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The differences between desktop support analysts 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 desktop support analyst and a help desk specialist. Additionally, a help desk specialist has an average salary of $51,065, which is higher than the $48,674 average annual salary of a desktop support analyst.
The top three skills for a desktop support analyst include desktop support, customer service and computer system. The most important skills for a help desk specialist are customer service, troubleshoot, and technical support.
| Desktop Support Analyst | Help Desk Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $48,674 | $51,065 |
| Hourly rate | $23.40 | $24.55 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 99,621 | 75,004 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A desktop support analyst's role is to develop strategies and systems to improve and coordinate desktop support efforts. Their responsibilities revolve around testing and modifying existing networks and systems, providing corrective measures on issues and concerns, performing regular inspections, troubleshooting, and maintaining inventories on software, hardware, and other applications. Furthermore, as a desktop support analyst, it is essential to respond to calls and correspondence from clients, all while adhering to the policies and regulations of the company.
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.
Desktop support analysts and help desk specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Desktop Support Analyst | Help Desk Specialist | |
| Average salary | $48,674 | $51,065 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $65,000 | Between $35,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | New York | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Cambridge Associates | Schulte Roth & Zabel |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a desktop support analyst and a help desk specialist in terms of educational background:
| Desktop Support Analyst | Help Desk Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between desktop support analysts' and help desk specialists' demographics:
| Desktop Support Analyst | Help Desk Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.9% Female, 12.1% | Male, 79.4% Female, 20.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 12.3% White, 54.7% 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% |