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The differences between printer technicians and computer 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 a printer technician and a computer support technician. Additionally, a computer support technician has an average salary of $41,852, which is higher than the $36,677 average annual salary of a printer technician.
The top three skills for a printer technician include latent prints, troubleshoot and preventative maintenance. The most important skills for a computer support technician are customer service, technical support, and computer support.
| Printer Technician | Computer Support Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $36,677 | $41,852 |
| Hourly rate | $17.63 | $20.12 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 50,147 | 121,180 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 39% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
The printer technician primarily does the installation of new printers. Proper printer configuration on the network ensures and maintains the function of individual printers, scanners, or network printers. The printer technician regularly takes care and does routine repairs, including printer replacements of new ink cartridges. They are also comfortable copying, faxing, producing images, and other related printer issues. It is part of their responsibility to identify and resolve malfunctions, procurement, including the installation of those parts and resolving hardware failures.
A computer support technician is responsible for diagnosing and resolving computer and network issues, identifying the source of malfunctions, and improving infrastructure to avoid downtimes and operational delays. Computer support technicians manage the efficiency of all equipment and peripherals for the computers, assist in installing components, and keeping adequate resources or alternatives for defective items. They also recommend minimal costs technology materials and create troubleshooting manuals for reference, ensuring that the network processes adhere to internal guidelines and regulations.
Printer technicians and computer support technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Printer Technician | Computer Support Technician | |
| Average salary | $36,677 | $41,852 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $50,000 | Between $34,000 And $51,000 |
| Highest paying City | Aurora, CO | Lompoc, CA |
| Highest paying state | Colorado | California |
| Best paying company | HP | Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a printer technician and a computer support technician in terms of educational background:
| Printer Technician | Computer Support Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 39% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Graphic Design | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between printer technicians' and computer support technicians' demographics:
| Printer Technician | Computer Support Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.6% Female, 24.4% | Male, 83.2% Female, 16.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 10.5% White, 55.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 11.7% White, 55.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |