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The differences between technologist trainees 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 technologist trainee and a desktop support technician. Additionally, a desktop support technician has an average salary of $41,792, which is higher than the $35,502 average annual salary of a technologist trainee.
The top three skills for a technologist trainee include customer service, hand tools and cleanliness. The most important skills for a desktop support technician are customer service, desktop support, and troubleshoot.
| Technologist Trainee | Desktop Support Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $35,502 | $41,792 |
| Hourly rate | $17.07 | $20.09 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 71,064 | 108,944 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 1 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
The duties of a technologist trainee depend on one's line of work or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around performing support tasks while gaining workplace insights, such as processing and organizing documentation, assisting in installment and repair procedures, liaising with clients through answering calls and correspondence, attending workshops and training programs, and participating in developing new systems and processes. Furthermore, as a technologist trainee, it is essential to learn and uphold the company's policies and regulations, including its vision and mission.
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.
Technologist trainees and desktop support technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Technologist Trainee | Desktop Support Technician | |
| Average salary | $35,502 | $41,792 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $46,000 | Between $32,000 And $54,000 |
| Highest paying City | Reno, NV | Philadelphia, PA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Pennsylvania |
| Best paying company | Bayer | NTT Data International L.L.C. |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Finance |
There are a few differences between a technologist trainee and a desktop support technician in terms of educational background:
| Technologist Trainee | Desktop Support Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Biology | Computer Information Systems |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between technologist trainees' and desktop support technicians' demographics:
| Technologist Trainee | Desktop Support Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.9% Female, 33.1% | Male, 89.8% Female, 10.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% Asian, 14.9% White, 53.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | 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 | 11% | 11% |