- 1.Director of Engineerings earn a median salary of $169,510 with 15% projected growth (BLS, 2025)
- 2.Directors focus on the 'how'—the execution of strategy—rather than the 'why' (strategy creation). They manage managers (second-line management), set quarterly goals, and oversee key operational areas like platform or data engineering. The journey from EM to Director to VP takes you from tactical to operational to strategic.
- 3.Senior engineering managers ready to expand their scope from individual teams to multiple teams or departments. Requires exceptional leadership, communication, and project management skills plus years of management experience and a commitment to developing others.
- 4.Daily work involves diverse technical and collaborative tasks
- 5.Top states: California ($114,750), New York ($97,750), Massachusetts ($95,200)
What Is a Director of Engineering?
Directors of Engineering are senior leaders who oversee and coordinate all engineering activities within an organization. They manage multiple engineering teams through managers, set technical strategy, and ensure engineering initiatives align with business objectives. This role serves as a crucial bridge between technical teams and business leadership, demanding both deep technical understanding and strong managerial capabilities.
What makes this role unique: Directors focus on the 'how'—the execution of strategy—rather than the 'why' (strategy creation). They manage managers (second-line management), set quarterly goals, and oversee key operational areas like platform or data engineering. The journey from EM to Director to VP takes you from tactical to operational to strategic.
Best suited for: Senior engineering managers ready to expand their scope from individual teams to multiple teams or departments. Requires exceptional leadership, communication, and project management skills plus years of management experience and a commitment to developing others.
With 524,800 professionals employed nationwide and 15% projected growth, this is a strong career choice. Explore Computer Science degree programs to get started.
Director of Engineering
SOC 11-3021A Day in the Life of a Director of Engineering
A typical day for a director of engineering involves diverse responsibilities across different phases of work.
How to Become a Director of Engineering: Step-by-Step Guide
Total Time: 4 yearsChoose Your Entry Path
Select the educational path that fits your situation and learning style.
- Senior Engineering Manager expanding scope
- Tech Lead/Staff Engineer moving to leadership
- Principal Engineer transitioning to management
- First engineering hire who grew with the company
Master Core Tools
Learn the essential tools and technologies for this role.
- Project Portfolio Management: Jira, Monday
- Communication Platforms: Slack, Teams, Zoom for stakeholder and executive communication
- Roadmapping Tools: ProductBoard, Aha! for technology roadmap planning
- Engineering Metrics: Waydev, LinearB, Jellyfish for organizational performance
Build Technical Skills
Develop proficiency in core concepts and patterns.
- Technical Expertise (Critical): Solid background in software engineering, systems architecture, able to navigate complex technical landscapes
- Strategic Planning (Critical): Creating long-term technology roadmaps that drive innovation and competitive advantage
- Cloud & Architecture (High): Understanding modern cloud platforms and system design at scale
- Process Optimization (High): Improving engineering workflows, agile methodologies, and team productivity
Build Your Portfolio
Create projects that demonstrate your skills to employers.
- Complete this step to progress in your career
Advance Your Career
Progress through career levels by building experience and expertise.
- Engineering Manager (5-8 years total) - Manage teams, build foundation
- Senior Engineering Manager (8-10 years) - Larger scope, start managing managers
- Director of Engineering (10-15 years) - Multiple teams, operational excellence
- Senior Director (15+ years) - Larger organization, strategic partnership
Director of Engineering Tools & Technologies
Essential Tools: Director of Engineerings rely heavily on these core technologies:
- Project Portfolio Management: Jira, Monday.com for managing multiple teams and initiatives
- Communication Platforms: Slack, Teams, Zoom for stakeholder and executive communication
- Roadmapping Tools: ProductBoard, Aha! for technology roadmap planning
- Engineering Metrics: Waydev, LinearB, Jellyfish for organizational performance
- Budget & Resource Management: Financial tools for headcount and budget planning
Also commonly used:
- Documentation: Confluence, Notion for strategy docs and knowledge management
- Presentation Tools: PowerPoint, Google Slides for executive presentations
- OKR Tools: Lattice, 15Five, Ally.io for objectives and key results
- Architecture Tools: Draw.io, Miro for high-level technical discussions
- HRIS Systems: Workday, BambooHR for organizational management
Emerging technologies to watch:
- AI-Powered Analytics: Tools for predicting team performance and resource needs
- Engineering Intelligence Platforms: Comprehensive platforms for engineering organization insights
- Automated Reporting: AI-driven dashboards for executive communication
- Remote Leadership Tools: Platforms for managing distributed organizations
Director of Engineering Skills: Technical & Soft
Successful director of engineerings combine technical competencies with interpersonal skills.
Technical Skills
Solid background in software engineering, systems architecture, able to navigate complex technical landscapes
Creating long-term technology roadmaps that drive innovation and competitive advantage
Understanding modern cloud platforms and system design at scale
Improving engineering workflows, agile methodologies, and team productivity
Managing multi-million dollar budgets and significant headcount
Evaluating technologies, vendors, and M&A technical assessments
Soft Skills
Guiding and motivating multiple teams towards common goals, managing managers
Articulating technical concepts to executives and business concerns to engineers
Negotiating with vendors, managing customer expectations, cross-functional alignment
Connecting technical decisions to business outcomes, long-term planning
Director of Engineering Certifications
Certifications can increase your earning potential and demonstrate expertise to employers.
Building Your Portfolio
Must-have portfolio projects:
- See detailed requirements in the sections above
Director of Engineering Interview Preparation
Common technical questions:
- See detailed requirements in the sections above
Behavioral questions to prepare for:
- See detailed requirements in the sections above
Director of Engineering Career Challenges & Realities
Like any career, director of engineerings face unique challenges in their daily work.
Director of Engineering vs Similar Roles
Director of Engineering vs Engineering Manager:
Director of Engineering vs V P Engineering:
Director of Engineering vs C T O:
Salary Negotiation Tips
Research market rates and be prepared to demonstrate your value during salary negotiations.
Director of Engineering Salary by State
Director of Engineering Job Outlook & Industry Trends
4% growth projected through 2032 with steady demand across industries. Companies increasingly recognize need for strong engineering leadership. VPE roles expected to grow 6% 2023-2033, faster than average.
Hot industries hiring director of engineerings: Big Tech - Google, Meta, Amazon with large engineering organizations, Fintech - High complexity, regulatory requirements, premium pay, AI/ML Companies - Rapidly scaling organizations need strong leadership, Healthcare Tech - Growing technical complexity, compliance needs, Enterprise SaaS - Scaling engineering orgs at growth-stage companies
Emerging trends: AI Integration - Leading organizations adopting AI tools and practices, Remote-First Organizations - Managing distributed engineering teams at scale, Platform Engineering - Building internal developer platforms, Engineering Productivity - Data-driven approach to organizational performance
Best Computer Science Programs
Explore top-ranked programs to launch your director of engineering career.
Director of Engineering FAQs
Data Sources
Official employment and wage data for director of engineerings
Research and industry insights
Research and industry insights
Research and industry insights
Research and industry insights
Research and industry insights
Related Resources
Taylor Rupe
Co-founder & Editor (B.S. Computer Science, Oregon State • B.A. Psychology, University of Washington)
Taylor combines technical expertise in computer science with a deep understanding of human behavior and learning. His dual background drives Hakia's mission: leveraging technology to build authoritative educational resources that help people make better decisions about their academic and career paths.