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The differences between desktop support technicians and services desk 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 services desk technician. Additionally, a services desk technician has an average salary of $42,123, which is higher than the $41,792 average annual salary of a desktop support technician.
The top three skills for a desktop support technician include customer service, desktop support and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a services desk technician are service desk, customer service, and troubleshoot.
| Desktop Support Technician | Services Desk Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $41,792 | $42,123 |
| Hourly rate | $20.09 | $20.25 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 108,944 | 145,853 |
| Job satisfaction | 1 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| 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.
Service Desk Technicians are technicians who specialize in providing support to clients. They are usually in fields related to information technology, and they provide technical support to the employees of the organization. They usually help clients in installing, updating, repairing, or maintaining technical components. They are technology-savvy and should be able to communicate well. Most of the time, Service Desk Technicians are contacted through phone calls and thus should be able to guide callers over the phone. They are also expected to be patient and to be customer service-oriented.
Desktop support technicians and services desk technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Desktop Support Technician | Services Desk Technician | |
| Average salary | $41,792 | $42,123 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $54,000 | Between $31,000 And $55,000 |
| Highest paying City | Philadelphia, PA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Pennsylvania | New York |
| Best paying company | NTT Data International L.L.C. | Forum Energy Technologies |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Government |
There are a few differences between a desktop support technician and a services desk technician in terms of educational background:
| Desktop Support Technician | Services Desk Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Computer Information Systems | Information Technology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between desktop support technicians' and services desk technicians' demographics:
| Desktop Support Technician | Services Desk Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.8% Female, 10.2% | Male, 79.0% Female, 21.0% |
| 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, 11.1% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 10.9% White, 55.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |