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The differences between unix systems administrators and 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 unix systems administrator and a systems engineer. Additionally, a unix systems administrator has an average salary of $87,936, which is higher than the $82,834 average annual salary of a systems engineer.
The top three skills for a unix systems administrator include production servers, solaris and database. The most important skills for a systems engineer are python, linux, and C++.
| Unix Systems Administrator | Systems Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $87,936 | $82,834 |
| Hourly rate | $42.28 | $39.82 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 110,185 | 145,936 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 43 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
UNIX system administrators install, configure, and maintain the UNIX systems of organizations. The administrators are in charge of the troubleshooting of server errors. They install new system hardware for their respective organizations and respond to the issues raised by the users. It is part of their job to monitor the network's performance. Usually, they are working in an office using UNIX multiuser operating system. They supervise the execution of data conversion projects such as database hardware replacements.
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.
Unix systems administrators and systems engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Unix Systems Administrator | Systems Engineer | |
| Average salary | $87,936 | $82,834 |
| Salary range | Between $64,000 And $119,000 | Between $62,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | PayPal | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a unix systems administrator and a systems engineer in terms of educational background:
| Unix Systems Administrator | Systems Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between unix systems administrators' and systems engineers' demographics:
| Unix Systems Administrator | Systems Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 85.2% Female, 14.8% | Male, 86.1% Female, 13.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 13.8% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | 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 | 9% | 8% |