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The differences between applications development specialists and application support specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an applications development specialist, becoming an application support specialist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an applications development specialist has an average salary of $99,856, which is higher than the $81,820 average annual salary of an application support specialist.
The top three skills for an applications development specialist include java, application development and C++. The most important skills for an application support specialist are application support, customer service, and troubleshoot.
| Applications Development Specialist | Application Support Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $99,856 | $81,820 |
| Hourly rate | $48.01 | $39.34 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 74,373 | 118,322 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
An applications development specialist focuses on the design and coding of an application or software for a company. The development specialist's job is to determine the most efficient method to develop a program without sacrificing quality. It is also the position's task to ensure that a program is a solution to its needs and other problems identified through feedback from employees. The applications development specialist is also part of the backend team and can work alongside the research and development department when creating new software to be sold to the market.
An application support specialist's role is to utilize their technical expertise in responding to inquiries and addressing issues and concerns, resolving them promptly and effectively. They may communicate with clients through calls or correspondence, even arrange appointments when necessary. Moreover, one may work as a member of a company or independently. As an application support specialist in a company setting, it is essential to coordinate with different department personnel, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.
Applications development specialists and application support specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Applications Development Specialist | Application Support Specialist | |
| Average salary | $99,856 | $81,820 |
| Salary range | Between $78,000 And $127,000 | Between $52,000 And $127,000 |
| Highest paying City | Jersey City, NJ | Cupertino, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | MUFG EMEA | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between an applications development specialist and an application support specialist in terms of educational background:
| Applications Development Specialist | Application Support Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between applications development specialists' and application support specialists' demographics:
| Applications Development Specialist | Application Support Specialist | |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.2% Female, 27.8% | Male, 61.6% Female, 38.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 6.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 7.0% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 11.5% White, 55.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 11% |