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The differences between computer technicians and customer 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 technician and a customer support technician. Additionally, a computer technician has an average salary of $39,767, which is higher than the $36,361 average annual salary of a customer support technician.
The top three skills for a computer technician include customer service, desk support and network printers. The most important skills for a customer support technician are customer service, customer support, and SQL.
| Computer Technician | Customer Support Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $39,767 | $36,361 |
| Hourly rate | $19.12 | $17.48 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 95,688 | 117,102 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Computer technicians are skilled information technology professionals who handle concerns related to computers. They are responsible for assisting clients in software installations, troubleshooting needs, and repair needs. Computer technicians handle the maintenance and repair of both software and hardware of computers. They should be able to quickly pinpoint the causes of computer problems that the client encounters. They should also be able to answer the clients' computer-related inquiries and provide advice on proper computer handling. Computer technicians should have good analytical skills and decision-making skills.
A customer support technician is responsible for resolving customer complaints with their network issues through remote communication, providing the customers with a step-by-step procedure to fix their systems. Customer support technicians assist the customers in setting up their programs and applications, guiding them with the instructional manuals, and responding to the inquiries and concerns they have. They also escalate high-level complaints to the immediate supervisor as needed while monitoring system solutions and creating technical tickets.
Computer technicians and customer support technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Computer Technician | Customer Support Technician | |
| Average salary | $39,767 | $36,361 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $55,000 | Between $23,000 And $56,000 |
| Highest paying City | Alexandria, VA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Virginia | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Adobe |
| Best paying industry | Government | Technology |
There are a few differences between a computer technician and a customer support technician in terms of educational background:
| Computer Technician | Customer Support Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between computer technicians' and customer support technicians' demographics:
| Computer Technician | Customer Support Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.0% Female, 13.0% | Male, 66.1% Female, 33.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 11.1% White, 55.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 10.6% White, 56.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |