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Field systems technician vs hardware technician

The differences between field systems technicians and hardware 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 field systems technician and a hardware technician. Additionally, a hardware technician has an average salary of $47,851, which is higher than the $42,822 average annual salary of a field systems technician.

The top three skills for a field systems technician include troubleshoot, POS and support issues. The most important skills for a hardware technician are customer service, technical support, and network printers.

Field systems technician vs hardware technician overview

Field Systems TechnicianHardware Technician
Yearly salary$42,822$47,851
Hourly rate$20.59$23.01
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs175,59985,174
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 44%Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Average age4242
Years of experience22

What does a field systems technician do?

A Field system technician is the one responsible for the on-site installation, repairs, programming, and maintenance of the telecommunication wiring systems in various locations. They frequently travel to the sites where the telephone tower is positioned to provide their services. They possess good communication skills to work with and know the clients' complaints and solve them quickly as they can as well as the strength and agility to lift their equipment used. They can install various electrical accessories such as headphones to improve the clientele's experience.

What does a hardware technician do?

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 systems technician vs hardware technician salary

Field systems technicians and hardware technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Field Systems TechnicianHardware Technician
Average salary$42,822$47,851
Salary rangeBetween $29,000 And $61,000Between $32,000 And $71,000
Highest paying City-San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state-Delaware
Best paying company-Apple
Best paying industry-Technology

Differences between field systems technician and hardware technician education

There are a few differences between a field systems technician and a hardware technician in terms of educational background:

Field Systems TechnicianHardware Technician
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 44%Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Most common majorElectrical EngineeringComputer Science
Most common collegeCalifornia State University - Long BeachUniversity of Pennsylvania

Field systems technician vs hardware technician demographics

Here are the differences between field systems technicians' and hardware technicians' demographics:

Field Systems TechnicianHardware Technician
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 93.1% Female, 6.9%Male, 90.0% Female, 10.0%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 10.6% White, 56.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%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 Percentage11%11%

Differences between field systems technician and hardware technician duties and responsibilities

Field systems technician example responsibilities.

  • Develop Java base IAM system components to manage security and authorizations.
  • Provide field and remote support for data and VoIP solutions.
  • Install and configure new hardware including PCs, routers, switches, printers and POS equipment.
  • Configure all workstations for TCP/IP.
  • Install & configure Cisco VPN client.
  • Install and administer dial-up and persistent connections with VPN client.
  • Show more

Hardware technician example responsibilities.

  • Manage resource allocation and work scheduling for UNIX restatement administrators across all the shifts.
  • Manage all customer network equipment including routers, switches, WLC's, AP's, and firewalls.
  • Manage trouble ticket queues in order to keep tickets within SLA's and to expedite high level issues.
  • Work to troubleshoot OS and hardware issue on many computers and peripherals.
  • Test and troubleshoot: reset bios and perform power-on-self-test on servers and PCs, perform power on tests on various electronics.
  • Update LAN spreadsheets with appropriate computer information.
  • Show more

Field systems technician vs hardware technician skills

Common field systems technician skills
  • Troubleshoot, 17%
  • POS, 15%
  • Support Issues, 12%
  • PC, 11%
  • Computer Equipment, 9%
  • Network Support, 8%
Common hardware technician skills
  • Customer Service, 6%
  • Technical Support, 5%
  • Network Printers, 5%
  • Desktop Support, 5%
  • Test Equipment, 4%
  • Switches, 4%

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