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The differences between desktop engineers and senior infrastructure 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 desktop engineer and a senior infrastructure engineer. Additionally, a senior infrastructure engineer has an average salary of $117,765, which is higher than the $102,893 average annual salary of a desktop engineer.
The top three skills for a desktop engineer include customer service, SCCM and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a senior infrastructure engineer are cloud, AWS, and linux.
| Desktop Engineer | Senior Infrastructure Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $102,893 | $117,765 |
| Hourly rate | $49.47 | $56.62 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 87,458 | 78,855 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A desktop engineer is responsible for monitoring the efficiency and performance of computer systems across the organization to deliver high-performance on business operations and client specifications. Desktop engineers resolve computer desktop issues, including navigation and security complications that create delays in the operational process. They conduct regular maintenance with the computer systems, upgrade network infrastructure, and perform configuration to ensure smooth functionality and resolutions. A desktop engineer should have excellent knowledge of the technology industry, recommending system solutions to avoid the reoccurrence of network issues and glitches.
A senior infrastructure engineer specializes in designing and developing systems and infrastructures based on client preferences and industry standards. They have the duty to identify and understand the project's needs, streamline project requirements, produce drafts, create prototypes and models, and establish tests to identify potential issues and ensure the projects' quality. Additionally, a senior infrastructure engineer has the authority to make decisions, train and supervise junior engineers, establish goals and timelines, provide technical support, and implement policies and guidelines.
Desktop engineers and senior infrastructure engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Desktop Engineer | Senior Infrastructure Engineer | |
| Average salary | $102,893 | $117,765 |
| Salary range | Between $77,000 And $136,000 | Between $87,000 And $158,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Ropes & Gray | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a desktop engineer and a senior infrastructure engineer in terms of educational background:
| Desktop Engineer | Senior Infrastructure Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between desktop engineers' and senior infrastructure engineers' demographics:
| Desktop Engineer | Senior Infrastructure Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.7% Female, 11.3% | Male, 75.3% Female, 24.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.8% Asian, 13.6% White, 53.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 10.7% White, 62.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 9% |