Career comparison
Project manager vs. Software engineer
Software engineers earn more: a median of $135,980, $33,660 (33%) above project managers at $102,320.
Software engineers have the stronger outlook: +10% projected growth through 2035, vs. +7%.
Getting in is slower for project managers: about 1.8 years vs. 16 months for someone with a bachelor's in another field.
At a glance
| Project manager | Software engineer | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $102,320 | $135,980 |
| Top 10% earn over | $167,970 | $214,670 |
| Growth to 2035 | +7% | +10% |
| Openings per year | 76,500 | 95,300 |
| Jobs today | 1,094,300 | 1,717,800 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | Bachelor's degree |
| Time to qualify* | 1.8 years | 16 months |
| Training cost* | $500–$2.5K | $0–$21K |
* Starting from a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025. Outlook: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35.
Pay
Project manager
Software engineer
Switching from one to the other
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Getting in
Project manager
- Entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- On-the-job training
- None
- Prior experience
- None
Required: No license; PMP (needs 36 months leading projects) helps
Software engineer
- Entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- On-the-job training
- None
- Prior experience
- None
Required: No license; technical interviews are the gate
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Project manager: 33% usually work over 40 hours a weekSoftware engineer: 8% usually work over 40 hours a week
Project manager: core tasks
- Communicate with key stakeholders to determine project requirements and objectives.
- Identify project needs such as resources, staff, or finances by reviewing project objectives and schedules.
- Submit project deliverables to clients, ensuring adherence to quality standards.
- Confer with project personnel to identify and resolve problems.
- Plan, schedule, or coordinate project activities to meet deadlines.
Software engineer: core tasks
- Analyze user needs and software requirements to determine feasibility of design within time and cost constraints.
- Develop or direct software system testing or validation procedures, programming, or documentation.
- Confer with systems analysts, engineers, programmers and others to design systems and to obtain information on project limitations and capabilities, performance requirements and interfaces.
- Modify existing software to correct errors, adapt it to new hardware, or upgrade interfaces and improve performance.
- Prepare reports or correspondence concerning project specifications, activities, or status.
Skills: what carries over
Both rely on: Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Reading Comprehension, Active Learning.
New for a project manager moving to software engineer: Programming, Systems Analysis, Complex Problem Solving, Technology Design, Systems Evaluation.
New for a software engineer moving to project manager: Writing, Monitoring, Speaking, Coordination, Time Management.
Interests (Holland codes): Project manager: Enterprising, Conventional, Social. Software engineer: Investigative, Conventional, Realistic.
Outlook to 2035, and AI
Project manager
+7%
faster than average · 76,500 openings a year
BLS lists no specific factors, including AI, changing demand for this job.
Software engineer
+10%
faster than average · 95,300 openings a year
BLS lists no specific factors, including AI, changing demand for this job.
Quoted notes: BLS Employment Projections, factors affecting occupational utilization (Table 1.12). Average growth across all jobs: +3.5%.
Questions people ask
Who makes more, a project manager or a software engineer?
Software engineers earn more: a median of $135,980, $33,660 (33%) above project managers at $102,320.
Which has the better job outlook?
Software engineers have the stronger outlook: +10% projected growth through 2035, vs. +7%.
How long does it take to become a software engineer?
For someone with a bachelor's degree in another field, about 16 months, with tuition of roughly $0 to $20,500. Required: No license; technical interviews are the gate.
How long does it take to become a project manager?
For someone with a bachelor's degree in another field, about 1.8 years, with tuition of roughly $500 to $2,500. Required: No license; PMP (needs 36 months leading projects) helps.
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