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The differences between technical support engineers and network 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 technical support engineer and a network support technician. Additionally, a technical support engineer has an average salary of $85,716, which is higher than the $48,622 average annual salary of a network support technician.
The top three skills for a technical support engineer include technical support, customer service and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a network support technician are troubleshoot, technical support, and customer service.
| Technical Support Engineer | Network Support Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $85,716 | $48,622 |
| Hourly rate | $41.21 | $23.38 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 184,542 | 120,245 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| 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 technician specializes in optimizing a company's information technology (IT) networks for a smooth and efficient workflow. Their responsibilities revolve around addressing issues and concerns, troubleshooting, installing systems, executing upgrades, conducting diagnostic tests, and performing corrective measures as needed. They must also coordinate with staff in developing new IT systems, evaluate existing networks for areas needing improvement, and develop protocols while adhering to the company's policies and regulations. Furthermore, as a network support technician, it is essential to maintain regular network maintenance checks to ensure the security and safety of company data.
Technical support engineers and network support technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Technical Support Engineer | Network Support Technician | |
| Average salary | $85,716 | $48,622 |
| Salary range | Between $61,000 And $119,000 | Between $38,000 And $61,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Troy, NY |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Meta | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a technical support engineer and a network support technician in terms of educational background:
| Technical Support Engineer | Network Support Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between technical support engineers' and network support technicians' demographics:
| Technical Support Engineer | Network Support Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.3% Female, 16.7% | Male, 89.3% Female, 10.7% |
| 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, 9.1% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 8.7% White, 64.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 9% |