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The differences between sales support engineers and engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a sales support engineer and an engineer. Additionally, an engineer has an average salary of $92,077, which is higher than the $78,335 average annual salary of a sales support engineer.
The top three skills for a sales support engineer include CRM, product line and sales process. The most important skills for an engineer are python, cloud, and C++.
| Sales Support Engineer | Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $78,335 | $92,077 |
| Hourly rate | $37.66 | $44.27 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 118,608 | 618,207 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.33 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A sales support engineer assists customers by dealing with complex issues and concerns, resolving them using their technical expertise. They usually communicate with customers using calls and correspondence, and through this, they also develop and deliver sales proposals, answer inquiries, and provide price quotes. Moreover, a sales support engineer also works to assist sales teams by conducting research and analyses to develop procedures that will optimize operations, producing data and guidelines, and creating sales strategies for profit growth.
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.
Sales support engineers and engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Sales Support Engineer | Engineer | |
| Average salary | $78,335 | $92,077 |
| Salary range | Between $52,000 And $116,000 | Between $65,000 And $130,000 |
| Highest paying City | Fort Collins, CO | Huntsville, AL |
| Highest paying state | Virginia | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | Agilent Technologies | Fort Bend County |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a sales support engineer and an engineer in terms of educational background:
| Sales Support Engineer | Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between sales support engineers' and engineers' demographics:
| Sales Support Engineer | Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.8% Female, 15.2% | Male, 86.3% Female, 13.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 1.6% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 8.2% White, 75.7% 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 | 7% | 5% |