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The differences between configuration technicians and desktop 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 configuration technician and a desktop support technician. Additionally, a desktop support technician has an average salary of $41,792, which is higher than the $35,291 average annual salary of a configuration technician.
The top three skills for a configuration technician include troubleshoot, computer system and customer service. The most important skills for a desktop support technician are customer service, desktop support, and troubleshoot.
| Configuration Technician | Desktop Support Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $35,291 | $41,792 |
| Hourly rate | $16.97 | $20.09 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 91,456 | 108,944 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 1 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 41% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Configuration technicians are in charge of the installation, testing, and troubleshooting of operating systems and software. The technicians assess computer networks and make an analysis of security measures for the correct functioning. They take responsibility for the daily maintenance of the systems to prevent interruptions. Their tasks may include research of new systems as well as recommendations on network solutions to meet client needs. Skills in computer hardware, troubleshooting, computer system, and customer service are necessary for this job.
A desktop support technician is responsible for troubleshooting defective computer systems, affecting its performance and efficiency. Desktop support technicians must be highly familiar with the technology systems and programming codes to navigate system applications and locate the discrepancy of the system. They keep documentation of the ticket issue and the resolution for reference and quality improvement. A desktop support technician also configures and updates computer systems and networks for better optimization, as well as conducting regular inspections and monitoring the efficiency of installed programs and patches.
Configuration technicians and desktop support technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Configuration Technician | Desktop Support Technician | |
| Average salary | $35,291 | $41,792 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $47,000 | Between $32,000 And $54,000 |
| Highest paying City | Los Angeles, CA | Philadelphia, PA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Pennsylvania |
| Best paying company | City National Bank | NTT Data International L.L.C. |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a configuration technician and a desktop support technician in terms of educational background:
| Configuration Technician | Desktop Support Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 41% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Computer Information Systems | Computer Information Systems |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between configuration technicians' and desktop support technicians' demographics:
| Configuration Technician | Desktop Support Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.7% Female, 13.3% | Male, 89.8% Female, 10.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 11.3% White, 56.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 11.7% White, 54.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |