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The differences between network operations managers 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 a network operations manager and a network technician. Additionally, a network operations manager has an average salary of $98,658, which is higher than the $68,938 average annual salary of a network technician.
The top three skills for a network operations manager include network operations, project management and network infrastructure. The most important skills for a network technician are customer service, switches, and troubleshoot.
| Network Operations Manager | Network Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $98,658 | $68,938 |
| Hourly rate | $47.43 | $33.14 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 86,381 | 79,712 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Network operations managers are information technology (IT) professionals who are responsible for managing the operation and stability of an organization's network. These managers usually work with local area networks (LAN) or sometimes with wide area networks (WAN), where information can be shared in a building or between different locations. They serve as the middlemen between the IT department and the company's management team to provide an understanding of their IT needs. Network operations managers must also assist the human resource team in recruiting new employees and providing training related to the field of information technology.
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.
Network operations managers and network technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Network Operations Manager | Network Technician | |
| Average salary | $98,658 | $68,938 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $136,000 | Between $51,000 And $92,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Urban Honolulu, HI |
| Highest paying state | California | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Meta | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Finance |
There are a few differences between a network operations manager and a network technician in terms of educational background:
| Network Operations Manager | Network Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between network operations managers' and network technicians' demographics:
| Network Operations Manager | Network Technician | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.7% Female, 15.3% | Male, 87.3% Female, 12.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 8.7% White, 64.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | 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 | 9% | 9% |