Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between computer repair technicians and desk 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 a computer repair technician and a desk support technician. Additionally, a desk support technician has an average salary of $40,715, which is higher than the $32,627 average annual salary of a computer repair technician.
The top three skills for a computer repair technician include troubleshoot, laptop computers and computer system. The most important skills for a desk support technician are customer service, technical support, and troubleshoot.
| Computer Repair Technician | Desk Support Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $32,627 | $40,715 |
| Hourly rate | $15.69 | $19.57 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 109,196 | 130,485 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 41% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A computer repair technician installs, repairs, and maintains different computer equipment. Computer repair technicians repair and maintain computers and their servers. The technicians are responsible for configuring and building new hardware as well as installing and updating software packages. They have to be updated on the ever-evolving technology for certain job analysis and troubleshooting. Good computer repair technicians are investigative who are introspective, inquisitive, and intellectual. They are also methodical, logical, rational, and curious.
A desktop support technician is responsible for assisting end-users with their network issues, grant authorization requests, and create user accounts. Desktop support technicians maintain the safety and security of networks, preventing unauthorized access and illegal dissemination of database information. They also handle the software configurations and upgrading the network infrastructure to avoid system downtimes and operational delays. A desktop support technician must have excellent communication and technical skills to monitor systems performance and enhance network navigation.
Computer repair technicians and desk support technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Computer Repair Technician | Desk Support Technician | |
| Average salary | $32,627 | $40,715 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $41,000 | Between $26,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | Saint Paul, MN | South San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Minnesota | California |
| Best paying company | Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES | BNY Mellon |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a computer repair technician and a desk support technician in terms of educational background:
| Computer Repair Technician | Desk Support Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 41% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between computer repair technicians' and desk support technicians' demographics:
| Computer Repair Technician | Desk Support Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.0% Female, 10.0% | Male, 82.6% Female, 17.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 10.7% White, 56.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 11.7% White, 55.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |