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The differences between noc engineers and desktop engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a noc engineer and a desktop engineer. Additionally, a desktop engineer has an average salary of $102,893, which is higher than the $64,721 average annual salary of a noc engineer.
The top three skills for a noc engineer include customer service, troubleshoot and network operations. The most important skills for a desktop engineer are customer service, SCCM, and troubleshoot.
| NOC Engineer | Desktop Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $64,721 | $102,893 |
| Hourly rate | $31.12 | $49.47 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 64,038 | 87,458 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A network operation center engineer or NOC engineer is an individual who is responsible for managing and monitoring a network from any centralized location. Working with other IT professionals, NOC engineers must enhance the route performance by resolving any issues concerning the network and by using standard procedures to troubleshoot. They are required to maintain communication with vendors and the team to ensure that they remain updated on any issues. NOC engineers should also be knowledgeable in hardware configuration, including firewalls and routers.
A desktop engineer is responsible for monitoring the efficiency and performance of computer systems across the organization to deliver high-performance on business operations and client specifications. Desktop engineers resolve computer desktop issues, including navigation and security complications that create delays in the operational process. They conduct regular maintenance with the computer systems, upgrade network infrastructure, and perform configuration to ensure smooth functionality and resolutions. A desktop engineer should have excellent knowledge of the technology industry, recommending system solutions to avoid the reoccurrence of network issues and glitches.
Noc engineers and desktop engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| NOC Engineer | Desktop Engineer | |
| Average salary | $64,721 | $102,893 |
| Salary range | Between $45,000 And $92,000 | Between $77,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | PayPal | Ropes & Gray |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a noc engineer and a desktop engineer in terms of educational background:
| NOC Engineer | Desktop Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between noc engineers' and desktop engineers' demographics:
| NOC Engineer | Desktop Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4% | Male, 88.7% Female, 11.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.3% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 12.5% White, 61.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.8% Asian, 13.6% White, 53.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 11% |