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The differences between virtualization engineers and lead 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 virtualization engineer and a lead systems engineer. Additionally, a lead systems engineer has an average salary of $119,705, which is higher than the $97,397 average annual salary of a virtualization engineer.
The top three skills for a virtualization engineer include troubleshoot, virtualization and VDI. The most important skills for a lead systems engineer are systems engineering, architecture, and infrastructure.
| Virtualization Engineer | Lead Systems Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $97,397 | $119,705 |
| Hourly rate | $46.83 | $57.55 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 60,218 | 186,392 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A virtualization engineer specializes in designing and developing systems and procedures to manage data storage and other data platforms. Among their responsibilities include performing server and platform maintenance, handling data migration, creating new tools and applications, and producing progress reports. They must also gather and analyze data to identify areas needing improvement and implement solutions against problem areas. Furthermore, as an engineer, it is essential to maintain an active communication line with staff for a smooth and efficient workflow.
A lead systems engineer is responsible for maintaining the safety and security of the systems infrastructure and improving the stability of the operating systems to support business operations. Lead systems engineers install and upgrade software applications and ensure that the technical strategies meet the quality standards and business requirements. They also enhance the performance of the existing systems, configuring features for optimization. A lead systems engineer must have excellent communication and technical skills, especially in supporting the end-users with technical failures and identifying accurate resolutions.
Virtualization engineers and lead systems engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Virtualization Engineer | Lead Systems Engineer | |
| Average salary | $97,397 | $119,705 |
| Salary range | Between $72,000 And $130,000 | Between $90,000 And $158,000 |
| Highest paying City | Vacaville, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a virtualization engineer and a lead systems engineer in terms of educational background:
| Virtualization Engineer | Lead Systems Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between virtualization engineers' and lead systems engineers' demographics:
| Virtualization Engineer | Lead Systems Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.0% Female, 5.0% | Male, 88.1% Female, 11.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 13.7% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 12.5% White, 61.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |