A capacitive pressure sensor includes a stator which encircles a portion of a cylindrical diaphragm. This encircling forms a circumferential gap between the sidewalls of the stator and the diaphragm. Therefore, a greater area “A” can be achieved in smaller diameter sensor footprint than prior art designs and yet still detect relatively small changes in capacitance. Additionally, the width “g1” of the gap can be wider than prior art designs without negatively affecting capacitance detection. A bonding agent which has a melting temperature of about half that of bonding agents used in prior art designs, secures the stator to the diaphragm and reduces oxidation issues during assembly, thereby decreasing manufacturing time and cost. To ensure proper side-to-side alignment of the stator relative to the diaphragm, a centering sleeve, which is removed after bonding, is placed over as stub at the upper end of the diaphragm.