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The differences between senior information technology engineers and information technology consultants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a senior information technology engineer, becoming an information technology consultant takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a senior information technology engineer has an average salary of $113,612, which is higher than the $84,790 average annual salary of an information technology consultant.
The top three skills for a senior information technology engineer include cloud, architecture and java. The most important skills for an information technology consultant are customer service, database, and project management.
| Senior Information Technology Engineer | Information Technology Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $113,612 | $84,790 |
| Hourly rate | $54.62 | $40.76 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 163,912 | 142,475 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
A senior information technology engineer is responsible for designing and creating technical solutions to support business operations and client specifications. Senior information technology engineers improve existing software applications and programs to boost optimization and stabilize network infrastructure. They also support end-users in resolving their system issues and write troubleshooting reports to prevent the reoccurrence of downtimes and delays. A senior information technology engineer must have excellent technical and organizational skills to test multiple systems and ensure that the features meet the quality standards and business requirements.
An Information Technology Consultant, also known as IT Consultant, is responsible for sharing extensive knowledge of Information Technology by providing suggestions and solving issues within the company. Among the duties include installing and maintaining the necessary software and hardware, designing new procedures, overseeing all implementations, and ensuring that all systems are running smoothly, employing methods to secure databases, and providing essential instructions when needed. Furthermore, an Information Technology Consultant needs to coordinate and report to management or supervisors at all times.
Senior information technology engineers and information technology consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Information Technology Engineer | Information Technology Consultant | |
| Average salary | $113,612 | $84,790 |
| Salary range | Between $88,000 And $145,000 | Between $62,000 And $115,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | California Resources | |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Finance |
There are a few differences between a senior information technology engineer and an information technology consultant in terms of educational background:
| Senior Information Technology Engineer | Information Technology Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between senior information technology engineers' and information technology consultants' demographics:
| Senior Information Technology Engineer | Information Technology Consultant | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.6% Female, 11.4% | Male, 83.4% Female, 16.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 13.9% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 14.5% White, 58.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 8% |