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The differences between information technology technicians and information engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an information technology technician and an information engineer. Additionally, an information engineer has an average salary of $105,003, which is higher than the $49,031 average annual salary of an information technology technician.
The top three skills for an information technology technician include customer service, troubleshoot and technical support. The most important skills for an information engineer are customer service, linux, and troubleshoot.
| Information Technology Technician | Information Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $49,031 | $105,003 |
| Hourly rate | $23.57 | $50.48 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 118,881 | 151,357 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
An information technology technician, also known as an IT technician, is responsible for ensuring that all computer systems in a company or organization are running smoothly and efficiently. Their duties primarily revolve around installing and maintaining systems, including software and hardware, and resolving any issues. They also provide technical support such as troubleshooting, navigation, and even system upgrades. Furthermore, an information technology technician can choose whether to work for a company or independently.
An information engineer is responsible for monitoring the efficiency of computer systems and network infrastructure, performing configuration to boost the optimal performance of the technology systems. Information engineers assist end-users in resolving network issues, identifying the source of inconsistencies, and create resolution reports for reference to avoid reoccurrence. They also design new network systems according to business needs and client specifications, running multiple diagnostic tests to ensure effectiveness before the release of final deliverables. An information engineer should have excellent technical skills, as well as a strong command of programming languages and system codes.
Information technology technicians and information engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Technology Technician | Information Engineer | |
| Average salary | $49,031 | $105,003 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $83,000 | Between $78,000 And $139,000 |
| Highest paying City | Urban Honolulu, HI | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | California |
| Best paying company | Cravath | Mayo Clinic |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between an information technology technician and an information engineer in terms of educational background:
| Information Technology Technician | Information Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between information technology technicians' and information engineers' demographics:
| Information Technology Technician | Information Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.8% Female, 15.2% | Male, 85.8% Female, 14.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 11.8% White, 55.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 13.6% White, 61.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 9% |