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The differences between systems engineering interns 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 engineering internship and a senior systems engineer. Additionally, a senior systems engineer has an average salary of $108,121, which is higher than the $39,003 average annual salary of a systems engineering internship.
The top three skills for a systems engineering internship include python, C++ and C #. The most important skills for a senior systems engineer are architecture, linux, and java.
| Systems Engineering Internship | Senior Systems Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $39,003 | $108,121 |
| Hourly rate | $18.75 | $51.98 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 161,551 | 166,742 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
In a systems engineering internship, an intern is primarily responsible for following a supervising officer or manager's directives. Most of an intern's tasks revolve around assisting engineers in installing and maintaining systems, troubleshooting, and even providing corrective measures. There are also instances when an intern must process documentation, disseminate letters, manage schedules and inventory, attend meetings, and participate in creating new updates and systems for a company. Furthermore, should there be any problems, an intern must report to the supervising officer.
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 engineering interns and senior systems engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Systems Engineering Internship | Senior Systems Engineer | |
| Average salary | $39,003 | $108,121 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $56,000 | Between $82,000 And $141,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Redwood City, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Washington |
| Best paying company | - | Roku |
| Best paying industry | - | Retail |
There are a few differences between a systems engineering internship and a senior systems engineer in terms of educational background:
| Systems Engineering Internship | Senior Systems Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between systems engineering interns' and senior systems engineers' demographics:
| Systems Engineering Internship | Senior Systems Engineer | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 78.3% Female, 21.7% | Male, 88.6% Female, 11.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 29.8% White, 52.2% 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% |