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The differences between computer system specialists and computer 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 computer system specialist and a computer support specialist. Additionally, a computer system specialist has an average salary of $71,716, which is higher than the $63,926 average annual salary of a computer support specialist.
The top three skills for a computer system specialist include computer system, troubleshoot and CSV. The most important skills for a computer support specialist are computer support, troubleshoot, and technical support.
| Computer System Specialist | Computer Support Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $71,716 | $63,926 |
| Hourly rate | $34.48 | $30.73 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 89,673 | 114,029 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Computer system specialists are responsible for providing technical guidance in developing and troubleshooting a company's computer systems. They adjust the software to provide the database needs of every department in the company. These specialists manage the intranet and internet websites the network users can access and test for system issues to resolve. They serve as lead workers that provide supervision and training over clerical and technical staff on how the system functions. Their duties also include gathering feedback from users to update the system to provide for their needs.
A Computer Support Specialist is responsible for providing the highest customer service for clients with technical and system issues, resolving network failures, and creating support tickets for IT personnel. Computer Support Specialists utilize various system tools and applications to diagnose end-users network issues and conduct immediate troubleshooting. They also help the IT staff design and improve system features and infrastructures and create instructional manuals for deliverables. A Computer Support Specialist must have excellent technical and communication skills to document customers' requests and identify system solutions.
Computer system specialists and computer support specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Computer System Specialist | Computer Support Specialist | |
| Average salary | $71,716 | $63,926 |
| Salary range | Between $50,000 And $102,000 | Between $44,000 And $91,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Washington |
| Best paying company | Los Alamos National Laboratory | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a computer system specialist and a computer support specialist in terms of educational background:
| Computer System Specialist | Computer Support Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between computer system specialists' and computer support specialists' demographics:
| Computer System Specialist | Computer Support Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.6% Female, 18.4% | Male, 80.1% Female, 19.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 10.5% White, 55.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 11.2% White, 55.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |