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The differences between applications support engineers and product support engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an applications support engineer, becoming a product support engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a product support engineer has an average salary of $90,379, which is higher than the $89,928 average annual salary of an applications support engineer.
The top three skills for an applications support engineer include java, application support and database. The most important skills for a product support engineer are product support, technical support, and troubleshoot.
| Applications Support Engineer | Product Support Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $89,928 | $90,379 |
| Hourly rate | $43.23 | $43.45 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 222,780 | 201,554 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
An applications support engineer is responsible for monitoring the efficiency and optimal performance of the application and network systems to support business operations and functions. Applications support engineers work on the installation of updates, upgrade system infrastructure, and resolve technical process issues and gaps. They also analyze the condition of existing applications and modify procedures to improve stability and configuration. An applications support engineer must have excellent communication and technical skills to identify failure sources and create resolution manuals to prevent downtime reoccurrence.
A product support engineer is responsible for resolving technical issues of end-users regarding the products and services offered by the company. Product support engineers conduct troubleshooting operations for system failures and write resolution reports for reference. They also support the product analysts in improving the product's features and processes to prevent the reoccurrence of defects and maintain optimal performance. A product support engineer designs automation procedures and runs multiple diagnostic tests to ensure high-quality outputs and avoid operational delays.
Applications support engineers and product support engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Applications Support Engineer | Product Support Engineer | |
| Average salary | $89,928 | $90,379 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $120,000 | Between $67,000 And $121,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | ICE Mortgage Technology | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between an applications support engineer and a product support engineer in terms of educational background:
| Applications Support Engineer | Product Support Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between applications support engineers' and product support engineers' demographics:
| Applications Support Engineer | Product Support Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.8% Female, 19.2% | Male, 80.7% Female, 19.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 30.0% White, 52.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 13.0% White, 69.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 5% |