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The differences between system technicians and desktop 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 system technician and a desktop support technician. Additionally, a system technician has an average salary of $43,410, which is higher than the $41,792 average annual salary of a desktop support technician.
The top three skills for a system technician include customer service, hand tools and preventative maintenance. The most important skills for a desktop support technician are customer service, desktop support, and troubleshoot.
| System Technician | Desktop Support Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $43,410 | $41,792 |
| Hourly rate | $20.87 | $20.09 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 137,121 | 108,944 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 1 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A system technician is an individual responsible for supporting users with issues related to the computer system. System technicians conduct appropriate diagnostics on computer issues and must be able to explain technical issues to clients or team members. They should carry out tests on the system so that they can generate error reports to identify and fix any computer system problems. System technicians also can write and maintain computer programs and work with computers and electronics, including circuit boards, computer hardware and software, and computer processors.
A desktop support technician is responsible for troubleshooting defective computer systems, affecting its performance and efficiency. Desktop support technicians must be highly familiar with the technology systems and programming codes to navigate system applications and locate the discrepancy of the system. They keep documentation of the ticket issue and the resolution for reference and quality improvement. A desktop support technician also configures and updates computer systems and networks for better optimization, as well as conducting regular inspections and monitoring the efficiency of installed programs and patches.
System technicians and desktop support technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| System Technician | Desktop Support Technician | |
| Average salary | $43,410 | $41,792 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $67,000 | Between $32,000 And $54,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Philadelphia, PA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Pennsylvania |
| Best paying company | Bristol-Myers Squibb | NTT Data International L.L.C. |
| Best paying industry | Government | Finance |
There are a few differences between a system technician and a desktop support technician in terms of educational background:
| System Technician | Desktop Support Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Computer Information Systems |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between system technicians' and desktop support technicians' demographics:
| System Technician | Desktop Support Technician | |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.0% Female, 10.0% | Male, 89.8% Female, 10.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 8.8% White, 64.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 11.7% White, 54.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 11% |