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The differences between computer system specialists and 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 specialist. Additionally, a computer system specialist has an average salary of $71,716, which is higher than the $58,013 average annual salary of a specialist.
The top three skills for a computer system specialist include computer system, troubleshoot and CSV. The most important skills for a specialist are patients, customer service, and work ethic.
| Computer System Specialist | Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $71,716 | $58,013 |
| Hourly rate | $34.48 | $27.89 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 89,673 | 358,433 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| 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.
Specialists are employees who are responsible for specific tasks or activities in the department they are assigned to. The actions or tasks they work on are related to their educational background or work experiences. They are usually highly skilled in specializations related to the work they are assigned to. Specialists are also highly trained on the competencies that are required of their specialty. As such, they are focused on the skills and competencies that are needed to enhance their experience in their specific field further.
Computer system specialists and specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Computer System Specialist | Specialist | |
| Average salary | $71,716 | $58,013 |
| Salary range | Between $50,000 And $102,000 | Between $32,000 And $104,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Los Alamos National Laboratory | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between a computer system specialist and a specialist in terms of educational background:
| Computer System Specialist | Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between computer system specialists' and specialists' demographics:
| Computer System Specialist | Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.6% Female, 18.4% | Male, 47.5% Female, 52.5% |
| 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, 16.4% Asian, 10.5% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |