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The differences between network technicians and hardware 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 technician and a hardware technician. Additionally, a network technician has an average salary of $68,938, which is higher than the $47,851 average annual salary of a hardware technician.
The top three skills for a network technician include customer service, switches and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a hardware technician are customer service, technical support, and network printers.
| Network Technician | Hardware Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $68,938 | $47,851 |
| Hourly rate | $33.14 | $23.01 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 79,712 | 85,174 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
A hardware technician is typically in charge of providing technical support to clients or employees, ensuring efficiency and client satisfaction. In a company setting, a hardware technician is responsible for performing initial assessments on computer hardware, troubleshooting, diagnosing problems, and providing step by step solutions to solve the issues. They may also perform corrective repairs on problems and conduct regular maintenance checks to ensure the quality of equipment. Furthermore, as a hardware technician, it is essential to maintain an active communication line with staff for a smooth and efficient workflow.
Network technicians and hardware technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Network Technician | Hardware Technician | |
| Average salary | $68,938 | $47,851 |
| Salary range | Between $51,000 And $92,000 | Between $32,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | Urban Honolulu, HI | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Delaware |
| Best paying company | Apple | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a network technician and a hardware technician in terms of educational background:
| Network Technician | Hardware Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between network technicians' and hardware technicians' demographics:
| Network Technician | Hardware Technician | |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.3% Female, 12.7% | Male, 90.0% Female, 10.0% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 12.0% White, 55.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 11% |