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The differences between infrastructure technicians and desk support technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an infrastructure technician and a desk support technician. Additionally, an infrastructure technician has an average salary of $96,543, which is higher than the $40,715 average annual salary of a desk support technician.
The top three skills for an infrastructure technician include troubleshoot, structured cabling and technical support. The most important skills for a desk support technician are customer service, technical support, and troubleshoot.
In the information technology (IT) industry, an infrastructure technician is an IT expert responsible for the maintenance and installation of computer systems and networks. They are also responsible for addressing issues and concerns, troubleshooting problems, performing adjustments and modifications, developing test structures, eliminating bugs, and maintaining documentation. There are also instances where they participate in designing and developing network software and hardware, liaising with clients, and overseeing IT operations. Moreover, an infrastructure technician must provide technical support and guidance to staff, all while enforcing the security and quality standards of the company.
A desktop support technician is responsible for assisting end-users with their network issues, grant authorization requests, and create user accounts. Desktop support technicians maintain the safety and security of networks, preventing unauthorized access and illegal dissemination of database information. They also handle the software configurations and upgrading the network infrastructure to avoid system downtimes and operational delays. A desktop support technician must have excellent communication and technical skills to monitor systems performance and enhance network navigation.
Infrastructure technicians and desk support technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Infrastructure Technician | Desk Support Technician | |
| Average salary | $96,543 | $40,715 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $148,000 | Between $26,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | South San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | Yelp | BNY Mellon |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between an infrastructure technician and a desk support technician in terms of educational background:
| Infrastructure Technician | Desk Support Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Computer Information Systems | Business |
| Most common college | - | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between infrastructure technicians' and desk support technicians' demographics:
| Infrastructure Technician | Desk Support Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.0% Female, 9.0% | Male, 82.6% Female, 17.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 10.6% White, 57.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 11.7% White, 55.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |