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The differences between systems engineers and senior 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 senior systems engineer. Additionally, a senior systems engineer has an average salary of $108,121, 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 senior systems engineer are architecture, linux, and java.
| Systems Engineer | Senior Systems Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $82,834 | $108,121 |
| Hourly rate | $39.82 | $51.98 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 145,936 | 166,742 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| 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 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.
Systems engineers and senior systems engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Systems Engineer | Senior Systems Engineer | |
| Average salary | $82,834 | $108,121 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $109,000 | Between $82,000 And $141,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Redwood City, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Roku |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Retail |
There are a few differences between a systems engineer and a senior systems engineer in terms of educational background:
| Systems Engineer | Senior Systems Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between systems engineers' and senior systems engineers' demographics:
| Systems Engineer | Senior Systems Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.1% Female, 13.9% | Male, 88.6% Female, 11.4% |
| 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, 4.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 30.0% White, 52.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |