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The differences between senior systems engineers and systems managers 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 systems manager takes usually requires 6-8 years. Additionally, a senior systems engineer has an average salary of $108,121, which is higher than the $107,156 average annual salary of a systems manager.
The top three skills for a senior systems engineer include architecture, linux and java. The most important skills for a systems manager are customer service, project management, and patients.
| Senior Systems Engineer | Systems Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $108,121 | $107,156 |
| Hourly rate | $51.98 | $51.52 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 166,742 | 145,551 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 39 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 8 |
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 systems manager is responsible for monitoring the operations of the information technology department, evaluating staff performance, developing strategic procedures to maximize productivity, and identifying business opportunities that would generate more revenues and profitability for the company. Systems managers inspect company networks to ensure the efficiency of the technology systems, conducting regular diagnostic tests, and installing upgrades to boost optimization. A systems manager must have excellent knowledge of the technology industry, as well as a strong command in programming languages and system codes to maintain the security of the company's database.
Senior systems engineers and systems managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Systems Engineer | Systems Manager | |
| Average salary | $108,121 | $107,156 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $141,000 | Between $75,000 And $152,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Roku | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Technology |
There are a few differences between a senior systems engineer and a systems manager in terms of educational background:
| Senior Systems Engineer | Systems Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Carnegie Mellon University |
Here are the differences between senior systems engineers' and systems managers' demographics:
| Senior Systems Engineer | Systems Manager | |
| Average age | 39 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.6% Female, 11.4% | Male, 76.8% Female, 23.2% |
| 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, 6.7% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 10.1% Asian, 12.6% White, 65.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 11% |