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The differences between field support engineers and field 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 support engineer and a field engineer. Additionally, a field support engineer has an average salary of $96,499, which is higher than the $71,874 average annual salary of a field engineer.
The top three skills for a field support engineer include technical support, troubleshoot and customer satisfaction. The most important skills for a field engineer are customer service, customer satisfaction, and project management.
| Field Support Engineer | Field Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $96,499 | $71,874 |
| Hourly rate | $46.39 | $34.55 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 174,765 | 86,015 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 43 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Field support engineers are information technology (IT) professionals who are responsible for providing on-site functions for the network systems of clients. These engineers must assist their clients in solving complex technical issues to reduce the occurrence of network connectivity issues. They must perform routine maintenance checkups to ensure that the network systems of their clients are operating consistently and efficiently. Field support engineers are also required to offer guidance and training to the client personnel to educate them about the operation of the product as well as maintenance procedures.
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.
Field support engineers and field engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Field Support Engineer | Field Engineer | |
| Average salary | $96,499 | $71,874 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $142,000 | Between $51,000 And $99,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sacramento, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Apple | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Energy |
There are a few differences between a field support engineer and a field engineer in terms of educational background:
| Field Support Engineer | Field Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between field support engineers' and field engineers' demographics:
| Field Support Engineer | Field Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% | Male, 92.7% Female, 7.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 9.3% White, 63.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 6% |