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The differences between help desk managers 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 help desk manager and a computer technician. Additionally, a help desk manager has an average salary of $96,278, which is higher than the $39,767 average annual salary of a computer technician.
The top three skills for a help desk manager include customer service, technical support and help desk. The most important skills for a computer technician are customer service, desk support, and network printers.
| Help Desk Manager | Computer Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $96,278 | $39,767 |
| Hourly rate | $46.29 | $19.12 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 75,971 | 95,688 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A help desk manager oversees and coordinates the daily performance of help desk teams, ensuring clients get to receive optimal support and services. They are in charge of setting goals and guidelines, establishing budgets and timelines, performing assessments and inspections, and monitoring the progress of operations, resolving issues or conflicts should any arise. There are also instances when a help desk manager must facilitate the communication between internal and external parties, recruit and train new members of the workforce, and implement policies and procedures to optimize operations.
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.
Help desk managers and computer technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Help Desk Manager | Computer Technician | |
| Average salary | $96,278 | $39,767 |
| Salary range | Between $74,000 And $125,000 | Between $28,000 And $55,000 |
| Highest paying City | Berkeley, CA | Alexandria, VA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Virginia |
| Best paying company | Meta | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Government |
There are a few differences between a help desk manager and a computer technician in terms of educational background:
| Help Desk Manager | Computer Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between help desk managers' and computer technicians' demographics:
| Help Desk Manager | Computer Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 70.3% Female, 29.7% | Male, 87.0% Female, 13.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.5% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 10.5% White, 55.3% 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% |