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The differences between field engineers and network 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 field engineer and a network engineer. Additionally, a network engineer has an average salary of $83,557, which is higher than the $71,874 average annual salary of a field engineer.
The top three skills for a field engineer include customer service, customer satisfaction and project management. The most important skills for a network engineer are switches, troubleshoot, and network infrastructure.
| Field Engineer | Network Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $71,874 | $83,557 |
| Hourly rate | $34.55 | $40.17 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 86,015 | 72,346 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 45 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A field engineer's role will vary on the industry or line of work involved. However, the primary responsibility will mostly revolve around handling equipment and machinery, ensuring that they function effectively and safely. It is also the task of a field engineer to oversee the workflow and workforce, giving directions and recommendations when necessary. Furthermore, a field engineer must develop strategies and plans to improve the site's efficiency, produce progress reports, and coordinate with other workers.
A network engineer is responsible for managing a network system, monitoring its performance, and upgrading its features to optimize performance and boost efficiency. Network engineers also create new systems, designing them based on clients' specifications and business needs. They also check network defects, perform troubleshooting, improve data security systems, and install security updates. A network engineer must have excellent knowledge of the technology industry, as well as a broad understanding of system codes, programming languages, and network configurations.
Field engineers and network engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Field Engineer | Network Engineer | |
| Average salary | $71,874 | $83,557 |
| Salary range | Between $51,000 And $99,000 | Between $62,000 And $111,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Menlo Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between a field engineer and a network engineer in terms of educational background:
| Field Engineer | Network Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between field engineers' and network engineers' demographics:
| Field Engineer | Network Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.7% Female, 7.3% | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.5% Asian, 14.3% White, 64.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 13.7% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 9% |