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The differences between lead systems engineers and senior 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 lead systems engineer, becoming a senior engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a lead systems engineer has an average salary of $119,705, which is higher than the $108,743 average annual salary of a senior engineer.
The top three skills for a lead systems engineer include systems engineering, architecture and infrastructure. The most important skills for a senior engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| Lead Systems Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $119,705 | $108,743 |
| Hourly rate | $57.55 | $52.28 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 186,392 | 343,200 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
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.
A senior engineer is responsible for overseeing all operations within a designated area. With years of experience and expertise, a senior engineer may take charge of establishing goals, deadlines, and budgets for a particular project. They must devise and implement strategies that would improve the quality of workflow and deliver significant results. Furthermore, a senior manager must also supervise a team of skilled engineers, leading them in the joint effort to reach the company's vision and mission, all while adhering to the safety standards and regulations.
Lead systems engineers and senior engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Systems Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Average salary | $119,705 | $108,743 |
| Salary range | Between $90,000 And $158,000 | Between $82,000 And $144,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Roku |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a lead systems engineer and a senior engineer in terms of educational background:
| Lead Systems Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between lead systems engineers' and senior engineers' demographics:
| Lead Systems Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.1% Female, 11.9% | Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.1% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 5% |