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The differences between senior 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 senior support technician and a desk support technician. Additionally, a senior support technician has an average salary of $74,459, which is higher than the $40,715 average annual salary of a desk support technician.
The top three skills for a senior support technician include customer service, technical support and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a desk support technician are customer service, technical support, and troubleshoot.
| Senior Support Technician | Desk Support Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $74,459 | $40,715 |
| Hourly rate | $35.80 | $19.57 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 113,499 | 130,485 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A senior support technician is an individual specializing in diagnosing and resolving information technology (IT)-related problems in an organization, including virus issues, forgotten passwords, and software updates. The job requires knowledge about the installation, configuration, and testing of computer hardware and software. Possessing excellent customer service, listening, and problem-solving skills is also vital to qualify for the position. The job's education requirements include an associate or bachelor's degree in computer science, business, information technology, or a related field.
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.
Senior support technicians and desk support technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Support Technician | Desk Support Technician | |
| Average salary | $74,459 | $40,715 |
| Salary range | Between $48,000 And $114,000 | Between $26,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | Durham, NC | South San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Pennsylvania | California |
| Best paying company | Pacira BioSciences | BNY Mellon |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a senior support technician and a desk support technician in terms of educational background:
| Senior Support Technician | Desk Support Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between senior support technicians' and desk support technicians' demographics:
| Senior Support Technician | Desk Support Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 78.4% Female, 21.6% | Male, 82.6% Female, 17.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 11.1% White, 56.1% 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% |