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The differences between desktop support technicians and junior 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 desktop support technician and a junior technician. Additionally, a desktop support technician has an average salary of $41,792, which is higher than the $39,417 average annual salary of a junior technician.
The top three skills for a desktop support technician include customer service, desktop support and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a junior technician are customer service, HVAC, and fall protection.
| Desktop Support Technician | Junior Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $41,792 | $39,417 |
| Hourly rate | $20.09 | $18.95 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 108,944 | 103,780 |
| Job satisfaction | 1 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 34% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
A junior technician is responsible for supporting senior technicians on maintaining the efficiency and optimal performance of various hardware and software systems and applications. Junior technicians assist the end-users and employees on troubleshooting inconsistent programs, identifying its complexities, and reporting findings to the management for resolution. They also update the systems' features to increase its operational productivity and maintain system recoveries. A junior technician must have excellent knowledge of the technology industry, as well as a strong command on programming language and system codes, especially on conducting system analysis and installing applications.
Desktop support technicians and junior technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Desktop Support Technician | Junior Technician | |
| Average salary | $41,792 | $39,417 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $54,000 | Between $26,000 And $57,000 |
| Highest paying City | Philadelphia, PA | Alexandria, VA |
| Highest paying state | Pennsylvania | New York |
| Best paying company | NTT Data International L.L.C. | Citi |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a desktop support technician and a junior technician in terms of educational background:
| Desktop Support Technician | Junior Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 34% |
| Most common major | Computer Information Systems | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between desktop support technicians' and junior technicians' demographics:
| Desktop Support Technician | Junior Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.8% Female, 10.2% | Male, 82.9% Female, 17.1% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 10.6% White, 56.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |