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The differences between hardware support technicians and network support 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 network support technician. Additionally, a network support technician has an average salary of $48,622, which is higher than the $41,832 average annual salary of a hardware support technician.
The top three skills for a hardware support technician include hardware support, technical support and customer service. The most important skills for a network support technician are troubleshoot, technical support, and customer service.
| Hardware Support Technician | Network Support Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $41,832 | $48,622 |
| Hourly rate | $20.11 | $23.38 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 111,104 | 120,245 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| 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.
A network support technician specializes in optimizing a company's information technology (IT) networks for a smooth and efficient workflow. Their responsibilities revolve around addressing issues and concerns, troubleshooting, installing systems, executing upgrades, conducting diagnostic tests, and performing corrective measures as needed. They must also coordinate with staff in developing new IT systems, evaluate existing networks for areas needing improvement, and develop protocols while adhering to the company's policies and regulations. Furthermore, as a network support technician, it is essential to maintain regular network maintenance checks to ensure the security and safety of company data.
Hardware support technicians and network support technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Hardware Support Technician | Network Support Technician | |
| Average salary | $41,832 | $48,622 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $54,000 | Between $38,000 And $61,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Troy, NY |
| Highest paying state | - | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | - | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a hardware support technician and a network support technician in terms of educational background:
| Hardware Support Technician | Network Support Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between hardware support technicians' and network support technicians' demographics:
| Hardware Support Technician | Network Support Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.6% Female, 11.4% | Male, 89.3% Female, 10.7% |
| 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, 9.1% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 8.7% White, 64.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 9% |