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Program support technician vs information technology/support technician

The differences between program support technicians and information technology/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 an information technology/support technician. Additionally, an information technology/support technician has an average salary of $45,591, 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 an information technology/support technician are customer service, troubleshoot, and computer system.

Program support technician vs information technology/support technician overview

Program Support TechnicianInformation Technology/Support Technician
Yearly salary$36,653$45,591
Hourly rate$17.62$21.92
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs160,368161,748
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 51%Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Average age4242
Years of experience22

What does a program support technician do?

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.

What does an information technology/support technician do?

An information technology (IT) support technician is an individual who is responsible for providing support and troubleshoots software and hardware problems faced by customers. As for larger organizations that have their own IT department, technicians must work together internally with their IT staff members. IT support technicians are involved in inspecting and resolving minor local area network and wireless network issues, which include TCP/IP, DHCP, and VPN. They are also required to obtain an associate's degree in computer science or related field.

Program support technician vs information technology/support technician salary

Program support technicians and information technology/support technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Program Support TechnicianInformation Technology/Support Technician
Average salary$36,653$45,591
Salary rangeBetween $25,000 And $52,000Between $31,000 And $66,000
Highest paying CityLong Beach, CASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateHawaiiPennsylvania
Best paying companyMandiantMicrosoft
Best paying industryHealth CareTechnology

Differences between program support technician and information technology/support technician education

There are a few differences between a program support technician and an information technology/support technician in terms of educational background:

Program Support TechnicianInformation Technology/Support Technician
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 51%Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Most common majorBusinessComputer Science
Most common collegeCalifornia State University - BakersfieldUniversity of Pennsylvania

Program support technician vs information technology/support technician demographics

Here are the differences between program support technicians' and information technology/support technicians' demographics:

Program Support TechnicianInformation Technology/Support Technician
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 32.2% Female, 67.8%Male, 85.4% Female, 14.6%
Race ratioBlack 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, 10.7% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 13.2% White, 54.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage11%11%

Differences between program support technician and information technology/support technician duties and responsibilities

Program support technician example responsibilities.

  • Manage facility projects, produce facility reports preventive maintenance, work orders and administer maintenance program using CMMS and SCADA.
  • Prepare and process all payroll and personnel transactions, travel arrangements and reimbursements.
  • Create PowerPoint presentations for online circulation and print distribution to articulate departmental goals.
  • Utilize the tracking system to enter all demographics for tenant petitions, capitol improvements, voluntary agreements and substantial rehabilitation cases.
  • Communicate daily with medical center staff within the VISN, insurance companies, and co-workers.

Information technology/support technician example responsibilities.

  • Manage DHCP entries, assign and reserve IP addresses for different sites and locations.
  • Manage companies ShoreTel VoIP telephone system.
  • Manage and maintain network peripherals including printers, workstations and network connections.
  • Manage backups, replications and disaster recovery plans of company mission critical servers and database files to ensure redundancy.
  • Furnish technical assistance with VoIP system maintenance.
  • Use SCCM to remotely support and install software allowing for a reduction in troubleshooting times.
  • Show more

Program support technician vs information technology/support technician skills

Common program support technician skills
  • Program Support, 17%
  • Data Entry, 10%
  • DMV, 9%
  • Office Equipment, 7%
  • Technical Support, 7%
  • Motor Vehicle, 6%
Common information technology/support technician skills
  • Customer Service, 12%
  • Troubleshoot, 9%
  • Computer System, 6%
  • Desk Support, 5%
  • Phone Calls, 4%
  • Remote Desktop, 3%

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