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The differences between technical support specialists 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 specialist and a network support technician. Additionally, a technical support specialist has an average salary of $48,667, which is higher than the $48,622 average annual salary of a network support technician.
The top three skills for a technical support specialist include customer service, technical support and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a network support technician are troubleshoot, technical support, and customer service.
| Technical Support Specialist | Network Support Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $48,667 | $48,622 |
| Hourly rate | $23.40 | $23.38 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 157,425 | 120,245 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.6 | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A technical support specialist is responsible for assisting customer's and businesses' concerns and system issues by performing troubleshooting and remote solutions. These specialists must have extensive knowledge of system applications, including software and hardware database to handle complex processes that might affect the end user's experience or the business' daily operations. Technical support specialists should maintain excellent communication skills to guide the client and business on solving network problems. They must also document concerns and progress promptly for reference and quality checks.
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 specialists and network support technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Technical Support Specialist | Network Support Technician | |
| Average salary | $48,667 | $48,622 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $76,000 | Between $38,000 And $61,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Troy, NY |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Meta | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a technical support specialist and a network support technician in terms of educational background:
| Technical Support Specialist | Network Support Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between technical support specialists' and network support technicians' demographics:
| Technical Support Specialist | Network Support Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.4% Female, 24.6% | Male, 89.3% Female, 10.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 11.3% White, 55.0% 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% |