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The differences between field technicians and information technology 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 technician, becoming an information technology technician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an information technology technician has an average salary of $49,031, which is higher than the $37,520 average annual salary of a field technician.
The top three skills for a field technician include customer service, ladders and test equipment. The most important skills for an information technology technician are customer service, troubleshoot, and technical support.
| Field Technician | Information Technology Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $37,520 | $49,031 |
| Hourly rate | $18.04 | $23.57 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 123,149 | 118,881 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
A field technician is responsible for providing technical and maintenance support for the customers by area visits. Field technicians' duties include diagnosing technical problems, replacing malfunction components, upgrading systems for efficiency, running equipment tests to ensure stability, creating draft reports of performed processes, utilizing vehicles and other tools safely, following client's specifications on operating equipment, and adhering to the safety standards. A field technician must have excellent communication and decision-making skills, as well as extensive knowledge of the technological industry.
An information technology technician, also known as an IT technician, is responsible for ensuring that all computer systems in a company or organization are running smoothly and efficiently. Their duties primarily revolve around installing and maintaining systems, including software and hardware, and resolving any issues. They also provide technical support such as troubleshooting, navigation, and even system upgrades. Furthermore, an information technology technician can choose whether to work for a company or independently.
Field technicians and information technology technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Field Technician | Information Technology Technician | |
| Average salary | $37,520 | $49,031 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $48,000 | Between $28,000 And $83,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Urban Honolulu, HI |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | DCP Midstream | Cravath |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Finance |
There are a few differences between a field technician and an information technology technician in terms of educational background:
| Field Technician | Information Technology Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | - | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between field technicians' and information technology technicians' demographics:
| Field Technician | Information Technology Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.5% Female, 11.5% | Male, 84.8% Female, 15.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.5% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.8% Asian, 1.7% White, 71.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 11.8% White, 55.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 1% | 11% |