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The differences between professional technicians and information technology 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 professional technician and an information technology technician. Additionally, a professional technician has an average salary of $81,726, which is higher than the $49,031 average annual salary of an information technology technician.
The top three skills for a professional technician include customer service, cloud and project management. The most important skills for an information technology technician are customer service, troubleshoot, and technical support.
| Professional Technician | Information Technology Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $81,726 | $49,031 |
| Hourly rate | $39.29 | $23.57 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 123,659 | 118,881 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A professional technician is responsible for handling the complexities of technical and mechanical systems, repair defective components, and recommend technical solutions to enhance the company's productivity and efficiency in delivering high-quality deliverables. Professional technicians must be highly skilled in analyzing schematics and blueprints to assemble components and perform troubleshooting. They also manage the adequacy of inventories, create purchase requests, and identify costs and expenses for repairs and installations. A professional technician must be highly communicative and organization, especially in handling tasks with utmost adherence to safety protocols and regulations.
An information technology technician, also known as an IT technician, is responsible for ensuring that all computer systems in a company or organization are running smoothly and efficiently. Their duties primarily revolve around installing and maintaining systems, including software and hardware, and resolving any issues. They also provide technical support such as troubleshooting, navigation, and even system upgrades. Furthermore, an information technology technician can choose whether to work for a company or independently.
Professional technicians and information technology technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Professional Technician | Information Technology Technician | |
| Average salary | $81,726 | $49,031 |
| Salary range | Between $64,000 And $104,000 | Between $28,000 And $83,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Urban Honolulu, HI |
| Highest paying state | California | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | Cravath |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Finance |
There are a few differences between a professional technician and an information technology technician in terms of educational background:
| Professional Technician | Information Technology Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between professional technicians' and information technology technicians' demographics:
| Professional Technician | Information Technology Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.1% Female, 27.9% | Male, 84.8% Female, 15.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 12.8% White, 54.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 11.8% White, 55.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |