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The differences between virtualization engineers and senior system administrators 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 senior system administrator. Additionally, a senior system administrator has an average salary of $98,146, 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 senior system administrator are linux, windows server, and troubleshoot.
| Virtualization Engineer | Senior System Administrator | |
| Yearly salary | $97,397 | $98,146 |
| Hourly rate | $46.83 | $47.19 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 60,218 | 100,873 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| 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 senior system administrator specializes in overseeing the computer system operations in an organization. Their responsibilities primarily revolve around monitoring the performance of all software and hardware, installing servers, configuring systems, and making sure every technical aspect is running smoothly. Should there be any issues, they must take charge of troubleshooting and providing solutions. As someone with more experience, a senior system administrator leads and evaluates the performances of fellow skilled professionals in the department, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.
Virtualization engineers and senior system administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Virtualization Engineer | Senior System Administrator | |
| Average salary | $97,397 | $98,146 |
| Salary range | Between $72,000 And $130,000 | Between $75,000 And $126,000 |
| Highest paying City | Vacaville, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Cambridge Associates |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Finance |
There are a few differences between a virtualization engineer and a senior system administrator in terms of educational background:
| Virtualization Engineer | Senior System Administrator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between virtualization engineers' and senior system administrators' demographics:
| Virtualization Engineer | Senior System Administrator | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.0% Female, 5.0% | Male, 89.0% Female, 11.0% |
| 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, 8.9% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 11.8% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |