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The differences between remote support specialists and software 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 remote support specialist and a software support technician. Additionally, a software support technician has an average salary of $79,670, which is higher than the $43,180 average annual salary of a remote support specialist.
The top three skills for a remote support specialist include customer service, PC and technical support. The most important skills for a software support technician are customer service, troubleshoot, and java.
| Remote Support Specialist | Software Support Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $43,180 | $79,670 |
| Hourly rate | $20.76 | $38.30 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 129,512 | 117,059 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A remote support specialist is responsible for assisting customers and end-users on their network and system issues through electronic communications. These support specialists diagnose technical problems by analyzing customers' statements and conduct immediate troubleshooting procedures, advising clients the instructions to prevent the reoccurrence of system failures. They also recommend system upgrades and installation to boost the system's optimization and operational efficiency. A remote support specialist must have excellent technical and communication skills, especially in writing resolution reports and collaborating with the technical team for process improvement techniques.
A software support technician is responsible for resolving software application issues, diagnosing related system failures, and writing resolution reports for reference. Software support technicians must be highly-familiarized with the system's infrastructure and interface to immediately diagnose malfunctions and identify maintenance techniques to prevent the reoccurrence of downtimes and delays. They also assist the system engineers in the configuration and optimization of networks, including the installment of upgrades and patch updates. A software support technician must have excellent organizational and communication skills, especially in navigating computer tools and applications to create support tickets and fix the customers' issues efficiently.
Remote support specialists and software support technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Remote Support Specialist | Software Support Technician | |
| Average salary | $43,180 | $79,670 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $61,000 | Between $55,000 And $113,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | CDM Smith | RSM US |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Finance |
There are a few differences between a remote support specialist and a software support technician in terms of educational background:
| Remote Support Specialist | Software Support Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between remote support specialists' and software support technicians' demographics:
| Remote Support Specialist | Software Support Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.3% Female, 38.7% | Male, 73.8% Female, 26.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 10.9% White, 55.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 12.4% White, 54.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |