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The differences between network engineers and systems support 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 network engineer and a systems support engineer. Additionally, a network engineer has an average salary of $83,557, which is higher than the $82,561 average annual salary of a systems support engineer.
The top three skills for a network engineer include switches, troubleshoot and network infrastructure. The most important skills for a systems support engineer are linux, troubleshoot, and technical support.
| Network Engineer | Systems Support Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $83,557 | $82,561 |
| Hourly rate | $40.17 | $39.69 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 72,346 | 182,434 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A network engineer is responsible for managing a network system, monitoring its performance, and upgrading its features to optimize performance and boost efficiency. Network engineers also create new systems, designing them based on clients' specifications and business needs. They also check network defects, perform troubleshooting, improve data security systems, and install security updates. A network engineer must have excellent knowledge of the technology industry, as well as a broad understanding of system codes, programming languages, and network configurations.
Systems support engineers are information technology professionals who are responsible for building and maintaining the IT infrastructure of an organization. They are required to provide network administration and technical support to identify complex problem issues and come up with solutions to solve them. They must assist the system support engineers in accomplishing any projects they are working with. They must troubleshoot servers, personal computers, and peripheral equipment while liaising with their customers. They must also create and maintain user accounts and implement group policy management through an active directory.
Network engineers and systems support engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Network Engineer | Systems Support Engineer | |
| Average salary | $83,557 | $82,561 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $111,000 | Between $62,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | Menlo Park, CA | Novato, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a network engineer and a systems support engineer in terms of educational background:
| Network Engineer | Systems Support Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between network engineers' and systems support engineers' demographics:
| Network Engineer | Systems Support Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% | Male, 89.5% Female, 10.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 13.7% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 11.5% White, 62.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |