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The differences between help desk 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 help desk engineer and a systems engineer. Additionally, a systems engineer has an average salary of $82,834, which is higher than the $52,444 average annual salary of a help desk engineer.
The top three skills for a help desk engineer include troubleshoot, help-desk support and technical support. The most important skills for a systems engineer are python, linux, and C++.
| Help Desk Engineer | Systems Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $52,444 | $82,834 |
| Hourly rate | $25.21 | $39.82 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 100,003 | 145,936 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 42 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Help desk engineers solve problems. They have the technical know-how and have the right troubleshooting tools. They are required to set up computer hardware and software for users and events. When individuals have a certain issue or problem relating to their computer, they bring it to the help desk engineer, who then analyzes and provides a solution. Furthermore, they attend to the issues registered by clients via emails, chats, instant messages, or phone calls.
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.
Help desk engineers and systems engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Help Desk Engineer | Systems Engineer | |
| Average salary | $52,444 | $82,834 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $74,000 | Between $62,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | Radnor, PA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | Bain & Company | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a help desk engineer and a systems engineer in terms of educational background:
| Help Desk Engineer | Systems Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between help desk engineers' and systems engineers' demographics:
| Help Desk Engineer | Systems Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.8% Female, 18.2% | Male, 86.1% Female, 13.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 12.2% White, 54.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | 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 | 11% | 8% |