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The differences between lead technicians and computer 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 a lead technician and a computer support technician. Additionally, a lead technician has an average salary of $90,615, which is higher than the $41,852 average annual salary of a computer support technician.
The top three skills for a lead technician include java, architecture and digital transformation. The most important skills for a computer support technician are customer service, technical support, and computer support.
| Lead Technician | Computer Support Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $90,615 | $41,852 |
| Hourly rate | $43.56 | $20.12 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 250,590 | 121,180 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Lead technicians are technicians who oversee the technical needs of a specific project or department. They are usually tenured employees, and their familiarity with the company's technical and technological processes, software, and hardware would be a great advantage in succeeding in their role. Lead technicians are responsible for installing, updating, and maintaining various software and hardware components in the office. They often manage a group of technicians, and they ensure that the group they manage is properly trained and well-versed on the processes of the company. Lead technicians are expected to have strong analytical skills and decision-making skills.
A computer support technician is responsible for diagnosing and resolving computer and network issues, identifying the source of malfunctions, and improving infrastructure to avoid downtimes and operational delays. Computer support technicians manage the efficiency of all equipment and peripherals for the computers, assist in installing components, and keeping adequate resources or alternatives for defective items. They also recommend minimal costs technology materials and create troubleshooting manuals for reference, ensuring that the network processes adhere to internal guidelines and regulations.
Lead technicians and computer support technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Technician | Computer Support Technician | |
| Average salary | $90,615 | $41,852 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $121,000 | Between $34,000 And $51,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Lompoc, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a lead technician and a computer support technician in terms of educational background:
| Lead Technician | Computer Support Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between lead technicians' and computer support technicians' demographics:
| Lead Technician | Computer Support Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.4% Female, 16.6% | Male, 83.2% Female, 16.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 15.1% White, 53.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 11.7% White, 55.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |