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The differences between senior information technology engineers and senior information technology specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a senior information technology engineer and a senior information technology specialist. Additionally, a senior information technology engineer has an average salary of $113,612, which is higher than the $103,478 average annual salary of a senior information technology specialist.
The top three skills for a senior information technology engineer include cloud, architecture and java. The most important skills for a senior information technology specialist are customer service, database, and technical support.
| Senior Information Technology Engineer | Senior Information Technology Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $113,612 | $103,478 |
| Hourly rate | $54.62 | $49.75 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 163,912 | 111,996 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
A senior information technology specialist is responsible for handling technology systems and network issues, ensuring the efficiency and optimal performance of the database by configuration and improving network infrastructures. Senior information technology specialists also design computer systems and applications to support business functions and operations, depending on the requirements and budget limitations. They create resolution reports for reference and recommend strategic techniques to prevent the reoccurrence of defects and malfunctions. A senior information technology specialist must have excellent communication and technical skills, especially in responding to the end-users' inquiries and concerns about the servers.
Senior information technology engineers and senior information technology specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Information Technology Engineer | Senior Information Technology Specialist | |
| Average salary | $113,612 | $103,478 |
| Salary range | Between $88,000 And $145,000 | Between $78,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Ropes & Gray | |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Energy |
There are a few differences between a senior information technology engineer and a senior information technology specialist in terms of educational background:
| Senior Information Technology Engineer | Senior Information Technology Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| 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 senior information technology specialists' demographics:
| Senior Information Technology Engineer | Senior Information Technology Specialist | |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.6% Female, 11.4% | Male, 81.4% Female, 18.6% |
| 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, 12.1% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 14.1% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 11% |