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The differences between senior systems engineers and senior principal 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 systems engineer, becoming a senior principal engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a senior principal engineer has an average salary of $130,642, which is higher than the $108,121 average annual salary of a senior systems engineer.
The top three skills for a senior systems engineer include architecture, linux and java. The most important skills for a senior principal engineer are python, architecture, and java.
| Senior Systems Engineer | Senior Principal Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $108,121 | $130,642 |
| Hourly rate | $51.98 | $62.81 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 166,742 | 272,459 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
A senior systems engineer specializes in overseeing network systems, management tools, software, and hardware within a company or an organization. Their primary responsibility is to install, maintain, and resolve complex system issues using their years of extensive knowledge and expertise. They can also provide insights, troubleshooting, and technical support should it be needed. Furthermore, as a senior systems engineer, it is also their responsibility to lead, supervise, and coordinate with a team of skilled system engineers while in adherence to company policies and regulations.
A senior principal engineer is responsible for leading engineering tasks within an organization and reports project updates to senior management. Senior principal engineers develop strategic methods and principles to improve the technical stability and efficiency of the company's systems, creating business proposals according to clients' specifications, and negotiating contracts with suppliers and other service providers. They also train new staff and identify innovations and business opportunities that would generate more revenue resources for the company.
Senior systems engineers and senior principal engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Systems Engineer | Senior Principal Engineer | |
| Average salary | $108,121 | $130,642 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $141,000 | Between $93,000 And $182,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Roku | Airbnb |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Professional |
There are a few differences between a senior systems engineer and a senior principal engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Systems Engineer | Senior Principal Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between senior systems engineers' and senior principal engineers' demographics:
| Senior Systems Engineer | Senior Principal Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.6% Female, 11.4% | Male, 88.2% Female, 11.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 30.0% White, 52.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.2% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 5% |