What is a Senior Systems Engineer?

Although Leonardo da Vinci is known for his/her paintings, especially the Mona Lisa, many do not know that a large portion of his/her contributions were also found in his/her notebooks, which consisted of scientific drawings that arose from his/her love of engineering new systems. For example, he/she designed flying machines, armored vehicles, metallurgy processes, an automated bobbin winder, and a tensile strength machine tester. His/Her unpublished findings in areas such as hydrodynamics, geology, and civil engineering have regarded him as a polymath during the period of the renaissance but more subtly, what an understanding of systems engineering can do to a person's creative potential.

The tasks involved in being a senior systems engineer include developing computing infrastructures, designing hardware architecture, overseeing network systems, and troubleshooting technical issues. Besides that, they also perform application software configurations.

Employers require senior systems engineers to have a bachelor's degree in engineering or STEM-related field and demonstrate two to three years' worth of relevant work experience. This role earns, on average, $46 per hour and suits individuals who enjoy technical problem-solving.

What Does a Senior Systems Engineer Do

There are certain skills that many senior systems engineers have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed creativity, detail oriented and interpersonal skills.

Learn more about what a Senior Systems Engineer does

How To Become a Senior Systems Engineer

If you're interested in becoming a senior systems engineer, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 68.6% of senior systems engineers have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 15.9% of senior systems engineers have master's degrees. Even though most senior systems engineers have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.

Learn More About How To Become a Senior Systems Engineer
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Senior Systems Engineer Career Paths

As you move along in your career, you may start taking on more responsibilities or notice that you've taken on a leadership role. Using our career map, a senior systems engineer can determine their career goals through the career progression. For example, they could start out with a role such as senior software engineer, progress to a title such as team leader and then eventually end up with the title infrastructure project manager.

Senior Systems Engineer

Average Salary for a Senior Systems Engineer

Senior Systems Engineers in America make an average salary of $108,121 per year or $52 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $141,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $82,000 per year.
Average Senior Systems Engineer Salary
$108,121 Yearly
$51.98 hourly
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Roles and Types of Senior Systems Engineer

The role of a senior systems engineer includes a wide range of responsibilities. These responsibilities can vary based on an individual's specific job, company, or industry.Here are some general senior systems engineer responsibilities:

  • Responsible for overall itsm process objectives
  • Engineering, documenting, delivering and maintaining the platforms listed above in accordance with customer specifications
  • Caci is looking for a candidate who will is responsible for delivering microsoft operations management (scom/mom) management technology to support a designated set of strategic enterprise customers. The successful candidate will be responsible for delivering microsoft operations management (scom/mom) support in various enterprise environments. Excellent analytical

There are several types of senior systems engineer, including:

Systems Engineer

Role:

If you're looking for a job that has a lot of job opportunities tied to it, look no further. Systems engineers are in full demand from all sorts of companies across multiple industries. Everyone needs an "I.T." person in their midst because it's no secret that very few actually know how to use technology.

Sure, most people may refer to you as the I.T. person, but your job is much more complicated than that. Of course, the majority of your time will be spent managing the I.T. services and solving any issues that present themselves, but you will have days that you'll have to recover important emails or divert a disaster.

The only thing stopping you from becoming a systems engineer is a bachelor's degree. Once you've got that under your belt, you'll be on your way to becoming a systems engineer. A really important aspect of being a systems engineer is having the communication skills necessary. The hardest part of your job will be "dumbing" down technology terms so that people can understand what's going on with the I.T. system. Once you get through that, the rest of your job will be easy peasy.

  • Average Salary: $82,834
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Lead Engineer

Role:

A lead engineer is a professional who supervisors a team of engineers working on maintaining and streamlining corporate projects. As a lead engineer, your duties vary depending on the work industry of employment. Basically, your responsibility as a lead engineer is to ensure that the operations and performance of the workforce are progressive. Also, you are to ensure the smooth running of everything.

In addition, as a lead engineer, you are responsible for addressing concerns and issues monitoring budgets. Furthermore, coordinating with architects and clients, training workers, and assessing risks is also a part of your duties. As a lead engineer, it is important that you conduct inspections regularly. This is to ascertain the quality of work being done and to maintain a safe space for every worker.

Mostly, lead engineers study computer science, electrical engineering, or mechanical engineering. To qualify for this role, you must possess at least a bachelor's degree in any of these relevant fields. Lead engineers earn at least an average salary of $70,536 per year.

  • Average Salary: $84,927
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Systems Manager

Role:

Systems managers are charged with overseeing the information technology departments in an organization. Their duties depend on the size of the organization. They assess the IT needs of the organization and act accordingly. They install and maintain software and hardware. Also, they compile reports on technological improvements and changes. Similarly, they inform management about upgrades, information security, and related issues. Besides that, they work with technology professionals like systems analysts, support specialists, and software developers. Additionally, they manage the organization's networks. This includes wireless networks, cloud storage, and other systems of data storage and communication.

Applicants must hold a minimum of a bachelor's degree in systems management or a related field. You must have at least five years of relevant work experience. Having relevant certifications is a plus. You must possess organization, communication, computer, multitasking, leadership, and analytical skills. Systems managers make around $99,379 annually. This falls between $63,000 and $158,000.

  • Average Salary: $107,156
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree
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States With The Most Senior Systems Engineer Jobs

Mouse over a state to see the number of active senior systems engineer jobs in each state. The darker areas on the map show where senior systems engineers earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.

Average Salary: Job Openings:

Number Of Senior Systems Engineer Jobs By State

RankStateNumber of JobsAverage Salary
1California8,529$122,979
2Texas4,517$98,541
3Virginia3,913$102,069
4Florida2,893$95,031
5New York2,550$105,658
6Maryland2,374$102,393
7Illinois2,144$94,681
8Massachusetts1,975$104,474
9Pennsylvania1,975$98,041
10Colorado1,868$94,341
11Washington1,864$126,311
12North Carolina1,813$92,428
13Georgia1,691$92,985
14Ohio1,528$93,645
15Arizona1,481$97,514
16New Jersey1,400$98,113
17Michigan1,309$95,894
18Minnesota1,279$96,070
19Oregon1,076$113,621
20Alabama1,052$90,556
21Indiana901$84,817
22Missouri861$88,030
23Utah811$93,235
24Wisconsin776$95,980
25Tennessee724$98,965
26Connecticut621$99,729
27South Carolina606$93,589
28Iowa467$94,548
29Kansas433$85,809
30New Mexico431$97,021
31Nebraska404$100,785
32Kentucky402$86,364
33New Hampshire396$104,250
34Nevada383$106,495
35Oklahoma365$83,347
36Arkansas347$92,414
37Louisiana346$84,195
38Idaho291$106,705
39Rhode Island271$95,760
40Mississippi260$82,896
41Delaware235$95,731
42West Virginia226$88,708
43Montana199$92,553
44Maine189$104,149
45Vermont169$106,751
46North Dakota163$95,291
47South Dakota162$90,812
48Alaska158$98,877
49Hawaii142$106,651
50Wyoming128$96,379

Senior Systems Engineer Education

Senior Systems Engineer Majors

Electrical Engineering
21.0 %
Computer Science
19.6 %
Business
9.2 %

Senior Systems Engineer Degrees

Bachelors

68.6 %

Masters

15.9 %

Associate

11.0 %

Top Colleges for Senior Systems Engineers

1. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$51,832

Enrollment

4,550

3. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

4. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-State Tuition

$9,992

Enrollment

33,495

5. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

6. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

7. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,353

Enrollment

24,841

8. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

9. Minnesota State University - Mankato

Mankato, MN • Private

In-State Tuition

$8,184

Enrollment

11,675

10. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC • Private

In-State Tuition

$3,926

Enrollment

9,835

Top Skills For a Senior Systems Engineer

The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 9.1% of senior systems engineers listed architecture on their resume, but soft skills such as creativity and detail oriented are important as well.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Senior Systems Engineer Resume templates

Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Senior Systems Engineer templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Senior Systems Engineer resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.

