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The differences between infrastructure technicians and network 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 network technician. Additionally, an infrastructure technician has an average salary of $96,543, which is higher than the $68,938 average annual salary of a network technician.
The top three skills for an infrastructure technician include troubleshoot, structured cabling and technical support. The most important skills for a network technician are customer service, switches, 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 network technician is responsible for system malfunction diagnosis and troubleshooting operations. Network technicians duties' include repairing damaged system components, analyzing computer systems and blueprints, installing network connections, and upgrading accessories for efficient operations. Other duties include assisting customers with technical issues, ensuring computer systems' privacy, creating documents of network issues and resolutions, and suggesting alternative equipment for network backups. A network technician must have a broad knowledge of the technology industry and mechanical processes, plus the ability to work under pressure with minimal supervision.
Infrastructure technicians and network technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Infrastructure Technician | Network Technician | |
| Average salary | $96,543 | $68,938 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $148,000 | Between $51,000 And $92,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Urban Honolulu, HI |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Yelp | Apple |
| Best paying industry | - | Finance |
There are a few differences between an infrastructure technician and a network technician in terms of educational background:
| Infrastructure Technician | Network Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Computer Information Systems | Computer Science |
| Most common college | - | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between infrastructure technicians' and network technicians' demographics:
| Infrastructure Technician | Network Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.0% Female, 9.0% | Male, 87.3% Female, 12.7% |
| 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, 8.9% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 9.4% White, 63.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 9% |