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The differences between software 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 software support technician and a hardware technician. Additionally, a software support technician has an average salary of $79,670, which is higher than the $47,851 average annual salary of a hardware technician.
The top three skills for a software support technician include customer service, troubleshoot and java. The most important skills for a hardware technician are customer service, technical support, and network printers.
| Software Support Technician | Hardware Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $79,670 | $47,851 |
| Hourly rate | $38.30 | $23.01 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 117,059 | 85,174 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| 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 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.
Software support technicians and hardware technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Support Technician | Hardware Technician | |
| Average salary | $79,670 | $47,851 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $113,000 | Between $32,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Delaware |
| Best paying company | RSM US | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a software support technician and a hardware technician in terms of educational background:
| Software Support Technician | Hardware Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between software support technicians' and hardware technicians' demographics:
| Software Support Technician | Hardware Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 73.8% Female, 26.2% | Male, 90.0% Female, 10.0% |
| 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, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 12.0% White, 55.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |