Architectural and Engineering Managers Salary
The median pay for a architectural and engineering managers in El Centro, CA is $172,460/year ($82.91/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $127K at the entry level to $228K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.17), that's roughly $181,213 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,362/month, or 13.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $172K get you in El Centro?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by El Centro’s Regional Price Parity (95.17). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About architectural and engineering managers
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What this looks like in El Centro
Architectural and engineering managers pay in El Centro tracks closely to the national median, $172K locally vs. $171K nationwide, a 1% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,362/month, 14% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 95.17) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for architectural and engineering managers in metros near El Centro, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $191K | $168K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $235K | $212K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $222K | $192K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $203K | $181K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, El Centro, CA
Entry-level architectural and engineering managers (10th percentile) start around $127K. Mid-career wages sit at $172K. Top earners bring in $228K or more, a $101K spread from bottom to top.
Architectural and Engineering Managers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Architectural and Engineering Managers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | $215K | +26% | 2,270 |
| California | $210K | +23% | 29,630 |
| Massachusetts | $201K | +18% | 7,690 |
| Washington | $190K | +11% | 6,060 |
| District of Columbia | $185K | +8% | 1,290 |
| Colorado | $184K | +7% | 4,900 |
| Delaware | $181K | +6% | 560 |
| New Jersey | $181K | +5% | 4,540 |
| Oregon | $177K | +3% | N/A |
| Virginia | $176K | +3% | 4,390 |
| Rhode Island | $176K | +3% | 370 |
| New York | $176K | +3% | 8,250 |
| Connecticut | $175K | +2% | 4,970 |
| Maryland | $173K | +1% | 5,240 |
| New Hampshire | $172K | +1% | 2,160 |
| Minnesota | $172K | +1% | 4,580 |
| Texas | $171K | +0% | 19,030 |
| Florida | $171K | -0% | 8,710 |
| South Carolina | $169K | -1% | 3,200 |
| North Carolina | $168K | -2% | 6,960 |
| Arizona | $167K | -2% | 4,680 |
| Michigan | $167K | -3% | 14,820 |
| Ohio | $167K | -3% | 9,690 |
| Pennsylvania | $165K | -4% | 9,640 |
| South Dakota | $164K | -4% | 310 |
| Alaska | $164K | -4% | 900 |
| Illinois | $164K | -4% | 8,900 |
| Wyoming | $164K | -5% | N/A |
| Idaho | $163K | -5% | 850 |
| Louisiana | $163K | -5% | 1,840 |
| Alabama | $162K | -5% | 3,790 |
| Nevada | $162K | -6% | 780 |
| Georgia | $161K | -6% | 3,590 |
| Tennessee | $161K | -6% | 3,600 |
| Utah | $161K | -6% | 2,290 |
| Kansas | $160K | -6% | 2,010 |
| Missouri | $158K | -8% | 2,250 |
| Vermont | $158K | -8% | 350 |
| Oklahoma | $157K | -8% | 2,070 |
| Indiana | $156K | -9% | 4,610 |
| Hawaii | $152K | -11% | 1,220 |
| West Virginia | $149K | -13% | 420 |
| Kentucky | $148K | -14% | 1,800 |
| North Dakota | $147K | -14% | 270 |
| Iowa | $147K | -14% | 1,520 |
| Montana | $146K | -15% | 560 |
| Maine | $146K | -15% | 820 |
| Mississippi | $143K | -17% | 860 |
| Wisconsin | $142K | -17% | 4,550 |
| Nebraska | $141K | -18% | 1,510 |
| Arkansas | $141K | -18% | 1,220 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track architectural and engineering managers salary changes
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Related careers in Management
Frequently asked questions
Can a architectural and engineering manager afford a 2BR apartment alone in El Centro?
Yes — at the median salary of $172K, rent takes 14% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,362/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for architectural and engineering managers in El Centro?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new architectural and engineering managers typically earn — is $127K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $7,636/month. At HUD’s $1,362/month FMR, rent would take 18% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is architectural and engineering manager a high-paying job in El Centro?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $172K locally vs. $171K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does El Centro compare to the national average for architectural and engineering managers?
El Centro pays $172K median vs. the U.S. average of $171K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $181K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do architectural and engineering managers make in El Centro, CA?
The median is $172,460 a year, that works out to about $83 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $127,260, and experienced architectural and engineering managers can clear $228,260. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $172K enough to live in El Centro?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,704/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,362/month, which eats 14% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a architectural and engineering managers salary go in El Centro?
El Centro has a Regional Price Parity of 95.17 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median architectural and engineering managers salary is worth about $181,213 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do architectural and engineering managers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.