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The differences between data support 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 data support specialist and a computer support specialist. Additionally, a computer support specialist has an average salary of $63,926, which is higher than the $49,083 average annual salary of a data support specialist.
The top three skills for a data support specialist include qa testing, data support and data analysis. The most important skills for a computer support specialist are computer support, troubleshoot, and technical support.
| Data Support Specialist | Computer Support Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $49,083 | $63,926 |
| Hourly rate | $23.60 | $30.73 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 182,515 | 114,029 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
The job of a data support specialist is to manage sensitive and confidential electronic data and ensure the accuracy of data being entered into the database. You will be responsible for assisting in the maintenance, implementation, and support of technology, assessment, and instruction that requires data entry. In addition, you will be developing and preparing user materials for instruction reference and documentation. Other duties that you will perform include identifying issues with software applications and resolving them, providing administrative support to the department director, and responding to inquiries related to software applications.
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.
Data support specialists and computer support specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Data Support Specialist | Computer Support Specialist | |
| Average salary | $49,083 | $63,926 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $78,000 | Between $44,000 And $91,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Washington |
| Best paying company | Virtusa | |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a data support specialist and a computer support specialist in terms of educational background:
| Data Support Specialist | Computer Support Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between data support specialists' and computer support specialists' demographics:
| Data Support Specialist | Computer Support Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 41.6% Female, 58.4% | Male, 80.1% Female, 19.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 10.6% White, 56.2% 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% |