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The differences between senior database engineers and senior systems engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a senior database engineer, becoming a senior systems engineer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a senior database engineer has an average salary of $123,540, which is higher than the $108,121 average annual salary of a senior systems engineer.
The top three skills for a senior database engineer include AWS, java and ETL. The most important skills for a senior systems engineer are architecture, linux, and java.
| Senior Database Engineer | Senior Systems Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $123,540 | $108,121 |
| Hourly rate | $59.39 | $51.98 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 110,265 | 166,742 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 46 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
A senior database engineer specializes in designing and developing databases for a company. Among their responsibilities include identifying and understanding the company's needs, creating and maintaining database projects and programs, writing scripts, troubleshooting errors, fixing bugs, and performing upgrades. They must also provide technical support to employees, addressing and resolving issues promptly and efficiently. Furthermore, as a senior engineer, it is essential to lead and serve as a mentor to junior engineers while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
A senior systems engineer specializes in overseeing network systems, management tools, software, and hardware within a company or an organization. Their primary responsibility is to install, maintain, and resolve complex system issues using their years of extensive knowledge and expertise. They can also provide insights, troubleshooting, and technical support should it be needed. Furthermore, as a senior systems engineer, it is also their responsibility to lead, supervise, and coordinate with a team of skilled system engineers while in adherence to company policies and regulations.
Senior database engineers and senior systems engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Database Engineer | Senior Systems Engineer | |
| Average salary | $123,540 | $108,121 |
| Salary range | Between $95,000 And $159,000 | Between $82,000 And $141,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Redwood City, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Roku | |
| Best paying industry | Internet | Retail |
There are a few differences between a senior database engineer and a senior systems engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Database Engineer | Senior Systems Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between senior database engineers' and senior systems engineers' demographics:
| Senior Database Engineer | Senior Systems Engineer | |
| Average age | 46 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 85.6% Female, 14.4% | Male, 88.6% Female, 11.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.4% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 23.4% White, 54.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 30.0% White, 52.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 8% |