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The differences between technical support engineers and network support engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a technical support engineer and a network support engineer. Additionally, a network support engineer has an average salary of $86,406, which is higher than the $85,716 average annual salary of a technical support engineer.
The top three skills for a technical support engineer include technical support, customer service and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a network support engineer are switches, network support, and OSPF.
| Technical Support Engineer | Network Support Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $85,716 | $86,406 |
| Hourly rate | $41.21 | $41.54 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 184,542 | 113,476 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A technical support engineer is responsible for responding to customer issues, providing immediate resolutions to their system issues through remote assistance. Technical support engineers must have strong knowledge of software and hardware applications to diagnose system defects and process troubleshooting. They also assist customers with the installation of programs and updates to improve system performance, escalating high-level concerns to appropriate internal technology teams. A technical support engineer must have strong command with technical systems, as well as excellent communication and time-management skills to understand clients' issues while documenting procedures.
A network support engineer is an information technology expert who designs and develops computer systems, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Among their responsibilities include performing installations and upgrades, configuring networks, troubleshooting issues, gathering and analyzing data to identify areas needing improvement, and recommending strategies to optimize network operations. They must also provide technical support to staff, address issues and concerns, conduct inspections, and perform repairs. Moreover, a network support engineer must regularly monitor networks while implementing the company's security and safety standards.
Technical support engineers and network support engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Technical Support Engineer | Network Support Engineer | |
| Average salary | $85,716 | $86,406 |
| Salary range | Between $61,000 And $119,000 | Between $66,000 And $112,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a technical support engineer and a network support engineer in terms of educational background:
| Technical Support Engineer | Network Support Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between technical support engineers' and network support engineers' demographics:
| Technical Support Engineer | Network Support Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.3% Female, 16.7% | Male, 89.2% Female, 10.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 15.0% White, 54.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 13.9% White, 61.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 9% |