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The differences between information systems technicians and information technology/support technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an information systems technician, becoming an information technology/support technician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an information systems technician has an average salary of $46,346, which is higher than the $45,591 average annual salary of an information technology/support technician.
The top three skills for an information systems technician include customer service, troubleshoot and technical support. The most important skills for an information technology/support technician are customer service, troubleshoot, and computer system.
| Information Systems Technician | Information Technology/Support Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $46,346 | $45,591 |
| Hourly rate | $22.28 | $21.92 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 173,424 | 161,748 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
An information systems technician is responsible for maintaining the efficiency of various network systems' performance. Information systems technicians provide network troubleshooting, upgrading systems for optimization, maintaining the security of databases, managing the interaction of networks, and inspecting and troubleshooting system inconsistencies. Additional duties include creating network designs based on clients' specifications, configuring software and hardware applications, and creating reports on system issues and resolutions. An information systems technician must have excellent knowledge of information systems procedures, programming languages, detecting malfunctions, and making resolutions promptly.
An information technology (IT) support technician is an individual who is responsible for providing support and troubleshoots software and hardware problems faced by customers. As for larger organizations that have their own IT department, technicians must work together internally with their IT staff members. IT support technicians are involved in inspecting and resolving minor local area network and wireless network issues, which include TCP/IP, DHCP, and VPN. They are also required to obtain an associate's degree in computer science or related field.
Information systems technicians and information technology/support technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Systems Technician | Information Technology/Support Technician | |
| Average salary | $46,346 | $45,591 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $74,000 | Between $31,000 And $66,000 |
| Highest paying City | Rahway, NJ | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Pennsylvania |
| Best paying company | Simpson Thacher & Bartlett | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Government | Technology |
There are a few differences between an information systems technician and an information technology/support technician in terms of educational background:
| Information Systems Technician | Information Technology/Support Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between information systems technicians' and information technology/support technicians' demographics:
| Information Systems Technician | Information Technology/Support Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 73.6% Female, 26.4% | Male, 85.4% Female, 14.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 13.2% White, 54.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |