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The differences between field support engineers and technical support senior 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 technical support senior engineer. Additionally, a technical support senior engineer has an average salary of $107,429, 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 technical support senior engineer are java, linux, and customer service.
| Field Support Engineer | Technical Support Senior Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $96,499 | $107,429 |
| Hourly rate | $46.39 | $51.65 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 174,765 | 183,916 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| 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 technical support senior engineer is primarily in charge of resolving complicated issues and concerns through calls and correspondence, ensuring efficiency and client satisfaction. Their responsibilities include coordinating with customer support staff to gather data, studying records of initial assessments, liaising with clients to identify their needs, utilizing their expertise to develop solutions, and maintaining records of all transactions. Furthermore, as a technical support senior engineer, it is essential to lead and serve as a mentor to others, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Field support engineers and technical support senior engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Field Support Engineer | Technical Support Senior Engineer | |
| Average salary | $96,499 | $107,429 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $142,000 | Between $82,000 And $140,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sacramento, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Delaware |
| Best paying company | Apple | PayPal |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a field support engineer and a technical support senior engineer in terms of educational background:
| Field Support Engineer | Technical Support Senior Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between field support engineers' and technical support senior engineers' demographics:
| Field Support Engineer | Technical Support Senior Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% | Male, 86.7% Female, 13.3% |
| 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, 8.6% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.0% Asian, 15.0% White, 55.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 11% |