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The differences between operations support technicians and information systems technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an operations support technician, becoming an information systems technician takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an information systems technician has an average salary of $46,346, which is higher than the $38,086 average annual salary of an operations support technician.
The top three skills for an operations support technician include operations support, technical support and data entry. The most important skills for an information systems technician are customer service, troubleshoot, and technical support.
| Operations Support Technician | Information Systems Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $38,086 | $46,346 |
| Hourly rate | $18.31 | $22.28 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 157,716 | 173,424 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
An operations support technician primarily performs support tasks to assist teams in various duties and maintain smooth workflow operations. Although the extent of their responsibilities depends on their industry or company of employment, it usually includes performing research and analysis, monitoring stock inventories, replenishing supplies, preparing and processing documentation, conducting installation and repairs, and liaising with internal and external parties. In some situations, an operations support technician may also handle and assist clients by answering inquiries and resolving issues.
An information systems technician is responsible for maintaining the efficiency of various network systems' performance. Information systems technicians provide network troubleshooting, upgrading systems for optimization, maintaining the security of databases, managing the interaction of networks, and inspecting and troubleshooting system inconsistencies. Additional duties include creating network designs based on clients' specifications, configuring software and hardware applications, and creating reports on system issues and resolutions. An information systems technician must have excellent knowledge of information systems procedures, programming languages, detecting malfunctions, and making resolutions promptly.
Operations support technicians and information systems technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Operations Support Technician | Information Systems Technician | |
| Average salary | $38,086 | $46,346 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $58,000 | Between $28,000 And $74,000 |
| Highest paying City | Menlo Park, CA | Rahway, NJ |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Apple | Simpson Thacher & Bartlett |
| Best paying industry | Government | Government |
There are a few differences between an operations support technician and an information systems technician in terms of educational background:
| Operations Support Technician | Information Systems Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between operations support technicians' and information systems technicians' demographics:
| Operations Support Technician | Information Systems Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 65.8% Female, 34.2% | Male, 73.6% Female, 26.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 11.5% White, 55.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |