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The differences between senior systems engineers and senior system administrators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a senior systems engineer and a senior system administrator. Additionally, a senior systems engineer has an average salary of $108,121, which is higher than the $98,146 average annual salary of a senior system administrator.
The top three skills for a senior systems engineer include architecture, linux and java. The most important skills for a senior system administrator are linux, windows server, and troubleshoot.
| Senior Systems Engineer | Senior System Administrator | |
| Yearly salary | $108,121 | $98,146 |
| Hourly rate | $51.98 | $47.19 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 166,742 | 100,873 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 39 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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 system administrator specializes in overseeing the computer system operations in an organization. Their responsibilities primarily revolve around monitoring the performance of all software and hardware, installing servers, configuring systems, and making sure every technical aspect is running smoothly. Should there be any issues, they must take charge of troubleshooting and providing solutions. As someone with more experience, a senior system administrator leads and evaluates the performances of fellow skilled professionals in the department, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.
Senior systems engineers and senior system administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Systems Engineer | Senior System Administrator | |
| Average salary | $108,121 | $98,146 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $141,000 | Between $75,000 And $126,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Roku | Cambridge Associates |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Finance |
There are a few differences between a senior systems engineer and a senior system administrator in terms of educational background:
| Senior Systems Engineer | Senior System Administrator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between senior systems engineers' and senior system administrators' demographics:
| Senior Systems Engineer | Senior System Administrator | |
| Average age | 39 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.6% Female, 11.4% | Male, 89.0% Female, 11.0% |
| 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, 8.9% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 11.8% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 9% |