Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between desktop engineers and help desk administrators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a desktop engineer and a help desk administrator. Additionally, a desktop engineer has an average salary of $102,893, which is higher than the $49,798 average annual salary of a help desk administrator.
The top three skills for a desktop engineer include customer service, SCCM and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a help desk administrator are customer service, desk support, and troubleshoot.
| Desktop Engineer | Help Desk Administrator | |
| Yearly salary | $102,893 | $49,798 |
| Hourly rate | $49.47 | $23.94 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 87,458 | 130,180 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A desktop engineer is responsible for monitoring the efficiency and performance of computer systems across the organization to deliver high-performance on business operations and client specifications. Desktop engineers resolve computer desktop issues, including navigation and security complications that create delays in the operational process. They conduct regular maintenance with the computer systems, upgrade network infrastructure, and perform configuration to ensure smooth functionality and resolutions. A desktop engineer should have excellent knowledge of the technology industry, recommending system solutions to avoid the reoccurrence of network issues and glitches.
Help desk administrator is responsible for handling activities related to system support for their company or organization. They are in charge of providing superb client experiences and working in resolving support issues in a professional and timely manner. One of their primary tasks includes providing login resets and passwords for end-users. In addition, they will also perform innovative systems and network repairs, as well as assist computer information responses as required. Moreover, they support complete equipment set-up, renewal, or termination of a user account, handle server, and domain account changes.
Desktop engineers and help desk administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Desktop Engineer | Help Desk Administrator | |
| Average salary | $102,893 | $49,798 |
| Salary range | Between $77,000 And $136,000 | Between $34,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Ropes & Gray | Houlihan Lokey |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a desktop engineer and a help desk administrator in terms of educational background:
| Desktop Engineer | Help Desk Administrator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between desktop engineers' and help desk administrators' demographics:
| Desktop Engineer | Help Desk Administrator | |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.7% Female, 11.3% | Male, 74.3% Female, 25.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.8% Asian, 13.6% White, 53.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.8% Asian, 8.8% White, 63.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 9% |