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The differences between help desk engineers and desktop engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a help desk engineer and a desktop engineer. Additionally, a desktop engineer has an average salary of $102,893, which is higher than the $52,444 average annual salary of a help desk engineer.
The top three skills for a help desk engineer include troubleshoot, help-desk support and technical support. The most important skills for a desktop engineer are customer service, SCCM, and troubleshoot.
| Help Desk Engineer | Desktop Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $52,444 | $102,893 |
| Hourly rate | $25.21 | $49.47 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 100,003 | 87,458 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Help desk engineers solve problems. They have the technical know-how and have the right troubleshooting tools. They are required to set up computer hardware and software for users and events. When individuals have a certain issue or problem relating to their computer, they bring it to the help desk engineer, who then analyzes and provides a solution. Furthermore, they attend to the issues registered by clients via emails, chats, instant messages, or phone calls.
A desktop engineer is responsible for monitoring the efficiency and performance of computer systems across the organization to deliver high-performance on business operations and client specifications. Desktop engineers resolve computer desktop issues, including navigation and security complications that create delays in the operational process. They conduct regular maintenance with the computer systems, upgrade network infrastructure, and perform configuration to ensure smooth functionality and resolutions. A desktop engineer should have excellent knowledge of the technology industry, recommending system solutions to avoid the reoccurrence of network issues and glitches.
Help desk engineers and desktop engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Help Desk Engineer | Desktop Engineer | |
| Average salary | $52,444 | $102,893 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $74,000 | Between $77,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | Radnor, PA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | Bain & Company | Ropes & Gray |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a help desk engineer and a desktop engineer in terms of educational background:
| Help Desk Engineer | Desktop Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between help desk engineers' and desktop engineers' demographics:
| Help Desk Engineer | Desktop Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.8% Female, 18.2% | Male, 88.7% Female, 11.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 12.2% White, 54.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.8% Asian, 13.6% White, 53.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |