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The differences between escalation engineers and systems administrators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an escalation engineer and a systems administrator. Additionally, an escalation engineer has an average salary of $109,368, which is higher than the $77,156 average annual salary of a systems administrator.
The top three skills for an escalation engineer include cloud, azure and linux. The most important skills for a systems administrator are linux, troubleshoot, and windows server.
| Escalation Engineer | Systems Administrator | |
| Yearly salary | $109,368 | $77,156 |
| Hourly rate | $52.58 | $37.09 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 53,911 | 134,500 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
The escalation engineer is the person who takes charge of a network system that experiences high levels of activities at peak times. Congested networks may result in problems and delays, in which the escalation engineer resolves issues related to increased activity on a given network. The escalation engineer collects information, analyzes data, and generates reports and recommendations to improve the system better. The smooth flow of activities in a hectic environment often rests on a few people, including the escalation engineer.
Systems administrators are employees who oversee information technology infrastructures in the office. They are skilled information technology professionals who are knowledgeable about the company's network systems and other technology-related infrastructures. They are responsible for installing, configuring, or updating network systems, software, and hardware. They also monitor the different systems and troubleshoot any issues that users may encounter. Systems administrators manage the access of users, ensure the security of the network, and address any challenges that users may have. They conduct repairs and routine maintenance to ensure that the systems in place are in the best shape.
Escalation engineers and systems administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Escalation Engineer | Systems Administrator | |
| Average salary | $109,368 | $77,156 |
| Salary range | Between $80,000 And $148,000 | Between $59,000 And $100,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between an escalation engineer and a systems administrator in terms of educational background:
| Escalation Engineer | Systems Administrator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between escalation engineers' and systems administrators' demographics:
| Escalation Engineer | Systems Administrator | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.7% Female, 8.3% | Male, 83.9% Female, 16.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.8% Asian, 13.2% White, 61.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 11.5% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |