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The differences between on-site technicians and desktop 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 an on-site technician and a desktop support technician. Additionally, a desktop support technician has an average salary of $41,792, which is higher than the $40,074 average annual salary of an on-site technician.
The top three skills for an on-site technician include OSHA, onsite and customer satisfaction. The most important skills for a desktop support technician are customer service, desktop support, and troubleshoot.
| On-Site Technician | Desktop Support Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $40,074 | $41,792 |
| Hourly rate | $19.27 | $20.09 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 83,416 | 108,944 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 1 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
An On-Site Technician is one who handles the operating power of a station. Environmental, health, and safety records will need to be met. In this position, you will need to work in synergy with other teams to ensure technical assistance is provided in installing and repairing equipment. This position includes; calculating project cost, interacting and negotiating with suppliers, ensuring the project aligns with set industry standards, disseminating relevant information on time, and maintaining site records.
A desktop support technician is responsible for troubleshooting defective computer systems, affecting its performance and efficiency. Desktop support technicians must be highly familiar with the technology systems and programming codes to navigate system applications and locate the discrepancy of the system. They keep documentation of the ticket issue and the resolution for reference and quality improvement. A desktop support technician also configures and updates computer systems and networks for better optimization, as well as conducting regular inspections and monitoring the efficiency of installed programs and patches.
On-site technicians and desktop support technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| On-Site Technician | Desktop Support Technician | |
| Average salary | $40,074 | $41,792 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $57,000 | Between $32,000 And $54,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Philadelphia, PA |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | Pennsylvania |
| Best paying company | Xoriant | NTT Data International L.L.C. |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Finance |
There are a few differences between an on-site technician and a desktop support technician in terms of educational background:
| On-Site Technician | Desktop Support Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Information Systems |
| Most common college | - | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between on-site technicians' and desktop support technicians' demographics:
| On-Site Technician | Desktop Support Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 85.7% Female, 14.3% | Male, 89.8% Female, 10.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 10.6% White, 56.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 11.7% White, 54.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |