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The differences between computer support technicians and customer 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 computer support technician and a customer support engineer. Additionally, a customer support engineer has an average salary of $82,674, which is higher than the $41,852 average annual salary of a computer support technician.
The top three skills for a computer support technician include customer service, technical support and computer support. The most important skills for a customer support engineer are customer support, technical support, and customer service.
| Computer Support Technician | Customer Support Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $41,852 | $82,674 |
| Hourly rate | $20.12 | $39.75 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 121,180 | 138,641 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
A customer support engineer is responsible for providing the highest customer service by responding to the customers' inquiries and concerns and resolving their complaints regarding the technical products of the company. Customer support engineers handle escalated requests, determine technical solutions, and write resolution reports for reference. They also manage the installation and upgrades of network systems based on clients' specifications to ensure that their systems work with maximum performance. A customer support engineer must have excellent communication and technical skills, especially in recommending improvements to prevent system failures and minimize customers' complaints.
Computer support technicians and customer support engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Computer Support Technician | Customer Support Engineer | |
| Average salary | $41,852 | $82,674 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $51,000 | Between $59,000 And $114,000 |
| Highest paying City | Lompoc, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory | Nokia |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Technology |
There are a few differences between a computer support technician and a customer support engineer in terms of educational background:
| Computer Support Technician | Customer Support Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between computer support technicians' and customer support engineers' demographics:
| Computer Support Technician | Customer Support Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.2% Female, 16.8% | Male, 85.8% Female, 14.2% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% Asian, 15.0% White, 54.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |