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The differences between hardware technicians and computer 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 technician and a computer support technician. Additionally, a hardware technician has an average salary of $47,851, which is higher than the $41,852 average annual salary of a computer support technician.
The top three skills for a hardware technician include customer service, technical support and network printers. The most important skills for a computer support technician are customer service, technical support, and computer support.
| Hardware Technician | Computer Support Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $47,851 | $41,852 |
| Hourly rate | $23.01 | $20.12 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 85,174 | 121,180 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
A computer support technician is responsible for diagnosing and resolving computer and network issues, identifying the source of malfunctions, and improving infrastructure to avoid downtimes and operational delays. Computer support technicians manage the efficiency of all equipment and peripherals for the computers, assist in installing components, and keeping adequate resources or alternatives for defective items. They also recommend minimal costs technology materials and create troubleshooting manuals for reference, ensuring that the network processes adhere to internal guidelines and regulations.
Hardware technicians and computer support technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Hardware Technician | Computer Support Technician | |
| Average salary | $47,851 | $41,852 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $71,000 | Between $34,000 And $51,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Lompoc, CA |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a hardware technician and a computer support technician in terms of educational background:
| Hardware Technician | Computer Support Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between hardware technicians' and computer support technicians' demographics:
| Hardware Technician | Computer Support Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.0% Female, 10.0% | Male, 83.2% Female, 16.8% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 11.7% White, 55.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |