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The differences between field technician engineers and computer 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 technician engineer and a computer technician. Additionally, a field technician engineer has an average salary of $50,370, which is higher than the $39,767 average annual salary of a computer technician.
The top three skills for a field technician engineer include preventive maintenance, technical support and RF. The most important skills for a computer technician are customer service, desk support, and network printers.
| Field Technician Engineer | Computer Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $50,370 | $39,767 |
| Hourly rate | $24.22 | $19.12 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 73,704 | 95,688 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Average age | 38 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Field service technicians or engineers are engineering professionals who are dispatched to specific locations to perform several tasks such as maintenance, service repairs, and installing electrical and engineering equipment products. These engineers are required to effectively communicate with their customers about their concerns related to equipment maintenance and repair so that they address them immediately. They must travel to customer sites to conduct survey and document existing field conditions and installation accuracy. Field service engineers must also conduct training for service technicians and operators at dealer and customer locations.
Computer technicians are skilled information technology professionals who handle concerns related to computers. They are responsible for assisting clients in software installations, troubleshooting needs, and repair needs. Computer technicians handle the maintenance and repair of both software and hardware of computers. They should be able to quickly pinpoint the causes of computer problems that the client encounters. They should also be able to answer the clients' computer-related inquiries and provide advice on proper computer handling. Computer technicians should have good analytical skills and decision-making skills.
Field technician engineers and computer technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Field Technician Engineer | Computer Technician | |
| Average salary | $50,370 | $39,767 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $76,000 | Between $28,000 And $55,000 |
| Highest paying City | Los Angeles, CA | Alexandria, VA |
| Highest paying state | California | Virginia |
| Best paying company | Medtronic | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Government |
There are a few differences between a field technician engineer and a computer technician in terms of educational background:
| Field Technician Engineer | Computer Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between field technician engineers' and computer technicians' demographics:
| Field Technician Engineer | Computer Technician | |
| Average age | 38 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.3% Female, 7.7% | Male, 87.0% Female, 13.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 10.4% White, 55.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 11.1% White, 55.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 11% |