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The differences between field system engineers and office 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 system engineer, becoming an office engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a field system engineer has an average salary of $91,282, which is higher than the $89,581 average annual salary of an office engineer.
The top three skills for a field system engineer include PLC, troubleshoot and customer sites. The most important skills for an office engineer are construction management, construction sites, and shop drawings.
| Field System Engineer | Office Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $91,282 | $89,581 |
| Hourly rate | $43.89 | $43.07 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 145,115 | 59,644 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
A field system engineer specializes in designing and developing systems and applications to optimize company operations. Among their responsibilities include identifying and understanding the company's needs, conceptualizing plans, developing prototypes and test structures, troubleshooting and resolving problems, coordinating with fellow engineers, and producing progress reports as needed. They are also responsible for establishing guidelines, safety policies, and standards. Moreover, a field system engineer typically manages a junior team, which requires an active communication line for a smooth and efficient workflow.
The duties of an office engineer depend on one's place or industry of employment. Their responsibilities typically revolve around providing technical and clerical support to the workforce, coordinating different parties involved in a project or program, and implementing the company's policies and regulations. Moreover, as an office engineer, it is essential to produce progress reports and presentations, maintain accurate data and records of all transactions, manage schedules, perform maintenance checks, and address issues and concerns, providing corrective measures promptly and efficiently.
Field system engineers and office engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Field System Engineer | Office Engineer | |
| Average salary | $91,282 | $89,581 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $126,000 | Between $65,000 And $123,000 |
| Highest paying City | Menlo Park, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | F5 | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | Retail |
There are a few differences between a field system engineer and an office engineer in terms of educational background:
| Field System Engineer | Office Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Civil Engineering |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | New York University |
Here are the differences between field system engineers' and office engineers' demographics:
| Field System Engineer | Office Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4% | Male, 74.3% Female, 25.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 8.8% White, 64.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 4.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.8% Asian, 11.2% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 5% |