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The differences between senior solutions engineers and solutions managers 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 solutions engineer, becoming a solutions manager takes usually requires 6-8 years. Additionally, a solutions manager has an average salary of $122,023, which is higher than the $110,210 average annual salary of a senior solutions engineer.
The top three skills for a senior solutions engineer include cloud, healthcare and database. The most important skills for a solutions manager are healthcare, cloud, and project management.
| Senior Solutions Engineer | Solutions Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $110,210 | $122,023 |
| Hourly rate | $52.99 | $58.66 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 177,826 | 142,636 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 44 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 8 |
Senior Solutions Engineers are information technology (IT) professionals employed by a company that sells software solutions. They would often lead a group of solutions engineers. They usually partner with salespeople in going on fieldwork to clients. They get to know the clients and understand their needs based on the problem areas. Senior Solutions Engineers would then create programs, software, or network infrastructure that would address the clients' specific needs. They should be able to showcase these programs to clients to make them want to get one. As such, Senior Software Engineers should be good communicators and negotiators.
A solutions manager oversees the planning and execution of a business project or program. Their responsibilities revolve around liaising with clients to discuss their needs and preferences, coordinating with various departments to gather and analyze data, identifying weak areas, and recommending solutions through new processes and policies for optimal service and performance. They may also delegate tasks, assess the workforce, and produce progress reports and presentations. Furthermore, as a manager, it is essential to lead and encourage the team to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Senior solutions engineers and solutions managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Solutions Engineer | Solutions Manager | |
| Average salary | $110,210 | $122,023 |
| Salary range | Between $79,000 And $152,000 | Between $92,000 And $161,000 |
| Highest paying City | Mountain View, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Roku | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Retail |
There are a few differences between a senior solutions engineer and a solutions manager in terms of educational background:
| Senior Solutions Engineer | Solutions Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Carnegie Mellon University |
Here are the differences between senior solutions engineers' and solutions managers' demographics:
| Senior Solutions Engineer | Solutions Manager | |
| Average age | 44 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.3% Female, 11.7% | Male, 70.1% Female, 29.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 1.4% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 6.5% Asian, 10.9% White, 74.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 6.7% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 10.1% Asian, 13.7% White, 64.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 11% |