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The differences between systems managers and systems engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become a systems manager, becoming a systems engineer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a systems manager has an average salary of $107,156, which is higher than the $82,834 average annual salary of a systems engineer.
The top three skills for a systems manager include customer service, project management and patients. The most important skills for a systems engineer are python, linux, and C++.
| Systems Manager | Systems Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $107,156 | $82,834 |
| Hourly rate | $51.52 | $39.82 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 145,551 | 145,936 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 47 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 2 |
A systems manager is responsible for monitoring the operations of the information technology department, evaluating staff performance, developing strategic procedures to maximize productivity, and identifying business opportunities that would generate more revenues and profitability for the company. Systems managers inspect company networks to ensure the efficiency of the technology systems, conducting regular diagnostic tests, and installing upgrades to boost optimization. A systems manager must have excellent knowledge of the technology industry, as well as a strong command in programming languages and system codes to maintain the security of the company's database.
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.
Systems managers and systems engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Systems Manager | Systems Engineer | |
| Average salary | $107,156 | $82,834 |
| Salary range | Between $75,000 And $152,000 | Between $62,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a systems manager and a systems engineer in terms of educational background:
| Systems Manager | Systems Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Business | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between systems managers' and systems engineers' demographics:
| Systems Manager | Systems Engineer | |
| Average age | 47 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 76.8% Female, 23.2% | Male, 86.1% Female, 13.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.7% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 10.1% Asian, 12.6% White, 65.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 8% |