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The differences between system design engineers and senior 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 system design engineer, becoming a senior engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a senior engineer has an average salary of $108,743, which is higher than the $107,704 average annual salary of a system design engineer.
The top three skills for a system design engineer include system design, architecture and MATLAB. The most important skills for a senior engineer are java, python, and architecture.
| System Design Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $107,704 | $108,743 |
| Hourly rate | $51.78 | $52.28 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 113,582 | 343,200 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
A system design engineer is an individual who participates in system design engineering and resolves manufacturing and service problems. System design engineers are required to collaborate with the system design team to research emerging technologies and develop new capabilities. They create design layouts by utilizing the use of CAD software such as AutoCad as well as supervise a group of CAD technicians. System design engineers must also provide customer service in the field and deliver individualized problem solving and system design support
A senior engineer is responsible for overseeing all operations within a designated area. With years of experience and expertise, a senior engineer may take charge of establishing goals, deadlines, and budgets for a particular project. They must devise and implement strategies that would improve the quality of workflow and deliver significant results. Furthermore, a senior manager must also supervise a team of skilled engineers, leading them in the joint effort to reach the company's vision and mission, all while adhering to the safety standards and regulations.
System design engineers and senior engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| System Design Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Average salary | $107,704 | $108,743 |
| Salary range | Between $77,000 And $149,000 | Between $82,000 And $144,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Roku |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a system design engineer and a senior engineer in terms of educational background:
| System Design Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Michigan Technological University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between system design engineers' and senior engineers' demographics:
| System Design Engineer | Senior Engineer | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.2% Female, 8.8% | Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 15.4% White, 63.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 17.1% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |