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The differences between field system engineers and systems 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 system engineer and a systems engineer. Additionally, a field system engineer has an average salary of $91,282, which is higher than the $82,834 average annual salary of a systems engineer.
The top three skills for a field system engineer include PLC, troubleshoot and customer sites. The most important skills for a systems engineer are python, linux, and C++.
| Field System Engineer | Systems Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $91,282 | $82,834 |
| Hourly rate | $43.89 | $39.82 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 145,115 | 145,936 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 43 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
Systems engineers are responsible for creating and overseeing systems related to the overall operations of the organization. They are in charge of assessing the organization's needs in terms of systems and creating plans to address these needs. These systems are usually related to the production or manufacturing of company products. Systems engineers create end-to-end processes that ensure efficiency and effectiveness. They make sure that the processes they put in place adhere to safety and security policies and guidelines. They also do routine checks and continuously find ways to further improve production and other systems.
Field system engineers and systems engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Field System Engineer | Systems Engineer | |
| Average salary | $91,282 | $82,834 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $126,000 | Between $62,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | Menlo Park, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | F5 | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a field system engineer and a systems engineer in terms of educational background:
| Field System Engineer | Systems Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| 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 system engineers' and systems engineers' demographics:
| Field System Engineer | Systems Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4% | Male, 86.1% Female, 13.9% |
| 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, 4.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 29.7% White, 52.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 8% |