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The differences between help desk engineers and technical systems 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 technical systems engineer. Additionally, a technical systems engineer has an average salary of $101,163, 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 technical systems engineer are cloud, troubleshoot, and linux.
| Help Desk Engineer | Technical Systems Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $52,444 | $101,163 |
| Hourly rate | $25.21 | $48.64 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 100,003 | 192,058 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| 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.
Technical Systems Engineers are responsible for maintaining the integrity of the infrastructure or systems network. They build, maintain, and repair all the systems and network infrastructure of the organization. They troubleshoot problems and find the best possible solution to address such problems. They also ensure that those problems will be resolved and would never be encountered again. Technical Systems Engineers also help out in information technology or network infrastructure projects of other departments. They provide expertise on the systems-related aspects of the project. They help guide project teams on the feasibility and the success factors of the project.
Help desk engineers and technical systems engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Help Desk Engineer | Technical Systems Engineer | |
| Average salary | $52,444 | $101,163 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $74,000 | Between $73,000 And $138,000 |
| Highest paying City | Radnor, PA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | Bain & Company | |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a help desk engineer and a technical systems engineer in terms of educational background:
| Help Desk Engineer | Technical Systems Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between help desk engineers' and technical systems engineers' demographics:
| Help Desk Engineer | Technical Systems Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.8% Female, 18.2% | Male, 88.6% Female, 11.4% |
| 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, 8.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 10.7% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 9% |