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The differences between senior support technicians and hardware 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 hardware technician. Additionally, a senior support technician has an average salary of $74,459, which is higher than the $47,851 average annual salary of a hardware technician.
The top three skills for a senior support technician include customer service, technical support and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a hardware technician are customer service, technical support, and network printers.
| Senior Support Technician | Hardware Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $74,459 | $47,851 |
| Hourly rate | $35.80 | $23.01 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 113,499 | 85,174 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| 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 hardware technician is typically in charge of providing technical support to clients or employees, ensuring efficiency and client satisfaction. In a company setting, a hardware technician is responsible for performing initial assessments on computer hardware, troubleshooting, diagnosing problems, and providing step by step solutions to solve the issues. They may also perform corrective repairs on problems and conduct regular maintenance checks to ensure the quality of equipment. Furthermore, as a hardware technician, it is essential to maintain an active communication line with staff for a smooth and efficient workflow.
Senior support technicians and hardware technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Support Technician | Hardware Technician | |
| Average salary | $74,459 | $47,851 |
| Salary range | Between $48,000 And $114,000 | Between $32,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | Durham, NC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Pennsylvania | Delaware |
| Best paying company | Pacira BioSciences | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a senior support technician and a hardware technician in terms of educational background:
| Senior Support Technician | Hardware Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between senior support technicians' and hardware technicians' demographics:
| Senior Support Technician | Hardware Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 78.4% Female, 21.6% | Male, 90.0% Female, 10.0% |
| 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, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 12.0% White, 55.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |