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The differences between network infrastructure engineers and 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 network infrastructure engineer, becoming an engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an engineer has an average salary of $92,077, which is higher than the $82,895 average annual salary of a network infrastructure engineer.
The top three skills for a network infrastructure engineer include network infrastructure, switches and cloud. The most important skills for an engineer are python, cloud, and C++.
| Network Infrastructure Engineer | Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $82,895 | $92,077 |
| Hourly rate | $39.85 | $44.27 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 67,606 | 618,207 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.33 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
A network infrastructure engineer designs, deploy, and secures the network of the organization. In this position, you will be required to perform site surveys and audits, ensure the company's network site meets set standards, ensure the networks function with minimum downtime, come up with strategies that help minimize operational costs, and helps the organization streamline the operations by ensuring the different systems work effectively.
Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects. They should also be well-versed in different construction or industrial materials, and they ensure that appropriate materials are used for the project. They also ensure that the projects meet the requirements of the groups that hired them. They create spaces that would both address the needs of the end-users and the industry standards. They also ensure that the projects they make would stand the test of time.
Network infrastructure engineers and engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Network Infrastructure Engineer | Engineer | |
| Average salary | $82,895 | $92,077 |
| Salary range | Between $57,000 And $119,000 | Between $65,000 And $130,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Huntsville, AL |
| Highest paying state | California | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | Meta | Fort Bend County |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a network infrastructure engineer and an engineer in terms of educational background:
| Network Infrastructure Engineer | Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between network infrastructure engineers' and engineers' demographics:
| Network Infrastructure Engineer | Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.4% Female, 7.6% | Male, 86.3% Female, 13.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 12.0% White, 61.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 15.0% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 5% |