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The differences between hardware support technicians 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 hardware support technician and a computer technician. Additionally, a hardware support technician has an average salary of $41,832, which is higher than the $39,767 average annual salary of a computer technician.
The top three skills for a hardware support technician include hardware support, technical support and customer service. The most important skills for a computer technician are customer service, desk support, and network printers.
| Hardware Support Technician | Computer Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $41,832 | $39,767 |
| Hourly rate | $20.11 | $19.12 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 111,104 | 95,688 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A hardware support technician is an individual who deals with hardware problems and tries to provide solutions to clients' problems. As a professional, you are tasked with providing IT support to organizations and may have to work with computer hardware, servers, and computer clusters. As someone who is a hardware support technician, your job description may require you to help with the installation and maintenance of computer systems. You may also be required to provide troubleshooting solutions and repair computer hardware.
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.
Hardware support technicians and computer technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Hardware Support Technician | Computer Technician | |
| Average salary | $41,832 | $39,767 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $54,000 | Between $28,000 And $55,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Alexandria, VA |
| Highest paying state | - | Virginia |
| Best paying company | - | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | - | Government |
There are a few differences between a hardware support technician and a computer technician in terms of educational background:
| Hardware Support Technician | Computer Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between hardware support technicians' and computer technicians' demographics:
| Hardware Support Technician | Computer Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.6% Female, 11.4% | Male, 87.0% Female, 13.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 12.1% White, 54.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | 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 | 11% | 11% |