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The differences between infrastructure systems engineers and software systems engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an infrastructure systems engineer, becoming a software systems engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an infrastructure systems engineer has an average salary of $110,556, which is higher than the $107,102 average annual salary of a software systems engineer.
The top three skills for an infrastructure systems engineer include cloud, linux and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a software systems engineer are java, python, and software development.
| Infrastructure Systems Engineer | Software Systems Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $110,556 | $107,102 |
| Hourly rate | $53.15 | $51.49 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 133,481 | 370,518 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 43 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
Infrastructure systems engineers are information technology (IT) professionals who design, coordinate, and maintain the IT infrastructure using the latest technology to ensure all the IT systems of an organization are functioning efficiently. These engineers are required to improve collaboration and work sharing by implementing a cloud-backed file system. They must train and mentor other employees about the system functionality and perform troubleshoot when issues arise in the system. Infrastructure systems engineers must also eliminate interruptions for wireless users during upgrades by installing disaster recovery servers.
A software systems engineer is responsible for designing and creating software systems applications and programs according to clients' specifications or business' needs. They work to improve the features of existing applications to boost efficiency and optimal performance. Software systems engineers manage systems configuration and structural development to develop high-quality outputs and deliverables. They also run multiple diagnostic tests to ensure smooth navigations and server transitions and identify efficient technical solutions. A software systems engineer assists the end-users with application issues, performing troubleshooting operations, and creating resolution reports for reference.
Infrastructure systems engineers and software systems engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Infrastructure Systems Engineer | Software Systems Engineer | |
| Average salary | $110,556 | $107,102 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $147,000 | Between $80,000 And $142,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | California |
| Best paying company | The Walt Disney Company | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Insurance | Start-up |
There are a few differences between an infrastructure systems engineer and a software systems engineer in terms of educational background:
| Infrastructure Systems Engineer | Software Systems Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between infrastructure systems engineers' and software systems engineers' demographics:
| Infrastructure Systems Engineer | Software Systems Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.0% Female, 10.0% | Male, 81.1% Female, 18.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 13.9% White, 61.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.3% Asian, 29.8% White, 52.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 8% |