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Job outlook for senior support engineers in the United States
Senior support engineer job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected senior support engineer job growth rate is 10% from 2018-2028.
About 83,100 new jobs for senior support engineers are projected over the next decade.
Senior support engineer salaries have increased 9% for senior support engineers in the last 5 years.
There are over 159,654 senior support engineers currently employed in the United States.
There are 215,312 active senior support engineer job openings in the US.
The average senior support engineer salary is $107,037.
Are senior support engineer jobs in demand?
Senior support engineer job and salary trends over time
Senior support engineer jobs over time
Senior support engineer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 159,654 | 0.05% |
| 2020 | 156,695 | 0.05% |
| 2019 | 128,497 | 0.04% |
| 2018 | 377,670 | 0.11% |
| 2017 | 368,001 | 0.11% |
Average senior support engineer salary over time
Senior support engineer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $107,037 | $51.46 | +3.4% |
| 2024 | $103,510 | $49.76 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $101,167 | $48.64 | +1.5% |
| 2022 | $99,639 | $47.90 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $98,011 | $47.12 | +1.6% |
Senior support engineer jobs by state
Most common states for senior support engineers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 800 | 115% |
| 2 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 3,426 | 40% |
| 3 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 2,899 | 39% |
| 4 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 2,085 | 34% |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 2,222 | 32% |
| 6 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,778 | 32% |
| 7 | California | 39,536,653 | 12,075 | 31% |
| 8 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 1,280 | 31% |
| 9 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 909 | 29% |
| 10 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 249 | 29% |
| 11 | Delaware | 961,939 | 272 | 28% |
| 12 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 361 | 27% |
| 13 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 284 | 27% |
| 14 | Vermont | 623,657 | 166 | 27% |
| 15 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 519 | 25% |
| 16 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 1,448 | 24% |
| 17 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,225 | 22% |
| 18 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 1,017 | 21% |
| 19 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 629 | 21% |
| 20 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 1,958 | 20% |
Most common cities for senior support engineers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aliso Viejo | 1 | 2% | $117,537 |
| 2 | El Cajon | 1 | 1% | $117,200 |
| 3 | Fort Lauderdale | 1 | 1% | $93,663 |
| 4 | Hawthorne | 1 | 1% | $117,780 |
| 5 | San Ramon | 1 | 1% | $124,953 |
| 6 | Tempe | 1 | 1% | $98,030 |
| 7 | Boston | 1 | 0% | $96,343 |
| 8 | Chandler | 1 | 0% | $98,004 |
| 9 | Orlando | 1 | 0% | $95,166 |
Senior Support Engineer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of senior support engineer experts
Hampton University
Seattle University
University of South Alabama
University of Minnesota - Duluth
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Weber State University
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Bellingham Technical College
Duke University
Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology - Okmulgee
University of South Alabama
What Senior Support Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Tzuyang Yu Ph.D.: Improve communication skills, develop organization skills, continue learning new knowledge in the areas related to work, expand connections by learning what other people do, identify one or two mentors as role models for long-term career development.
What Senior Support Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Kambiz Farahmand Ph.D., P.E.: Hit the ground running. If you are asked to put in 40 hours work 50 hours. Prove yourself and always take on new challenges since that is how you grow.
What general advice would you give to a Senior Support Engineer?
Julie Brandis: Oregon State University provides support in salary negotiation, also students can work with mentors who are familiar with company hiring practices and wage structures. If you have internship experience, that can help to boost your starting salary.
What Senior Support Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Julie Brandis: The nation needs engineers across many disciplines. There isn’t one skill that is needed. Honesty and integrity (do what’s right, be honest and be dependable) Leadership - ability to meet deadlines, resolve conflict, balance competing demands, communicate in groups and influence peers, manage budgets
What general advice would you give to a Senior Support Engineer?
Davide Masato: The high demand for plastics engineers facilitates maximizing starting salaries. Graduates with co-op experience enjoy a competitive edge. To grow both as engineers and team members, young professionals should actively seek professional development opportunities. Continuous learning and seeking advancement within the organization or externally are key. Pursuing advanced degrees or certifications, even remotely, enhances qualifications and marketability.
Christopher Misorski FASM
Brunswick Technical Fellow-Materials Product Development & EngineeringWhat Senior Support Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Christopher Misorski FASM: While it is tough to predict the future with any accuracy, the best skill-set(s) for succeeding revolve around continuing education and learning what is possible with future materials or future manufacturing methods. Just remember, what you may learn at a conference or meeting may not be immediately relevant to your job, but down the road it could provide valuable solutions or insights into new problems that require “fixing”. In addition to continuing education in your field of interest, improving communication skills, both oral and written are important. Having the solution to a problem is useless unless the ideas can be communicated effectively and clearly to the audience that needs to hear the message. Remember, many in the audience are probably not materials engineers or any type of engineer potentially, so communicate at the appropriate level.
What will help Senior Support Engineers increase their earning potential?
Christopher Misorski FASM: Maximizing salary potential at the start of your career is not a clear pathway generally. One way that you can be considered more valuable, and hence worth a better salary, is to have participated in a co-op or internship program with a company in your field. This experience gives employers some confidence that you were able to carry out assignments and thrive in a workplace environment. The employer that you worked for may be inclined to offer you a position upon graduation and you are now worth more because you have already proven to them your abilities. Even if they don’t offer you a job (no appropriate open position may be available) your ability to discuss your experiences with the HR recruiter or hiring manager at another company can instill confidence in your selection as a hire. Just remember, if you tell them you did a project, be prepared to explain it so it doesn’t appear you were just in the background of this project, just going along for the ride.
What general advice would you give to a Senior Support Engineer?
Dr. Yohannes Bekele: By entering the computer engineering profession now, individuals can take advantage of the high skilled-power demand in the field, diverse career paths broadly classified under hardware and software sub-areas, lucrative salaries as compared to other fields, continuous learning opportunities, and the potential for entrepreneurship in changing ideas into startup businesses easily. It is a field that offers long-term growth prospects and the chance to contribute to the development of cutting-edge technologies.
What Senior Support Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Thomas Congedo PhD: That comes from your ability to focus on technical product of the highest quality, always seeking to truly understand the customer’s needs. For example, often a customer will phrase a problem by stating the solution he or she assumes. Taking the time to respectfully draw out the thinking further can make you the customer’s hero, and this makes you the person likely to be selected for the challenging and most rewarded assignments.
Jhon Smith
Associate Professor and Director of MS in Structural EngineeringSeattle University
Civil Engineering
What general advice would you give to a Senior Support Engineer?
Jhon Smith: Do not be afraid to ask questions to your supervisors (although do not take it to an extreme and become demanding—show initiative). You get the fundamentals of engineering at school and you are equipped to use them but it takes a few years to feel comfortable. Engineering is a profession of practice and it is only through practice that you best learn it.
What will help Senior Support Engineers increase their earning potential?
Jhon Smith: Professional skills such as being able to communicate clearly, being flexible, open-minded, eager to take on challenges, adept and working with others and taking ownership of the projects tasks given to you. Staying grounded to the fundamental concepts you learn in school so every time you run a sophisticated piece of software to do design you must be able to use those fundamentals to check the results.
What general advice would you give to a Senior Support Engineer?
Sean Walker: Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are going to be incredibly important in Systems Engineering over the next 3-5 years. MBSE has already become quintessential to the practice of Systems Engineering, which is why it has become a staple of our Master's and Doctoral programs. AI, of course, is changing almost every technical field and will be important to Systems Engineers as well. For Systems Engineers, the challenge will be understanding how and when to apply AI to solve systemic problems. Of course, both of these elements must be applied with an understanding of sociotechnical systems concerns. An engineer with the skills to apply MBSE and AI without losing sight of the humans in the system will be highly sought after.
What Senior Support Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Sean Walker: To maximize your salary, it is really essential to learn the tools and methods associated with Systems Engineering while also maintaining a sense of creativity. Employers are not only looking for engineers with the ability to apply specific tools but also the ability to think creatively to solve complex systems problems. I often encourage my students to maintain their creative hobbies so that they don't lose those skills. But, more immediately, gaining a graduate education in Systems Engineering can help any engineer increase their earning potential.
What will help Senior Support Engineers increase their earning potential?
Sean Walker: I think the best advice for a new Systems Engineer, or really any engineer, is to be observant. One of the best things you can do when starting to apply the theoretical aspects that you've learned in school to your new career is to watch and listen to how experienced Systems Engineers practice in the field. This doesn't mean that you can't offer ideas or perspectives that are new, but that there will be challenges in your field that - due to the breadth of Systems Engineering - may not have been covered in your education.
What Senior Support Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Richard Davis: Engineers engage in various daily activities that are intellectually stimulating and rewarding. Every task is a step toward a tangible accomplishment, from innovating, designing, testing, and implementing new technologies to troubleshooting and optimizing existing systems to reduce costs, increase productivity, and improve quality. They may spend time in meetings discussing project progress, collaborating with colleagues, and planning future steps, all of which contribute to the sense of achievement. Engineers often use software tools to create designs, analyze data, and simulate systems, further enhancing their productivity and satisfaction. Depending on the field, they might spend time in labs conducting experiments, on-site overseeing construction or manufacturing processes, or in offices working on plans and reports, all of which are opportunities to see their work come to fruition. Entry-level Engineers: A bachelor's degree in engineering trains engineers with strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Entry-level engineers might start with tasks like data collection and analysis or assisting senior engineers with projects. Entry-level engineers might also spend time shadowing more experienced colleagues, attending training sessions, and gradually taking on more responsibility and management as they gain experience.
What will help Senior Support Engineers increase their earning potential?
Richard Davis: Engineering offers career opportunities across various industries, from technology and healthcare to infrastructure and environmental sustainability. With technological advancements and the increasing complexity of global challenges, such as climate change, food and clean water, and urbanization, engineers are in high demand to develop innovative solutions. For example, environmental engineers are crucial in developing sustainable solutions to reduce pollution and conserve resources. Engineering provides opportunities for creativity and problem-solving, making it a rewarding career choice for those who enjoy tackling complex problems. The global focus on sustainability and renewable energy presents exciting prospects for engineers to contribute to meaningful projects that positively impact society and the environment.
What Senior Support Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Mishah Salman Ph.D.: To maximize salary potential, I recommend growing your professional network and being flexible within your career. Attending professional gatherings and rubbing shoulders goes a very long way. It’s amazing how you can casually bump into some well-respected team leader that’s trying to fill an opening or glean information about a new project that needs fresh talent. Network with people in diverse fields and roles. You never know who knows who. Making a positive impression and having someone recognize your name down the line can go a very long way!
What will help Senior Support Engineers increase their earning potential?
Mishah Salman Ph.D.: My advice to recent graduates is to be open to non-conventional roles. Taking on responsibilities beyond one’s official discipline provides broader value to employers. Many students that graduate with degrees in mechanical engineering (or similar disciplines) find great success by stepping outside of their expected job title. Sometimes exploring roles with titles like “analyst” or “manager” or “designer” can provide interesting opportunities to apply one’s engineering skillset in an alternate context. The real strength of your degree is the transferable skillset that you developed along your educational journey. Keep your options open!
What general advice would you give to a Senior Support Engineer?
Mansooreh Mollaghasemi Ph.D.: Build skills in high demand areas such as data analytics, supply chain management, and automation. Certification such as Project Management Professional (PMP) can make a candidate more attractive and justify a higher starting salary. Internships can also provide valuable industry experience and can often lead to higher starting salaries.
What Senior Support Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Mansooreh Mollaghasemi Ph.D.: Concurrent with building technical skills, they must build soft skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and leadership. These skills are often the differentiators between good and great engineers.
What will help Senior Support Engineers increase their earning potential?
Megumi Usui: Even after obtaining a degree, it is crucial to recognize that continuous learning is a fundamental aspect of professional development in the workplace. One must cultivate an open-minded attitude and demonstrate a willingness to acquire new knowledge and skills at any time and in any context. Effective communication with colleagues and clients is essential for successful collaboration and project execution. It is important to understand that the professional environment is significantly different from the academic setting. In a company, the focus is delivering work that meets the expectations and standards set by the employer and satisfies the needs of clients, rather than merely fulfilling personal criteria. Furthermore, it is imperative to produce high-quality work consistently. Mediocre performance is unacceptable, and organizations will not hesitate to seek replacements if the work delivered does not meet their standards. Ensuring that your work is thorough, precise, and aligns with the company's objectives is critical for maintaining the position and advancing their career.
What Senior Support Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Michael Denn: 1. The time needed to progress from an idea to a quality prototype is continually decreasing. That trend will likely continue. Skills that support short development times, such as computer modeling, simulations and rapid prototyping, will continue to be valued. 2. One skill that will always be valuable is the ability to acquire new knowledge and apply it to the task at hand.
What will help Senior Support Engineers increase their earning potential?
Michael Denn: The answers to this question are largely the same as the answer to question 1. However, here are some additional points: 1. Excel in your job. Become the person everyone goes to for whatever type of work you do. 2. Develop and maintain a career plan. Make sure your assignments and tasks align with your plan. When you have the opportunity to change positions, keep you plan in mind.
What will help Senior Support Engineers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Elizabeth Adams PhD, PE: My personal recommendation for maximizing your salary potential is to play the long game. Focus on learning and becoming an expert in your field – find the area you enjoy working in and get really good at it. Maybe it’s bridge construction, maybe it’s electrical infrastructure, maybe it’s project management. Internships and co-op experiences during your college years are invaluable as they are excellent resume boosters and networking opportunities, and they can help you differentiate between areas you are more and less interested in.
What will help Senior Support Engineers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Kelvin Erickson: a. Artificial Intelligence - The use of artificial intelligence as a tool in engineering has been around for awhile, but there have not been many successes. There is a lot more interest now, which I expect will eventually find some uses. Programming - The programming may not be in the “traditional” language sense. But, one will be faced with an occasional programming task like writing an Excel macro, or a JavaScript or Python script.
Kyle Miller
Welding Technologies instructor - Pipe TradesBellingham Technical College
Precision Metal Working
What general advice would you give to a Senior Support Engineer?
Kyle Miller: The advice I feel the most compelled to offer, based on personal experience, is to embrace the first few years in the field as a nebulous growth period. There is often a rush for graduates to 'realize their identity' in the field, at the risk of narrowing their potential in the trades. The first year or two is a great time to shake every hand and make every acquaintance possible. A lot of those interactions can help guide a trades-person along a pathway they didn't realize was possible upon their first steps into the working world.
What Senior Support Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Jimmie Lenz D.B.A.: Engineering encompasses so many areas of modern life that it’s impossible to provide a comprehensive answer here. The training that engineers receive, both the technical and the applied nature, make these individuals quite attractive to all types of industries. Perhaps the most surprising to many people are the significant number of engineers employed in financial services.
Jim Gordon
Faculty- Construction ManagementOklahoma State University Institute of Technology - Okmulgee
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians
What Senior Support Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jim Gordon: First, always be learning, the more you know the more value you have as an employee. Show up on time ready to work and always give your best effort.
Edmund Spencer
Associate ProfessorUniversity of South Alabama
Electrical, Electronics, And Communications Engineering
What Senior Support Engineer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Edmund Spencer: Look for jobs that have the highest technical content, and try to develop entrepreneurial skills early.