Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between junior systems engineers and lead 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 junior systems engineer and a lead systems engineer. Additionally, a lead systems engineer has an average salary of $119,705, which is higher than the $61,565 average annual salary of a junior systems engineer.
The top three skills for a junior systems engineer include python, linux and DOD. The most important skills for a lead systems engineer are systems engineering, architecture, and infrastructure.
| Junior Systems Engineer | Lead Systems Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $61,565 | $119,705 |
| Hourly rate | $29.60 | $57.55 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 133,316 | 186,392 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A junior systems engineer is responsible for supporting the information technology department in maintaining the stability and efficiency of network servers and systems. Junior systems engineers assist in the configuration of the servers, as well as developing operational procedures to improve network infrastructure. They also resolve the end-users' technical issues through remote solutions, requiring them to have excellent knowledge of programming languages and navigation to identify the source of complexities. A junior systems engineer maintains resolution records for reference to avoid the reoccurrence of system failures and glitches.
A lead systems engineer is responsible for maintaining the safety and security of the systems infrastructure and improving the stability of the operating systems to support business operations. Lead systems engineers install and upgrade software applications and ensure that the technical strategies meet the quality standards and business requirements. They also enhance the performance of the existing systems, configuring features for optimization. A lead systems engineer must have excellent communication and technical skills, especially in supporting the end-users with technical failures and identifying accurate resolutions.
Junior systems engineers and lead systems engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Junior Systems Engineer | Lead Systems Engineer | |
| Average salary | $61,565 | $119,705 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $87,000 | Between $90,000 And $158,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Amd | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a junior systems engineer and a lead systems engineer in terms of educational background:
| Junior Systems Engineer | Lead Systems Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Harvard University | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between junior systems engineers' and lead systems engineers' demographics:
| Junior Systems Engineer | Lead Systems Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.0% Female, 21.0% | Male, 88.1% Female, 11.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 13.3% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 12.5% White, 61.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |