Systems engineer demographics and statistics in the US
Systems engineer demographics research summary. Zippia estimates systems engineer demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our systems engineer estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about systems engineers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 453,693 systems engineers currently employed in the United States.
- 13.9% of all systems engineers are women, while 86.1% are men.
- The average systems engineer age is 39 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of systems engineers is White (52.1%), followed by Asian (29.7%), Hispanic or Latino (8.4%) and Unknown (4.9%).
- Systems engineers are most in-demand in Annapolis, MD.
- San Francisco, CA pays an annual average wage of $102,767, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women systems engineers earned 94% of what men earned.
- Washington is the best state for systems engineers to live.
- Systems engineers are 51% more likely to work at public companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Systems engineer demographics by:
Systems engineer gender statistics
13.9% of systems engineers are women and 86.1% of systems engineers are men.
- Male, 86.1%
- Female, 13.9%
Systems engineer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 86.1% |
| Female | 13.9% |
Systems engineer gender pay gap
Women earn 94¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$81,114
Female income
$76,317
Systems engineer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in systems engineer positions over time. Currently, 13.9% of systems engineers are female.
Systems engineer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 84.06% | 15.94% |
| 2011 | 83.88% | 16.12% |
| 2012 | 84.90% | 15.10% |
| 2013 | 84.83% | 15.17% |
| 2014 | 85.65% | 14.35% |
| 2015 | 85.43% | 14.57% |
| 2016 | 86.58% | 13.42% |
| 2017 | 86.18% | 13.82% |
| 2018 | 86.21% | 13.79% |
| 2019 | 86.02% | 13.98% |
| 2020 | 85.97% | 14.03% |
| 2021 | 86.05% | 13.95% |
Systems engineer related jobs gender ratio
We compared systems engineers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, dell certified systems expert and software applications architect have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Informatics Nurse Specialist | 13% | 87% |
| Clinical Support Specialist | 22% | 78% |
| Clinic Administrator | 23% | 77% |
| Systems Engineer | 86% | 14% |
| Senior Data Center Engineer | 98% | 2% |
| Software Applications Architect | 98% | 2% |
| Dell Certified Systems Expert | 99% | 1% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Systems engineer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among systems engineers is White, which makes up 52.1% of all systems engineers. Comparatively, 29.7% of systems engineers are Asian and 8.4% of systems engineers are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 52.1%
- Asian, 29.7%
- Hispanic or Latino, 8.4%
- Unknown, 4.9%
- Black or African American, 4.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
Systems engineer race
| Systems engineer race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 52.1% |
| Asian | 29.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8.4% |
| Unknown | 4.9% |
| Black or African American | 4.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.2% |
Systems engineer race and ethnicity over time
See how systems engineer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Systems engineer race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 60.25% | 5.73% | 25.53% | 5.96% |
| 2011 | 60.71% | 5.96% | 25.03% | 5.67% |
| 2012 | 59.62% | 5.50% | 26.41% | 6.11% |
| 2013 | 60.01% | 5.02% | 26.23% | 5.92% |
| 2014 | 58.89% | 5.54% | 26.88% | 6.05% |
| 2015 | 58.06% | 5.34% | 27.00% | 6.63% |
| 2016 | 57.56% | 5.33% | 27.71% | 6.62% |
| 2017 | 56.14% | 5.21% | 28.26% | 6.99% |
| 2018 | 56.79% | 5.06% | 27.49% | 7.60% |
| 2019 | 55.96% | 5.16% | 28.68% | 7.22% |
| 2020 | 54.16% | 4.90% | 28.44% | 8.04% |
| 2021 | 52.14% | 4.65% | 29.75% | 8.43% |
Systems engineer wage gap by race
According to our data, asian systems engineers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american systems engineers have the lowest average salary at $78,349.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $81,605 |
| White | $81,386 |
| Black or African American | $78,349 |
| Asian | $85,098 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $79,300 |
Average systems engineer age
See how the average age of systems engineers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Systems engineer age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 37 | 46 |
| Unknown | 37 | 34 |
| Asian | 38 | 37 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 36 | 34 |
| White | 39 | 40 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 41 |
Systems engineer age breakdown
The average age of systems engineers is 40+ years years old, representing 45% of the systems engineer population.
