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The differences between field support engineers and senior engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a field support engineer, becoming a senior engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a senior engineer has an average salary of $108,743, which is higher than the $96,499 average annual salary of a field support engineer.
The top three skills for a field support engineer include technical support, troubleshoot and customer satisfaction. The most important skills for a senior engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Field Support Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $96,499 | $108,743 |
| Hourly rate | $46.39 | $52.28 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 174,765 | 343,200 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
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 senior engineer is responsible for overseeing all operations within a designated area. With years of experience and expertise, a senior engineer may take charge of establishing goals, deadlines, and budgets for a particular project. They must devise and implement strategies that would improve the quality of workflow and deliver significant results. Furthermore, a senior manager must also supervise a team of skilled engineers, leading them in the joint effort to reach the company's vision and mission, all while adhering to the safety standards and regulations.
Field support engineers and senior engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Field Support Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Average salary | $96,499 | $108,743 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $142,000 | Between $82,000 And $144,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sacramento, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Roku |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a field support engineer and a senior engineer in terms of educational background:
| Field Support Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between field support engineers' and senior engineers' demographics:
| Field Support Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% | Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9% |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.1% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 5% |