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The differences between technical managers and technical supervisors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a technical manager, becoming a technical supervisor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a technical manager has an average salary of $116,619, which is higher than the $89,670 average annual salary of a technical supervisor.
The top three skills for a technical manager include project management, infrastructure and architecture. The most important skills for a technical supervisor are customer service, customer satisfaction, and patient care.
| Technical Manager | Technical Supervisor | |
| Yearly salary | $116,619 | $89,670 |
| Hourly rate | $56.07 | $43.11 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 116,732 | 83,226 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 40 | 49 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
A technical manager is responsible for maintaining the company's information systems database and analyzing technology system matters to ensure its efficiency and accuracy in supporting business operations. Technical managers perform network checks regularly to assess any possible malfunctions that might compromise the company's cybersecurity. They carefully analyze business and clients' specifications on working with systems integration, responding to end-users' concerns and inquiries. A technical manager must have excellent knowledge of the information technology systems industry, as well as a strong command on network codes to conduct adjustments and manage network infrastructure.
A technical supervisor is a leader who offers hands-on leadership for the staff members. Technical supervisors oversee employee performance in a certain department of the organization. They monitor the installation, repair, troubleshooting, and maintenance work of technicians. They supervise teams of technicians, oversee workers, and perform inspections on work orders. Their skills include leadership, confidence, problem-solving, empathy, and strong communication skills. They should also be compassionate, be able to manage time, and a problem solver.
Technical managers and technical supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Technical Manager | Technical Supervisor | |
| Average salary | $116,619 | $89,670 |
| Salary range | Between $84,000 And $161,000 | Between $63,000 And $126,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Sunnyvale, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | A.T. Kearney | SE2 |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a technical manager and a technical supervisor in terms of educational background:
| Technical Manager | Technical Supervisor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred |
Here are the differences between technical managers' and technical supervisors' demographics:
| Technical Manager | Technical Supervisor | |
| Average age | 40 | 49 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.7% Female, 16.3% | Male, 78.7% Female, 21.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 6.4% White, 65.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 2.1% White, 67.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 14% | 4% |