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The differences between field service technicians and hardware technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a field service technician, becoming a hardware technician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a field service technician has an average salary of $54,339, which is higher than the $47,851 average annual salary of a hardware technician.
The top three skills for a field service technician include customer service, preventative maintenance and customer satisfaction. The most important skills for a hardware technician are customer service, technical support, and network printers.
| Field Service Technician | Hardware Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $54,339 | $47,851 |
| Hourly rate | $26.12 | $23.01 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 167,298 | 85,174 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
Field service technicians are skilled professionals who manage the technical needs of their clients outside the company's physical office space. They are usually on the field to visit their clients and check up on clients' equipment. Field service technicians are dispatched to provide technical support. They oversee installations, repairs, or maintenance activities. They ensure that all the work needed is done well. They also conduct diagnostic activities and troubleshooting. Field service technicians also supervise any updating or changes needed to be done in their clients' offices. They are expected to have good analytical skills, communication skills, and highly technical skills.
A hardware technician is typically in charge of providing technical support to clients or employees, ensuring efficiency and client satisfaction. In a company setting, a hardware technician is responsible for performing initial assessments on computer hardware, troubleshooting, diagnosing problems, and providing step by step solutions to solve the issues. They may also perform corrective repairs on problems and conduct regular maintenance checks to ensure the quality of equipment. Furthermore, as a hardware technician, it is essential to maintain an active communication line with staff for a smooth and efficient workflow.
Field service technicians and hardware technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Field Service Technician | Hardware Technician | |
| Average salary | $54,339 | $47,851 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $82,000 | Between $32,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Delaware |
| Best paying company | Apple | |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a field service technician and a hardware technician in terms of educational background:
| Field Service Technician | Hardware Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | - | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between field service technicians' and hardware technicians' demographics:
| Field Service Technician | Hardware Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.3% Female, 7.7% | Male, 90.0% Female, 10.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 1.7% White, 72.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 12.0% White, 55.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 1% | 11% |