Systems engineer age breakdown
| Systems Engineer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 45% |
| 30-40 years | 36% |
| 20-30 years | 18% |
Systems engineer educational attainment
The most common degree for systems engineers is bachelor's degree, with 70% of systems engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 13% and master's degree degree at 13%.
- Bachelor's, 70%
- Master's, 13%
- Associate, 13%
- Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 2%
Systems engineers by degree level
| Systems engineer degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 70% |
| Master's | 13% |
| Associate | 13% |
| Diploma | 2% |
| Other Degrees | 2% |
Systems engineer jobs you might like
Systems engineer wage gap by degree level
According to the data, systems engineers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $94,007 annually. With a Master's degree, systems engineers earn a median annual income of $87,878 compared to $81,366 for systems engineers with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $87,878 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $81,366 |
| Doctorate Degree | $94,007 |
Systems engineer employment statistics
Most systems engineers work for a public in the technology industry.
Company size where systems engineers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where systems engineers work.
Systems engineer jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 2% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 7% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 14% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 6% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 25% |
| > 10,000 employees | 46% |
Systems engineer jobs by company type
Employees with the systems engineer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most systems engineers prefer to work at public companies over private companies.
Systems engineer jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 51% |
| Private | 46% |
| Government | 1% |
Systems engineer jobs by industry
The most common industries for systems engineers are technology, professional and telecommunication.
Systems engineer industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Technology | 35% |
| Fortune 500 | 19% |
| Telecommunication | 7% |
| Professional | 7% |
| Finance | 6% |
| Manufacturing | 5% |
| Transportation | 3% |
| Automotive | 3% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Government | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
Systems engineer turnover and employment statistics
Systems engineer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for systems engineers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Systems engineer unemployment rate by year
| Year | Systems engineer unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 4.56% |
| 2011 | 3.25% |
| 2012 | 2.64% |
| 2013 | 2.67% |
| 2014 | 2.07% |
| 2015 | 2.26% |
| 2016 | 2.33% |
| 2017 | 2.17% |
| 2018 | 1.80% |
| 2019 | 1.88% |
| 2020 | 2.40% |
| 2021 | 2.07% |
Average systems engineer tenure
The average systems engineer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 54,051 systems engineers resumes in Zippia's database.
Systems engineer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 18% |
| 1-2 years | 41% |
| 3-4 years | 16% |
| 5-7 years | 12% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 7% |
Systems engineer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of systems engineers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Telecommunications Coordinator | 7.31% | 8,006 |
| Lead System Analyst | 8.42% | 124,634 |
| Systems Engineer | 8.46% | - |
| Defense Analyst | 8.59% | 24,879 |
| Networks Software Consultant | 9.03% | 30,705 |
| Lead Software Tester | 10.54% | 229,582 |
| Computer Laboratory Supervisor | 10.88% | 54,027 |
Similar systems engineer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Telecommunications Coordinator | 7.31% | 8,006 |
| Lead System Analyst | 8.42% | 124,634 |
| Defense Analyst | 8.59% | 24,879 |
| Networks Software Consultant | 9.03% | 30,705 |
| Lead Software Tester | 10.54% | 229,582 |
| Computer Laboratory Supervisor | 10.88% | 54,027 |
Foreign languages spoken by systems engineers
The most common foreign language among systems engineers is Spanish at 31.8%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 9.7% and German is the third-most popular at 7.8%.
- Spanish, 31.8%
- French, 9.7%
- German, 7.8%
- Carrier, 6.6%
- Chinese, 6.2%
- Other, 37.9%
Systems engineer languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 31.8% |
| French | 9.7% |
| German | 7.8% |
| Carrier | 6.6% |
| Chinese | 6.2% |
| Other | 37.9% |
