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The differences between senior network engineers and engineers 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 network engineer, becoming an engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a senior network engineer has an average salary of $111,707, which is higher than the $92,077 average annual salary of an engineer.
The top three skills for a senior network engineer include switches, BGP and OSPF. The most important skills for an engineer are python, cloud, and C++.
| Senior Network Engineer | Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $111,707 | $92,077 |
| Hourly rate | $53.71 | $44.27 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 35,428 | 618,207 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.33 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
A senior network engineer is responsible for managing the organization's network infrastructure, handling advanced network issues, upgrading the system's design for optimization, configuring network features, and ensuring the network's highest security measures to avoid unauthorized access and suspicious activities. Senior network engineers work with network architects to implement network designs, run diagnostic tests, and create network solution reports for review and recovery reference. A senior network engineer must have excellent communication and organization skills and broad knowledge of the technology industry, programming languages, and system codes.
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.
Senior network engineers and engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Network Engineer | Engineer | |
| Average salary | $111,707 | $92,077 |
| Salary range | Between $85,000 And $145,000 | Between $65,000 And $130,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Huntsville, AL |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Fort Bend County |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a senior network engineer and an engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Network Engineer | Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | - | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between senior network engineers' and engineers' demographics:
| Senior Network Engineer | Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.2% Female, 6.8% | Male, 86.3% Female, 13.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.2% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.9% Asian, 13.5% White, 61.2% 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 | 9% | 5% |