Manager network engineering vs senior system administrator

The differences between managers network engineering and senior system administrators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a manager network engineering and a senior system administrator. Additionally, a manager network engineering has an average salary of $114,935, which is higher than the $98,146 average annual salary of a senior system administrator.

The top three skills for a manager network engineering include network engineering, network infrastructure and project management. The most important skills for a senior system administrator are linux, windows server, and troubleshoot.

Manager network engineering vs senior system administrator overview

	Manager Network Engineering	Senior System Administrator
Yearly salary	$114,935	$98,146
Hourly rate	$55.26	$47.19
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	84,638	100,873
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 65%	Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	2	2

What does a manager network engineering do?

Network engineering managers provide insights, perspective, and analysis in order to improve network systems. They oversee every task in the engineering unit and ensure that everything will run smoothly. Understanding hardware, software, and design elements are key to the job. It requires a candidate to have critical thinking skills in order to analyze and resolve system errors.

What does a senior system administrator do?

A senior system administrator specializes in overseeing the computer system operations in an organization. Their responsibilities primarily revolve around monitoring the performance of all software and hardware, installing servers, configuring systems, and making sure every technical aspect is running smoothly. Should there be any issues, they must take charge of troubleshooting and providing solutions. As someone with more experience, a senior system administrator leads and evaluates the performances of fellow skilled professionals in the department, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.

Manager network engineering vs senior system administrator salary

Managers network engineering and senior system administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Manager Network Engineering	Senior System Administrator
Average salary	$114,935	$98,146
Salary range	Between $84,000 And $156,000	Between $75,000 And $126,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Meta	Cambridge Associates
Best paying industry	Finance	Finance

Differences between manager network engineering and senior system administrator education

There are a few differences between a manager network engineering and a senior system administrator in terms of educational background:

	Manager Network Engineering	Senior System Administrator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 65%	Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Most common major	Electrical Engineering	Computer Science
Most common college	Stanford University	Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Manager network engineering vs senior system administrator demographics

Here are the differences between managers network engineering' and senior system administrators' demographics:

	Manager Network Engineering	Senior System Administrator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 89.3% Female, 10.7%	Male, 89.0% Female, 11.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.8% Asian, 8.9% White, 63.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 11.8% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between manager network engineering and senior system administrator duties and responsibilities

Manager network engineering example responsibilities.

Monitor, manage and troubleshot network security.
Manage and align short- and long-term operational strategy and initiatives in carrier transport and IP applications.
Manage and coordinate multiple global infrastructure projects involving implementation of QoS and VoIP enable Cisco data network.
Manage the first and second releases of a highly customize SharePoint portal application focuse on engaging partners and automating business processes.
Ensure secure user access to network services via wireless connections through virtual private networks (VPN).
Configure, install, and maintain networking equipment to include routers, switches, firewalls, and IPS's.

Senior system administrator example responsibilities.

Manage and optimize the design and delivery of project associate with AIX arena.
Manage all installs and setup of new servers, and server upgrades to server 2008 R2.
Implement IIS servers for both the internal and external web servers and managing security on all web servers.
Design, implement, and manage a network and domain extension in a remote location via a secure VPN link.
Manage Cisco network equipment including firewalls and switches.
Administer and manage daily backups via Symantec NetBackup.

Manager network engineering vs senior system administrator skills

Common manager network engineering skills

Network Engineering, 9%
Network Infrastructure, 5%
Project Management, 5%
Switches, 5%
Firewall, 5%
Routers, 3%

Common senior system administrator skills

Linux, 7%
Windows Server, 6%
Troubleshoot, 5%
System Administration, 4%
PowerShell, 4%
SAN, 4%

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Manager Network Engineering vs Senior System Administrator

Updated January 8, 2025

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