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The differences between field support engineers and desktop 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 field support engineer and a desktop engineer. Additionally, a desktop engineer has an average salary of $102,893, which is higher than the $96,499 average annual salary of a field support engineer.
The top three skills for a field support engineer include technical support, troubleshoot and customer satisfaction. The most important skills for a desktop engineer are customer service, SCCM, and troubleshoot.
| Field Support Engineer | Desktop Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $96,499 | $102,893 |
| Hourly rate | $46.39 | $49.47 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 174,765 | 87,458 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Field support engineers are information technology (IT) professionals who are responsible for providing on-site functions for the network systems of clients. These engineers must assist their clients in solving complex technical issues to reduce the occurrence of network connectivity issues. They must perform routine maintenance checkups to ensure that the network systems of their clients are operating consistently and efficiently. Field support engineers are also required to offer guidance and training to the client personnel to educate them about the operation of the product as well as maintenance procedures.
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.
Field support engineers and desktop engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Field Support Engineer | Desktop Engineer | |
| Average salary | $96,499 | $102,893 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $142,000 | Between $77,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sacramento, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Ropes & Gray |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Finance |
There are a few differences between a field support engineer and a desktop engineer in terms of educational background:
| Field Support Engineer | Desktop Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between field support engineers' and desktop engineers' demographics:
| Field Support Engineer | Desktop Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% | Male, 88.7% Female, 11.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 9.3% White, 63.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 11% |