Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between client technical specialists and help desk 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 technical specialist and a help desk specialist. Additionally, a client technical specialist has an average salary of $83,205, which is higher than the $51,065 average annual salary of a help desk specialist.
The top three skills for a client technical specialist include competitive landscape, cloud and CTS. The most important skills for a help desk specialist are customer service, troubleshoot, and technical support.
| Client Technical Specialist | Help Desk Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $83,205 | $51,065 |
| Hourly rate | $40.00 | $24.55 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 148,983 | 75,004 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A client technical specialist offers technical support for applications and programs for staff members and customers. Client technical specialists coordinate the technology use of an organization. They recognize the composition and procedures of the company, assess its technology use and technological processes, and enhance its effectiveness. Their job includes training their staff and customers on the proper use of technical programs and applications. Skills in project management, technical writing, program languages, and data analysis are necessary for this job.
The primary role of help desk specialists is to maintain relationships between the company and its customers. Their duties and responsibilities include responding to guests' queries, providing technical computer support, and maintaining computer systems' performance. Help desk specialists are also responsible for following up with customers to resolve issues and train computer users. There are several requirements to be qualified for this position, which include having relevant customer service experience, problem-solving and analytical skills, and the ability to prioritize vital tasks.
Client technical specialists and help desk specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Client Technical Specialist | Help Desk Specialist | |
| Average salary | $83,205 | $51,065 |
| Salary range | Between $57,000 And $120,000 | Between $35,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Ernst & Young | Schulte Roth & Zabel |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a client technical specialist and a help desk specialist in terms of educational background:
| Client Technical Specialist | Help Desk Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between client technical specialists' and help desk specialists' demographics:
| Client Technical Specialist | Help Desk Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 76.5% Female, 23.5% | Male, 79.4% Female, 20.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.6% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 13.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 12.3% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 11.6% White, 55.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |