What Does an IT Technician Do?
An IT technician installs, repairs, and maintains the computers, printers, phones, and network equipment that employees use every day, and supports the people using them. The work is hands-on and usually on site: enrolling laptops in device management, replacing failed hardware, patching cables, setting up new hires, and fixing problems the help desk could not solve remotely. IT technicians work in schools, hospitals, manufacturing plants, law firms, and any company with more than a few dozen employees. Most employers ask for an associate degree or a CompTIA A+ certification plus 1 or more years of support experience.
Four published titles sit next to this one, and in practice the differences come down to where the person sits and what they touch. A help desk specialist works a ticket queue by phone and remote session and rarely opens a case. A desktop support technician is the deskside version of that job, focused on end-user devices. An IT support technician is close to a synonym, used more often by smaller employers. An IT specialist is a generalist who may also administer servers and applications. The IT technician title covers the widest physical scope: devices, printers, conference rooms, wiring closets, and the network gear in them.
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Hiring an IT Technician: What to Expect
Candidates for this title come from help desk roles, community college IT programs, military communications and IT specialties, and retail repair counters. Screen for a hardware repair the candidate completed without a vendor, for how they handle a user who is angry about lost work, and for which device management and ticketing tools they have used. Ask them to explain a network problem they traced to the switch or the cable, because that is the skill that separates an IT technician from a help desk agent.
IT technician postings often go wrong by writing a help desk description with a technician title on it, or the reverse. Employers who need someone to walk the floor, swap hardware, and work in the wiring closet should say so in the first paragraph, including how much of the week is on site, how many locations the person covers, and whether lifting equipment is part of the job. Candidates who want a remote queue job will self-select out, and the ones who like physical work will apply.
A posting for this role should name the device management tools the company uses, such as Microsoft Intune with Autopilot or Jamf, and say whether the technician ships equipment to remote employees and supports them over video. It should also state how many remote employees and locations the technician supports.
On IT searches, 4 Corner Resources submits qualified candidates in an average of 3.7 days, clients interview an average of 1.42 candidates per hire, and we submit 1.86 candidates per hire.
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IT Technician Core Responsibilities
- Enroll, configure, and deploy laptops, desktops, and mobile devices through Microsoft Intune with Autopilot, Jamf, or Configuration Manager
- Diagnose and repair hardware failures, including drives, memory, screens, power supplies, and docking stations, and manage warranty claims with vendors
- Install and support printers, scanners, label printers, barcode readers, and conference room audio and video equipment
- Patch network cabling, replace switches and access points, and trace connectivity problems to the port or device
- Set up accounts, equipment, and access for new hires in Active Directory, Entra ID, Microsoft 365, or Google Workspace, and offboard departing employees
- Resolve escalated tickets from the help desk in the ticketing system (ServiceNow, Jira Service Management, Freshservice, or similar) and document the fix
- Maintain hardware inventory and asset records, including purchases, assignments, and disposal
- Install software, apply operating system patches, and confirm endpoint protection, such as Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, is active on every device
- Ship, track, and remotely support equipment for employees working from home or at satellite locations
- Write and update how-to guides and knowledge base articles for common user problems
- Triage phishing reports, and lock or wipe lost and stolen devices through device management
- Use AI features in the ticketing system, such as ticket summaries and suggested fixes, and check them before applying a fix or replying to a user
Required Skills and Qualifications
Hard skills
- Hands-on repair and configuration of Windows and macOS computers, including BIOS and firmware settings
- Device enrollment and policy management with Microsoft Intune and Autopilot, Jamf, or Configuration Manager
- Networking fundamentals: IP addressing, DHCP, DNS, VLANs, Wi-Fi troubleshooting, and structured cabling
- Active Directory, Entra ID, or Google Workspace user and group administration
- Printer and peripheral setup, including print servers and driver management
- Experience with a ticketing system and with remote support tools such as TeamViewer, ConnectWise ScreenConnect, or Quick Assist
- Basic scripting with PowerShell or Bash for repetitive setup tasks
- Familiarity with multifactor authentication, BitLocker or FileVault encryption, and endpoint protection tools
Soft skills
- Patience with users who are frustrated and under deadline
- Clear, plain explanations of technical problems to people who do not want the details
- Reliable follow-through on tickets, since an unresolved printer problem stalls a whole department
- Physical readiness to lift equipment, crawl under desks, and work in wiring closets
- Good judgment about when to fix something and when to escalate it to the network or systems team
Education
- Associate degree in information technology, computer science, or a related field, or equivalent experience
- Many employers accept a high school diploma plus CompTIA A+ and 1 or more years of support experience
Certifications
- CompTIA A+ is the standard entry credential, and many employers require it
- CompTIA Network+, Microsoft 365 Certified: Endpoint Administrator Associate, or Jamf Certified Tech are useful for roles with networking or device management emphasis
Preferred Qualifications
- 2 or more years of on-site support experience in an environment of similar size
- Experience supporting multiple locations or a warehouse, plant, or clinical floor
- Familiarity with VoIP phone systems and conference room platforms such as Teams Rooms or Zoom Rooms
- Experience with Apple devices in a managed environment
- A valid driver’s license for roles that cover more than one site
- Exposure to a formal IT service management process (ITIL Foundation)
- Experience supporting Microsoft 365 Copilot licensing and file permissions for users
How Much Does an IT Technician Make?
Typical national range: $45,633 to $70,860, with a national average of $54,478. Salary data reviewed October 2026 by 4 Corner Resources.
IT technician salaries vary by experience, industry, organization size, and geography. Click below to explore salaries by local market.
The average national salary for an IT Technician is:
$54,478
Sample Job Description Templates for IT Technicians
IT Technician (On-Site, Single Office)
Position Overview
We are hiring an IT Technician to support about 250 employees at our headquarters. You will be the hands-on point of contact for hardware, printers, conference rooms, and new hire setup, and the escalation path for our remote help desk vendor. The role reports to the IT Manager and is on site 5 days a week.
Responsibilities
- Deploy and support Windows laptops through Intune and Autopilot, and maintain the standard configuration profiles
- Repair or replace failed hardware and manage warranty claims with Dell and Lenovo
- Support printers, scanners, and 12 conference rooms equipped with Teams Rooms
- Complete new hire setups and departures in Active Directory and Microsoft 365
- Resolve escalated tickets from the help desk vendor in Freshservice and document resolutions
- Maintain the hardware inventory and the loaner laptop pool
- Use the AI features in Freshservice to summarize tickets and suggest fixes, and check them before closing a ticket
Requirements
Hard skills
- 2 or more years of on-site IT support experience
- Windows 11, Microsoft 365, and Active Directory administration
- Intune and Autopilot device management
- Basic network troubleshooting and cable patching
Soft skills
- Friendly and calm with employees under pressure
- Organized about tickets, inventory, and follow-up
- Comfortable lifting 50 pounds and working under desks
Education
- Associate degree in IT or equivalent experience
Certifications
- CompTIA A+ required
IT Technician (Multi-Site, Manufacturing)
Position Overview
Our manufacturing company is adding an IT Technician to cover 3 plants within a 40-mile radius. You will support office staff and production floor equipment, including rugged tablets, barcode scanners, label printers, and the network closets at each site. This role reports to the Infrastructure Supervisor, requires a vehicle and valid license, and includes a company phone for after-hours production support on a rotation.
Responsibilities
- Travel between plants on a weekly schedule and respond to production-critical outages
- Support rugged tablets, handheld scanners, and Zebra label printers on the production floor
- Maintain network closets, replace switches and access points, and patch cabling
- Deploy and manage Windows devices through Intune, with Configuration Manager for older plant systems
- Coordinate with the plant managers on equipment needs and planned downtime
- Keep asset records current across all 3 sites
- Follow plant safety rules, including lockout procedures and personal protective equipment, when working on the production floor
Requirements
Hard skills
- 3 or more years of IT support experience, with at least 1 year in a plant, warehouse, or multi-site environment
- Networking skills including VLANs, Wi-Fi surveys, and cable termination
- Windows device management with Intune or Configuration Manager
- Experience with industrial printers, scanners, and rugged devices
Soft skills
- Works independently across sites without close supervision
- Responds quickly and calmly when a production line is down
- Builds good relationships with plant supervisors
Education
- Associate degree in IT, networking, or a related field, or equivalent experience
Certifications
- CompTIA A+ and Network+ preferred
Preferred qualifications
- Experience in a manufacturing or distribution setting
- Familiarity with wireless site survey tools
IT Technician (Entry-Level)
Position Overview
We are hiring an entry-level IT Technician to join our 6-person IT team and learn hands-on support from the ground up. You will start with device setup, hardware repair, and basic ticket resolution with a senior technician as your mentor, and grow into network and server tasks over your first year. This is a good fit for a recent graduate of an IT program or someone with a CompTIA A+ and a strong interest in hardware.
Responsibilities
- Enroll and set up laptops and desktops for new employees and replacements through Intune or Jamf
- Troubleshoot and repair hardware under the guidance of a senior technician
- Install printers, monitors, and peripherals and keep the conference rooms working
- Work entry-level tickets in Jira Service Management and escalate when needed
- Update inventory records and knowledge base articles
- Assist with cabling, office moves, and equipment shipments
- Use company-approved AI tools to look up error messages and draft knowledge base articles, and confirm the steps work before publishing
Requirements
Hard skills
- Working knowledge of Windows 11 and macOS
- Basic understanding of networking (IP, DNS, Wi-Fi)
- Familiarity with Microsoft 365
- Familiarity with Microsoft Intune or Jamf
- Ability to follow written procedures accurately
Soft skills
- Curious about how things work and willing to learn by doing
- Polite and patient with every user
- Dependable about showing up and finishing what was started
Education
- Associate degree or certificate in information technology, or a high school diploma with relevant coursework
Certifications
- CompTIA A+ required or in progress
Preferred qualifications
- Internship, lab, or home lab experience
- Customer service experience in any field
IT Technician (Hospital)
Position Overview
Our hospital is seeking an IT Technician to support clinical and administrative users across the main campus. You will maintain workstations on wheels, nursing station computers, badge readers, and printers in patient care areas, and you will work within our change control and HIPAA requirements. The position reports to the Clinical Technology Supervisor and includes a weekend rotation.
Responsibilities
- Support workstations on wheels, thin clients, and nursing station devices across all units
- Enroll and manage devices through Intune, and support Imprivata single sign-on and badge-tap login
- Replace failed hardware in patient care areas with minimal disruption to staff
- Maintain label printers, wristband printers, and document scanners used in registration and pharmacy
- Support clinical mobile devices, such as shared iPhones or Zebra handhelds used with Epic Rover
- Follow change control and document every change in ServiceNow
- Protect patient information in line with HIPAA policy during every interaction
Requirements
Hard skills
- 2 or more years of IT support experience, healthcare preferred
- Windows device management and thin client or VDI support
- Experience with single sign-on and badge-tap authentication tools
- Understanding of HIPAA requirements for device handling
Soft skills
- Respectful of clinical workflows and patient privacy
- Steady under pressure when a device fails during patient care
- Communicates clearly with nurses and physicians who have no time to spare
Education
- Associate degree in IT or a related field, or equivalent experience
Certifications
- CompTIA A+ required
Preferred qualifications
- Experience with Epic or Oracle Health (Cerner) workstation support
- Prior hospital or clinic IT experience