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The differences between network infrastructure engineers and network 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 network infrastructure engineer and a network support technician. Additionally, a network infrastructure engineer has an average salary of $82,895, which is higher than the $48,622 average annual salary of a network support technician.
The top three skills for a network infrastructure engineer include network infrastructure, switches and cloud. The most important skills for a network support technician are troubleshoot, technical support, and customer service.
| Network Infrastructure Engineer | Network Support Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $82,895 | $48,622 |
| Hourly rate | $39.85 | $23.38 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 67,606 | 120,245 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A network infrastructure engineer designs, deploy, and secures the network of the organization. In this position, you will be required to perform site surveys and audits, ensure the company's network site meets set standards, ensure the networks function with minimum downtime, come up with strategies that help minimize operational costs, and helps the organization streamline the operations by ensuring the different systems work effectively.
A network support technician specializes in optimizing a company's information technology (IT) networks for a smooth and efficient workflow. Their responsibilities revolve around addressing issues and concerns, troubleshooting, installing systems, executing upgrades, conducting diagnostic tests, and performing corrective measures as needed. They must also coordinate with staff in developing new IT systems, evaluate existing networks for areas needing improvement, and develop protocols while adhering to the company's policies and regulations. Furthermore, as a network support technician, it is essential to maintain regular network maintenance checks to ensure the security and safety of company data.
Network infrastructure engineers and network support technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Network Infrastructure Engineer | Network Support Technician | |
| Average salary | $82,895 | $48,622 |
| Salary range | Between $57,000 And $119,000 | Between $38,000 And $61,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Troy, NY |
| Highest paying state | California | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Meta | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a network infrastructure engineer and a network support technician in terms of educational background:
| Network Infrastructure Engineer | Network Support Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between network infrastructure engineers' and network support technicians' demographics:
| Network Infrastructure Engineer | Network Support Technician | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.4% Female, 7.6% | Male, 89.3% Female, 10.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 12.0% White, 61.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 8.7% White, 64.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |