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The differences between program support technicians and desk 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 program support technician and a desk support technician. Additionally, a desk support technician has an average salary of $40,715, which is higher than the $36,653 average annual salary of a program support technician.
The top three skills for a program support technician include program support, data entry and DMV. The most important skills for a desk support technician are customer service, technical support, and troubleshoot.
| Program Support Technician | Desk Support Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $36,653 | $40,715 |
| Hourly rate | $17.62 | $19.57 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 160,368 | 130,485 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Program support technicians require administrative experience and skills in communication, organization, and proficiency with office software to do their best. This career choice demands showcasing support for users by answering their questions, resolving technical issues, and maintaining the network, software, and computer equipment of the respective company.
A desktop support technician is responsible for assisting end-users with their network issues, grant authorization requests, and create user accounts. Desktop support technicians maintain the safety and security of networks, preventing unauthorized access and illegal dissemination of database information. They also handle the software configurations and upgrading the network infrastructure to avoid system downtimes and operational delays. A desktop support technician must have excellent communication and technical skills to monitor systems performance and enhance network navigation.
Program support technicians and desk support technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Program Support Technician | Desk Support Technician | |
| Average salary | $36,653 | $40,715 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $52,000 | Between $26,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | Long Beach, CA | South San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | California |
| Best paying company | Mandiant | BNY Mellon |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Technology |
There are a few differences between a program support technician and a desk support technician in terms of educational background:
| Program Support Technician | Desk Support Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between program support technicians' and desk support technicians' demographics:
| Program Support Technician | Desk Support Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 32.2% Female, 67.8% | Male, 82.6% Female, 17.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 14.2% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 13.2% Asian, 9.6% White, 57.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 11.7% White, 55.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |