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The differences between applications technicians and computer support technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an applications technician and a computer support technician. Additionally, an applications technician has an average salary of $87,091, which is higher than the $41,852 average annual salary of a computer support technician.
The top three skills for an applications technician include troubleshoot, technical support and customer satisfaction. The most important skills for a computer support technician are customer service, technical support, and computer support.
| Applications Technician | Computer Support Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $87,091 | $41,852 |
| Hourly rate | $41.87 | $20.12 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 88,812 | 121,180 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Applications technicians are professionals who are responsible for providing technical support to the team that is involved in developing business systems applications. These technicians must possess understanding and knowledge in software applications so that they can help users by conducting software training and compiling training manuals. They are required to perform troubleshooting procedures for the propriety business applications and services of the company. Applications technicians must also conduct testing for development trials of their applications.
A computer support technician is responsible for diagnosing and resolving computer and network issues, identifying the source of malfunctions, and improving infrastructure to avoid downtimes and operational delays. Computer support technicians manage the efficiency of all equipment and peripherals for the computers, assist in installing components, and keeping adequate resources or alternatives for defective items. They also recommend minimal costs technology materials and create troubleshooting manuals for reference, ensuring that the network processes adhere to internal guidelines and regulations.
Applications technicians and computer support technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Applications Technician | Computer Support Technician | |
| Average salary | $87,091 | $41,852 |
| Salary range | Between $59,000 And $126,000 | Between $34,000 And $51,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sunnyvale, CA | Lompoc, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | Occidental Petroleum | Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between an applications technician and a computer support technician in terms of educational background:
| Applications Technician | Computer Support Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between applications technicians' and computer support technicians' demographics:
| Applications Technician | Computer Support Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 67.7% Female, 32.3% | Male, 83.2% Female, 16.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 10.6% White, 56.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 11.7% White, 55.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |