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The differences between senior engineers and senior systems 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 senior engineer, becoming a senior systems engineer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a senior engineer has an average salary of $108,743, which is higher than the $108,121 average annual salary of a senior systems engineer.
The top three skills for a senior engineer include java, python and architecture. The most important skills for a senior systems engineer are architecture, linux, and java.
| Senior Engineer | Senior Systems Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $108,743 | $108,121 |
| Hourly rate | $52.28 | $51.98 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 343,200 | 166,742 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 41 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
A senior engineer is responsible for overseeing all operations within a designated area. With years of experience and expertise, a senior engineer may take charge of establishing goals, deadlines, and budgets for a particular project. They must devise and implement strategies that would improve the quality of workflow and deliver significant results. Furthermore, a senior manager must also supervise a team of skilled engineers, leading them in the joint effort to reach the company's vision and mission, all while adhering to the safety standards 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 engineers and senior systems engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Engineer | Senior Systems Engineer | |
| Average salary | $108,743 | $108,121 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $144,000 | Between $82,000 And $141,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Mateo, CA | Redwood City, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Roku | Roku |
| Best paying industry | Start-up | Retail |
There are a few differences between a senior engineer and a senior systems engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Engineer | Senior Systems Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between senior engineers' and senior systems engineers' demographics:
| Senior Engineer | Senior Systems Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9% | Male, 88.6% Female, 11.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.1% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | 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 | 5% | 8% |