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The differences between data center engineers and systems support engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a data center engineer and a systems support engineer. Additionally, a data center engineer has an average salary of $102,788, which is higher than the $82,561 average annual salary of a systems support engineer.
The top three skills for a data center engineer include data centers, troubleshoot and HVAC. The most important skills for a systems support engineer are linux, troubleshoot, and technical support.
| Data Center Engineer | Systems Support Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $102,788 | $82,561 |
| Hourly rate | $49.42 | $39.69 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 178,277 | 182,434 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A data center engineer is responsible for managing the efficiency and optimal performance of the network data systems of an organization. Data center engineers ensure the safety and security of the database to prevent unauthorized access and suspicious activities within the network that may pose risks for the business. They assess the navigation of the servers, conduct regular maintenance, and perform immediate troubleshooting for glitches to avoid any delays in the operation. A data center engineer must have excellent communication and technical skills, especially in writing data resolution for reference and configuration.
Systems support engineers are information technology professionals who are responsible for building and maintaining the IT infrastructure of an organization. They are required to provide network administration and technical support to identify complex problem issues and come up with solutions to solve them. They must assist the system support engineers in accomplishing any projects they are working with. They must troubleshoot servers, personal computers, and peripheral equipment while liaising with their customers. They must also create and maintain user accounts and implement group policy management through an active directory.
Data center engineers and systems support engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Data Center Engineer | Systems Support Engineer | |
| Average salary | $102,788 | $82,561 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $147,000 | Between $62,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Novato, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a data center engineer and a systems support engineer in terms of educational background:
| Data Center Engineer | Systems Support Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between data center engineers' and systems support engineers' demographics:
| Data Center Engineer | Systems Support Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.2% Female, 5.8% | Male, 89.5% Female, 10.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 11.0% White, 62.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 11.5% White, 62.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |