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The differences between desktop engineers 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 desktop engineer and a customer support engineer. Additionally, a desktop engineer has an average salary of $102,893, which is higher than the $82,674 average annual salary of a customer support engineer.
The top three skills for a desktop engineer include customer service, SCCM and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a customer support engineer are customer support, technical support, and customer service.
| Desktop Engineer | Customer Support Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $102,893 | $82,674 |
| Hourly rate | $49.47 | $39.75 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 87,458 | 138,641 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A desktop engineer is responsible for monitoring the efficiency and performance of computer systems across the organization to deliver high-performance on business operations and client specifications. Desktop engineers resolve computer desktop issues, including navigation and security complications that create delays in the operational process. They conduct regular maintenance with the computer systems, upgrade network infrastructure, and perform configuration to ensure smooth functionality and resolutions. A desktop engineer should have excellent knowledge of the technology industry, recommending system solutions to avoid the reoccurrence of network issues and glitches.
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.
Desktop engineers and customer support engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Desktop Engineer | Customer Support Engineer | |
| Average salary | $102,893 | $82,674 |
| Salary range | Between $77,000 And $136,000 | Between $59,000 And $114,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Ropes & Gray | Nokia |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a desktop engineer and a customer support engineer in terms of educational background:
| Desktop Engineer | Customer Support Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between desktop engineers' and customer support engineers' demographics:
| Desktop Engineer | Customer Support Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.7% Female, 11.3% | Male, 85.8% Female, 14.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.8% Asian, 13.6% White, 53.6% 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% |