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Senior Systems Engineer Resume
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Senior Systems Engineer Resume
Senior Systems Engineer Resume

Senior Systems Engineer diversity

Senior Systems Engineer Gender Distribution

Male
Male
89%
Female
Female
11%

After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:

  • Among senior systems engineers, 11.4% of them are women, while 88.6% are men.

  • The most common race/ethnicity among senior systems engineers is White, which makes up 52.6% of all senior systems engineers.

  • The most common foreign language among senior systems engineers is Spanish at 30.2%.

Online Courses For Senior Systems Engineer That You May Like

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Best States For a Senior Systems Engineer

Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a senior systems engineer. The best states for people in this position are Washington, California, Oregon, and Vermont. Senior systems engineers make the most in Washington with an average salary of $126,311. Whereas in California and Oregon, they would average $122,979 and $113,621, respectively. While senior systems engineers would only make an average of $106,751 in Vermont, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.

1. Washington

Total Senior Systems Engineer Jobs: 1,864
Highest 10% Earn:
$169,000
Location Quotient:
1.22

$126,311

Avg. Salary

View 1,864 Senior Systems Engineer Jobs In WA

2. Oregon

Total Senior Systems Engineer Jobs: 1,076
Highest 10% Earn:
$153,000
Location Quotient:
1.24

$113,621

Avg. Salary

View 1,076 Senior Systems Engineer Jobs In OR

3. California

Total Senior Systems Engineer Jobs: 8,529
Highest 10% Earn:
$167,000
Location Quotient:
1.39

$122,979

Avg. Salary

View 8,529 Senior Systems Engineer Jobs In CA
Full List Of Best States For Senior Systems Engineers

How Do Senior Systems Engineers Rate Their Jobs?

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Top Senior Systems Engineer Employers

We've made finding a great employer to work for easy by doing the hard work for you. We looked into employers that employ senior systems engineers and discovered their number of senior systems engineer opportunities and average salary. Through our research, we concluded that IBM was the best, especially with an average salary of $78,199. Infosys Public Services follows up with an average salary of $77,120, and then comes Qualcomm with an average of $110,044. In addition, we know most people would rather work from home. So instead of having to change careers, we identified the best employers for remote work as a senior systems engineer. The employers include Booz Allen Hamilton, NV Energy, and SAIC

Most Common Employers For Senior Systems Engineer

RankCompanyAverage SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
1Walmart$137,940$66.32162
2AT&T$117,913$56.69181
3T-Mobile$115,866$55.70399
4The Home Depot$112,541$54.11126
5Dell$112,144$53.92121
6Qualcomm$110,044$52.911,275
7EMC$106,880$51.38143
8General Dynamics$102,364$49.21254
9Siemens$102,300$49.18120
10Boeing$101,898$48.99152
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Becoming a Senior Systems Engineer FAQs

How Long Does It Take To Become A Senior Systems Engineer?

It takes roughly ten years to become a senior systems engineer. Most senior systems engineers have an advanced degree and industry certification, including at least four years of relevant professional experience.

How Much Do Systems Engineers Make?

Systems engineers make an annual average salary of $72,795, or $35 an hour. The average starting salary is $56,000. The highest-paid systems engineers work in San Francisco and in the telecommunication industry.

What Is A Senior Systems Engineer In Infosys?

A senior systems engineer in Infosys is responsible for designing, implementing, and managing software in order to meet client needs.

Where a non-senior systems engineer might be tasked with daily maintenance activities, a senior role is responsible for all stages of the Software Development Life Cycle.

What Qualifications Do I Need To Be A Systems Engineer?

To be a systems engineer, you need technical, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills, though most systems engineers also earned their bachelor's, and some earn advanced degrees and certificates.

Have more questions? See all answers to common computer and mathematical questions.

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Updated April 6, 2023