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The differences between projection technicians and desktop 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 projection technician and a desktop support technician. Additionally, a projection technician has an average salary of $49,505, which is higher than the $41,792 average annual salary of a desktop support technician.
The top three skills for a projection technician include project management, plumbing and technical support. The most important skills for a desktop support technician are customer service, desktop support, and troubleshoot.
| Projection Technician | Desktop Support Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $49,505 | $41,792 |
| Hourly rate | $23.80 | $20.09 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 102,413 | 108,944 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 1 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Projection Technicians are responsible for managing the operations of a projection booth. Their duties include managing film projectors, assisting in film content programming and formatting, oversee video recordings, and monitor screen image as well as audio levels. They ensure proper soundtrack and film print storage, conduct preventive maintenance for projectors, and undertake theatre checks daily. Projection Technicians also document print condition logs and provide technical assistance for building equipment.
A desktop support technician is responsible for troubleshooting defective computer systems, affecting its performance and efficiency. Desktop support technicians must be highly familiar with the technology systems and programming codes to navigate system applications and locate the discrepancy of the system. They keep documentation of the ticket issue and the resolution for reference and quality improvement. A desktop support technician also configures and updates computer systems and networks for better optimization, as well as conducting regular inspections and monitoring the efficiency of installed programs and patches.
Projection technicians and desktop support technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Projection Technician | Desktop Support Technician | |
| Average salary | $49,505 | $41,792 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $79,000 | Between $32,000 And $54,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Jose, CA | Philadelphia, PA |
| Highest paying state | California | Pennsylvania |
| Best paying company | PayPal | NTT Data International L.L.C. |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a projection technician and a desktop support technician in terms of educational background:
| Projection Technician | Desktop Support Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Information Systems |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between projection technicians' and desktop support technicians' demographics:
| Projection Technician | Desktop Support Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.4% Female, 24.6% | Male, 89.8% Female, 10.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 13.3% White, 54.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 11.7% White, 54.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |