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The differences between application engineers and senior engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an application engineer and a senior engineer. Additionally, a senior engineer has an average salary of $108,743, which is higher than the $92,921 average annual salary of an application engineer.
The top three skills for an application engineer include technical support, java and C++. The most important skills for a senior engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Application Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $92,921 | $108,743 |
| Hourly rate | $44.67 | $52.28 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 111,338 | 343,200 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
An application engineer is responsible for creating and re-designing system applications based on clients' specifications and sales demands. Application engineers run diagnostic tests on software programs, identify areas of improvement, install necessary updates, upgrade optimization, revise system codes, and provide technical support for customers' needs. They also generate ideas and locate other business opportunities by analyzing current trends in the technology market that would help build revenues and increase profitability for the company. An application engineer must have a strong command of programming languages, software application processes, and general technology disciplines.
A senior engineer is responsible for overseeing all operations within a designated area. With years of experience and expertise, a senior engineer may take charge of establishing goals, deadlines, and budgets for a particular project. They must devise and implement strategies that would improve the quality of workflow and deliver significant results. Furthermore, a senior manager must also supervise a team of skilled engineers, leading them in the joint effort to reach the company's vision and mission, all while adhering to the safety standards and regulations.
Application engineers and senior engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Application Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Average salary | $92,921 | $108,743 |
| Salary range | Between $69,000 And $125,000 | Between $82,000 And $144,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Morgan Lewis | Roku |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Start-up |
There are a few differences between an application engineer and a senior engineer in terms of educational background:
| Application Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between application engineers' and senior engineers' demographics:
| Application Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.4% Female, 12.6% | Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 1.4% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 6.7% Asian, 11.5% White, 74.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.1% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 5% |