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The differences between product support engineers and technical support senior engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a product support engineer, becoming a technical support senior engineer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a technical support senior engineer has an average salary of $107,429, which is higher than the $90,379 average annual salary of a product support engineer.
The top three skills for a product support engineer include product support, technical support and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a technical support senior engineer are java, linux, and customer service.
| Product Support Engineer | Technical Support Senior Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $90,379 | $107,429 |
| Hourly rate | $43.45 | $51.65 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 201,554 | 183,916 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
A product support engineer is responsible for resolving technical issues of end-users regarding the products and services offered by the company. Product support engineers conduct troubleshooting operations for system failures and write resolution reports for reference. They also support the product analysts in improving the product's features and processes to prevent the reoccurrence of defects and maintain optimal performance. A product support engineer designs automation procedures and runs multiple diagnostic tests to ensure high-quality outputs and avoid operational delays.
A technical support senior engineer is primarily in charge of resolving complicated issues and concerns through calls and correspondence, ensuring efficiency and client satisfaction. Their responsibilities include coordinating with customer support staff to gather data, studying records of initial assessments, liaising with clients to identify their needs, utilizing their expertise to develop solutions, and maintaining records of all transactions. Furthermore, as a technical support senior engineer, it is essential to lead and serve as a mentor to others, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Product support engineers and technical support senior engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Product Support Engineer | Technical Support Senior Engineer | |
| Average salary | $90,379 | $107,429 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $121,000 | Between $82,000 And $140,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Delaware |
| Best paying company | Apple | PayPal |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a product support engineer and a technical support senior engineer in terms of educational background:
| Product Support Engineer | Technical Support Senior Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between product support engineers' and technical support senior engineers' demographics:
| Product Support Engineer | Technical Support Senior Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.7% Female, 19.3% | Male, 86.7% Female, 13.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 13.0% White, 69.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.0% Asian, 15.0% White, 55.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 11% |