lead a team of engineering directors and managers
- Set engineering goals, budgets and hiring plans
- Report engineering progress and risks to executives and the board
- Design the engineering organization and its processes
- Partner with product and business leaders on company strategy
- Recruit senior engineers and leaders
- Shape engineering culture, career ladders and performance standards
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Vice presidents of engineering work at software startups, scale-ups and large technology and enterprise companies. The job is office or hybrid, with long days of meetings, planning, recruiting and executive reviews. Travel for board meetings, offsites and recruiting is common, and the role carries significant responsibility when systems fail or plans slip.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Critical Thinking4.1
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Active Listening4.0
- Speaking3.9
- Monitoring3.9
- Writing3.8
- Active Learning3.4
- Learning Strategies3.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Critical Thinking | 4.1 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 3.9 |
| Monitoring | 3.9 |
| Writing | 3.8 |
| Active Learning | 3.4 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.9
- Coordination3.8
- Complex Problem Solving3.8
- Social Perceptiveness3.6
- Systems Analysis3.6
- Systems Evaluation3.6
- Management of Personnel Resources3.6
- Time Management3.4
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.9 |
| Coordination | 3.8 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.8 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.6 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.6 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.6 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | 3.6 |
| Time Management | 3.4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Application server software · in demand
- Business intelligence and data analysis software · in demand
- Cloud-based management software · in demand
- Configuration management software · in demand
- Content workflow software · in demand
- Data base management system software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Data mining software · in demand
- Development environment software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Vice President of Engineering?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code ECI) built on O*NET's IT Manager profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Vice President of Engineering |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 3 |
| Investigative | 5 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 5 |
| Conventional | 6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around organising, following procedures and working precisely with data, combined with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions.
- Conventional5.9
- Enterprising5.4
- Investigative4.6
- Realistic2.7
- Social2.4
- Artistic1.5
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Vice President of Engineering
O*NET related occupations
- Management
- Computer and Mathematical
- Business and Financial Operations
- Computer and Mathematical
- Computer and Mathematical
- Business and Financial Operations
More management careers
Median annual pay, with computer and information systems managers highlighted
- IT Manager$175,140
- Vice President of Engineering$175,140
- Marketing Manager$166,790
- Financial Manager$166,570
- Human Resources Manager$149,280
- Sales Manager$148,270
- Construction Manager$114,990
- Supply Chain Manager$107,230
- Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager$69,990
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| IT Manager | $175,140 |
| Vice President of Engineering | $175,140 |
| Marketing Manager | $166,790 |
| Financial Manager | $166,570 |
| Human Resources Manager | $149,280 |
| Sales Manager | $148,270 |
| Construction Manager | $114,990 |
| Supply Chain Manager | $107,230 |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager | $69,990 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Vice President of Engineering appears on
Questions
Vice President of Engineering: frequently asked questions
How much do Computer and Information Systems Managers make?
Built In; Glassdoor via KORE1 VP of Engineering Salary Guide 2026 reports $278,877 (average base salary plus cash bonus (equity excluded), US vice presidents of engineering, self-reported to Built In; high is the Glassdoor 90th percentile of total pay as compiled by KORE1, 2026), with top earners around $561,889. BLS does not publish a separate wage for computer and information systems managers. It counts them within it manager, whose median pay is $175,140 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $138,060 and $220,730, and the top 10% earn $297,510 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Vice President of Engineering?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Computer and Information Systems Managers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. Employers typically expect 5 years or more of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 47.7% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Vice President of Engineering a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 15.8% over 2025–2035, more than double the 3.5% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 53,500 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Vice President of Engineering do?
Vice presidents of engineering lead the entire engineering function at a startup or a large division at a bigger company. A typical task: build and lead a team of engineering directors and managers. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Application server software, Business intelligence and data analysis software.
Which states pay Computer and Information Systems Managers the most?
The highest state medians for Computer and Information Systems Managers are California ($218,290), Massachusetts ($214,960), New York ($214,300) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Massachusetts moves to the top at $203,258.
What personality type suits a Vice President of Engineering?
O*NET scores Computer and Information Systems Managers highest on the Conventional, Enterprising and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes organising, following procedures and working precisely with data with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ESTJ, ISTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.