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The differences between systems engineers and principal systems engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a systems engineer and a principal systems engineer. Additionally, a principal systems engineer has an average salary of $133,208, which is higher than the $82,834 average annual salary of a systems engineer.
The top three skills for a systems engineer include python, linux and C++. The most important skills for a principal systems engineer are systems engineering, DOD, and C++.
| Systems Engineer | Principal Systems Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $82,834 | $133,208 |
| Hourly rate | $39.82 | $64.04 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 145,936 | 146,444 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 39 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Systems engineers are responsible for creating and overseeing systems related to the overall operations of the organization. They are in charge of assessing the organization's needs in terms of systems and creating plans to address these needs. These systems are usually related to the production or manufacturing of company products. Systems engineers create end-to-end processes that ensure efficiency and effectiveness. They make sure that the processes they put in place adhere to safety and security policies and guidelines. They also do routine checks and continuously find ways to further improve production and other systems.
A Principal Systems Engineer supervises a group of other engineers in technical projects. They develop and lead systems engineering projects and efforts.
Systems engineers and principal systems engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Systems Engineer | Principal Systems Engineer | |
| Average salary | $82,834 | $133,208 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $109,000 | Between $97,000 And $181,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | eBay |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a systems engineer and a principal systems engineer in terms of educational background:
| Systems Engineer | Principal Systems Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Northeastern University |
Here are the differences between systems engineers' and principal systems engineers' demographics:
| Systems Engineer | Principal Systems Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.1% Female, 13.9% | Male, 89.7% Female, 10.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 29.7% White, 52.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 8.3% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 12.8% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 9% |