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The differences between software 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 software support technician and a desk support technician. Additionally, a software support technician has an average salary of $79,670, which is higher than the $40,715 average annual salary of a desk support technician.
The top three skills for a software support technician include customer service, troubleshoot and java. The most important skills for a desk support technician are customer service, technical support, and troubleshoot.
| Software Support Technician | Desk Support Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $79,670 | $40,715 |
| Hourly rate | $38.30 | $19.57 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 117,059 | 130,485 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
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.
Software support technicians and desk support technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Support Technician | Desk Support Technician | |
| Average salary | $79,670 | $40,715 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $113,000 | Between $26,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | South San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | RSM US | BNY Mellon |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a software support technician and a desk support technician in terms of educational background:
| Software Support Technician | Desk Support Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between software support technicians' and desk support technicians' demographics:
| Software Support Technician | Desk Support Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 73.8% Female, 26.2% | Male, 82.6% Female, 17.4% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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% |