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The differences between client support analysts and desktop support specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a client support analyst and a desktop support specialist. Additionally, a client support analyst has an average salary of $61,165, which is higher than the $44,962 average annual salary of a desktop support specialist.
The top three skills for a client support analyst include customer service, client support and technical support. The most important skills for a desktop support specialist are customer service, desktop support, and troubleshoot.
| Client Support Analyst | Desktop Support Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $61,165 | $44,962 |
| Hourly rate | $29.41 | $21.62 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 112,734 | 102,191 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A client support analyst is in charge of providing analytical services to optimize a company's customer support operations. They typically provide technical support through calls and correspondence, troubleshoot problems, diagnose technical issues, provide step-by-step solutions, or refer clients to other services. They may also perform clerical tasks such as maintaining records of all transactions, preparing and processing documents, answering inquiries, and updating databases. Moreover, a client support analyst must produce progress reports, coordinating with managers regularly.
A Desktop Support Specialist is focused on troubleshooting different software packages, hardware devices, and other peripherals. They monitor the performance of the company's desktop infrastructure.
Client support analysts and desktop support specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Client Support Analyst | Desktop Support Specialist | |
| Average salary | $61,165 | $44,962 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $93,000 | Between $33,000 And $59,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Citi | Cornerstone Research |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a client support analyst and a desktop support specialist in terms of educational background:
| Client Support Analyst | Desktop Support Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between client support analysts' and desktop support specialists' demographics:
| Client Support Analyst | Desktop Support Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.6% Female, 38.4% | Male, 87.6% Female, 12.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.3% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.0% Asian, 12.5% White, 54.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 12.3% White, 54.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |