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The differences between virtualization engineers and systems support 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 systems support engineer. Additionally, a virtualization engineer has an average salary of $97,397, which is higher than the $82,561 average annual salary of a systems support engineer.
The top three skills for a virtualization engineer include troubleshoot, virtualization and VDI. The most important skills for a systems support engineer are linux, troubleshoot, and technical support.
| Virtualization Engineer | Systems Support Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $97,397 | $82,561 |
| Hourly rate | $46.83 | $39.69 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 60,218 | 182,434 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| 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.
Systems support engineers are information technology professionals who are responsible for building and maintaining the IT infrastructure of an organization. They are required to provide network administration and technical support to identify complex problem issues and come up with solutions to solve them. They must assist the system support engineers in accomplishing any projects they are working with. They must troubleshoot servers, personal computers, and peripheral equipment while liaising with their customers. They must also create and maintain user accounts and implement group policy management through an active directory.
Virtualization engineers and systems support engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Virtualization Engineer | Systems Support Engineer | |
| Average salary | $97,397 | $82,561 |
| Salary range | Between $72,000 And $130,000 | Between $62,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | Vacaville, CA | Novato, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Finance |
There are a few differences between a virtualization engineer and a systems support engineer in terms of educational background:
| Virtualization Engineer | Systems Support Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between virtualization engineers' and systems support engineers' demographics:
| Virtualization Engineer | Systems Support Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.0% Female, 5.0% | Male, 89.5% Female, 10.5% |
| 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, 8.5% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 11.5% White, 62.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |