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In-house technician vs field service technician

The differences between in-house technicians and field service technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an in-house technician, becoming a field service technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a field service technician has an average salary of $54,339, which is higher than the $35,187 average annual salary of an in-house technician.

The top three skills for an in-house technician include HVAC, plumbing and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a field service technician are customer service, preventative maintenance, and customer satisfaction.

In-house technician vs field service technician overview

In-House TechnicianField Service Technician
Yearly salary$35,187$54,339
Hourly rate$16.92$26.12
Growth rate5%8%
Number of jobs185,456167,298
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 37%Associate Degree, 40%
Average age4744
Years of experience412

What does an in-house technician do?

A technician is a skilled worker who works with technical and mechanical systems and handles any problems associated with them. They must have on-hand experience and are often called upon to repair defective components. An in-house technician may be employed by a client or company to provide customer support to their clients. They are responsible for any repair or maintenance work that needs to be done by the client. Unlike an independent technician, this job is typically more stable.

What does a field service technician do?

Field service technicians are skilled professionals who manage the technical needs of their clients outside the company's physical office space. They are usually on the field to visit their clients and check up on clients' equipment. Field service technicians are dispatched to provide technical support. They oversee installations, repairs, or maintenance activities. They ensure that all the work needed is done well. They also conduct diagnostic activities and troubleshooting. Field service technicians also supervise any updating or changes needed to be done in their clients' offices. They are expected to have good analytical skills, communication skills, and highly technical skills.

In-house technician vs field service technician salary

In-house technicians and field service technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

In-House TechnicianField Service Technician
Average salary$35,187$54,339
Salary rangeBetween $20,000 And $60,000Between $35,000 And $82,000
Highest paying CityAnchorage, AKSan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateHawaiiCalifornia
Best paying companyPrime HealthcareGoogle
Best paying industryFinanceFinance

Differences between in-house technician and field service technician education

There are a few differences between an in-house technician and a field service technician in terms of educational background:

In-House TechnicianField Service Technician
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 37%Associate Degree, 40%
Most common majorBusinessElectrical Engineering
Most common college--

In-house technician vs field service technician demographics

Here are the differences between in-house technicians' and field service technicians' demographics:

In-House TechnicianField Service Technician
Average age4744
Gender ratioMale, 74.7% Female, 25.3%Male, 92.3% Female, 7.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 4.7% White, 60.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 1.7% White, 72.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage2%1%

Differences between in-house technician and field service technician duties and responsibilities

In-house technician example responsibilities.

  • Manage and troubleshot network printers, along with maintenance of server backup scheme.
  • Lead small teams in the development and installation of residential and commercial electrical and HVAC systems to include smart home systems.
  • Build, maintain and troubleshoot bank software/hardware issues using Microsoft XP.
  • Repair walls, doors, windows.
  • Share knowledge and enthusiasm for PCs on and off the sales floor.
  • Train new staff employees on a daily basis for compliance under HUD regulations.
  • Show more

Field service technician example responsibilities.

  • Manage onsite supporting contractors to achieve customers end result to satisfaction.
  • Lead initiatives to decrease manufacturing downtime and increase QA process inspection.
  • Manage a team of 12 field engineers and 130 MRI systems in NYC.
  • Collaborate to achieve a Citrix solution for the IADC shop floor and implement the current server farm.
  • Manage and administer network security, LAN, WLAN, desktops, servers, applications, and databases.
  • Manage and service access control technology to include Honeywell's StarII and TEMA, and PCSC MicroLPM and IQ series controllers.
  • Show more

In-house technician vs field service technician skills

Common in-house technician skills
  • HVAC, 40%
  • Plumbing, 37%
  • Troubleshoot, 5%
  • Windows, 5%
  • Housing Assistance, 2%
  • PHP, 2%
Common field service technician skills
  • Customer Service, 19%
  • Preventative Maintenance, 8%
  • Customer Satisfaction, 6%
  • Technical Support, 5%
  • Hand Tools, 4%
  • Test Equipment, 3%

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