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The differences between server 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 server technician and a desk support technician. Additionally, a server technician has an average salary of $55,884, which is higher than the $40,715 average annual salary of a desk support technician.
The top three skills for a server technician include customer service, troubleshoot and windows server. The most important skills for a desk support technician are customer service, technical support, and troubleshoot.
| Server Technician | Desk Support Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $55,884 | $40,715 |
| Hourly rate | $26.87 | $19.57 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 134,665 | 130,485 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Server technicians are information technology (IT) professionals who are responsible for installing, maintaining, and troubleshooting the server systems of an IT organization. These technicians must manage both Unix and Windows-based systems to ensure reliability and stability for the clients. They are required to manage data center hardware by providing total diagnosis and repair on hardware issues. Server technicians must also perform regular backups for the organization's server while providing technical support to follow up inquiries and problems on system servers.
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.
Server technicians and desk support technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Server Technician | Desk Support Technician | |
| Average salary | $55,884 | $40,715 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $94,000 | Between $26,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | Daly City, CA | South San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Amd | BNY Mellon |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a server technician and a desk support technician in terms of educational background:
| Server Technician | Desk Support Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between server technicians' and desk support technicians' demographics:
| Server Technician | Desk Support Technician | |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.8% Female, 11.2% | Male, 82.6% Female, 17.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 9.7% White, 63.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | 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 | 9% | 11% |