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The differences between applications & systems engineers and senior 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 & systems engineer, becoming a senior engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a senior engineer has an average salary of $108,743, which is higher than the $97,919 average annual salary of an applications & systems engineer.
The top three skills for an applications & systems engineer include application development, C++ and java. The most important skills for a senior engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Applications & Systems Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $97,919 | $108,743 |
| Hourly rate | $47.08 | $52.28 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 367,806 | 343,200 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
An applications and systems engineer is an information technology (IT) expert whose responsibilities revolve around designing and developing applications and systems to optimize company operations. They typically perform internal assessments to identify company needs, evaluate existing systems and applications to determine areas needing improvements, establish testing structures, and providing solutions for different IT issues. Furthermore, as an application and systems engineer, it is essential to perform regular maintenance checks on IT systems and networks, ensuring efficiency and providing corrective measures as needed.
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.
Applications & systems engineers and senior engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Applications & Systems Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Average salary | $97,919 | $108,743 |
| Salary range | Between $74,000 And $129,000 | Between $82,000 And $144,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Roku | |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Start-up |
There are a few differences between an applications & systems engineer and a senior engineer in terms of educational background:
| Applications & Systems Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between applications & systems engineers' and senior engineers' demographics:
| Applications & Systems Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 85.9% Female, 14.1% | Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 29.7% White, 52.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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 | 8% | 5% |