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What is a solutions engineer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Andrea Welker Ph.D.
introduction image

A solutions engineer identifies and solves complex problems for clients in the technology industry. They use their expertise to design and implement customized solutions that meet the clients’ needs. Solutions engineers work closely with sales teams to understand requirements, and with development teams to test solutions. They also provide ongoing support to clients after implementation. Solutions engineers use communication skills to explain technical concepts and project management skills to complete projects on time and within budget.

What general advice would you give to a solutions engineer?

Andrea Welker Ph.D.Andrea Welker Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, College of Engineering Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Villanova University

Be open to new experiences. Find a good mentor. Become a valued employee. Always remember that you are designing something for someone.
ScoreSolutions EngineerUS Average
Salary
7.5

Avg. Salary $95,482

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.3

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.4
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.33%

Asian 10.81%

Black or African American 1.45%

Hispanic or Latino 6.93%

Unknown 6.11%

White 74.38%

Gender

female 14.89%

male 85.11%

Age - 44
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44
Stress level
7.3

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.5

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
4.2

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a solutions engineer?

Pros

  • High demand for solutions engineers in the current job market

  • High earning potential

  • Room for career advancement and growth

  • Flexibility in work schedule and location

  • Opportunity to travel and attend conferences

Cons

  • Often requires long hours and overtime work

  • Can be stressful dealing with multiple projects at once

  • May require extensive travel away from home and family

  • Can be challenging to maintain work-life balance

  • May require working on weekends or holidays to meet project deadlines

Solutions engineer career paths

Key steps to become a solutions engineer

  1. Explore solutions engineer education requirements

    Most common solutions engineer degrees

    Bachelor's

    67.5 %

    Associate

    14.0 %

    Master's

    13.3 %
  2. Start to develop specific solutions engineer skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Cloud8.47%
    Pre Sales8.36%
    Java7.00%
    Architecture5.59%
    Customer Satisfaction4.97%
  3. Complete relevant solutions engineer training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New solutions engineers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a solutions engineer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real solutions engineer resumes.
  4. Research solutions engineer duties and responsibilities

    • Manage NDS tree for CSRS and all TCP/IP resolve via DHCP.
    • Subject matter expert in SAAS solution sets, manage services and manufacturing/logistics.
    • Develop tools to automate troubleshooting tasks such as DNS resolutions and log collection.
    • Manage a small team thereby training the team on data center and VPN technologies.
  5. Prepare your solutions engineer resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your solutions engineer resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a solutions engineer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable solutions engineer resume templates

    Build a professional solutions engineer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your solutions engineer resume.
    Solutions Engineer Resume
    Solutions Engineer Resume
    Solutions Engineer Resume
    Solutions Engineer Resume
    Solutions Engineer Resume
    Solutions Engineer Resume
    Solutions Engineer Resume
    Solutions Engineer Resume
    Solutions Engineer Resume
  6. Apply for solutions engineer jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a solutions engineer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first solutions engineer job

Zippi

Are you a solutions engineer?

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Average solutions engineer salary

The average solutions engineer salary in the United States is $95,482 per year or $46 per hour. Solutions engineer salaries range between $68,000 and $134,000 per year.

Average solutions engineer salary
$95,482 Yearly
$45.90 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do solutions engineers rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Solutions engineer reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2020
Pros

The Different employees i work with and what all i learn from them

Cons

very little


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2019
Pros

Requires many aspect to be combine in order to fulfill the job. business and technical knowledge are required in order to be successful pre sales engineer.

Cons

no general certification like PMP exists for pre sales engineer, they are all specified for one product. requires an absurd amount of concentration required for proposals writing if you don't have the adequate tools to help.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2019
Pros

Troubleshooting and commissioning

Cons

Undone job, when we're unable to discover certain fault on time.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.