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The differences between desktop support consultants and information systems technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a desktop support consultant, becoming an information systems technician takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a desktop support consultant has an average salary of $46,733, which is higher than the $46,346 average annual salary of an information systems technician.
The top three skills for a desktop support consultant include desktop support, customer service and troubleshoot. The most important skills for an information systems technician are customer service, troubleshoot, and technical support.
| Desktop Support Consultant | Information Systems Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $46,733 | $46,346 |
| Hourly rate | $22.47 | $22.28 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 100,650 | 173,424 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
The duties of a desk support consultant vary on their line of work or industry of employment. Most of their responsibilities are likely to revolve around reaching out to clients through calls and correspondence, answering inquiries, troubleshooting, and providing corrective measures, all to attain customer satisfaction. Moreover, a desk support consultant may devise strategies to better communicate with clients, produce progress reports, and maintain accurate records of all transactions. Furthermore, it is essential to adhere to all policies and regulations at all times.
An information systems technician is responsible for maintaining the efficiency of various network systems' performance. Information systems technicians provide network troubleshooting, upgrading systems for optimization, maintaining the security of databases, managing the interaction of networks, and inspecting and troubleshooting system inconsistencies. Additional duties include creating network designs based on clients' specifications, configuring software and hardware applications, and creating reports on system issues and resolutions. An information systems technician must have excellent knowledge of information systems procedures, programming languages, detecting malfunctions, and making resolutions promptly.
Desktop support consultants and information systems technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Desktop Support Consultant | Information Systems Technician | |
| Average salary | $46,733 | $46,346 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $64,000 | Between $28,000 And $74,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Rahway, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | NTT Data International L.L.C. | Simpson Thacher & Bartlett |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Government |
There are a few differences between a desktop support consultant and an information systems technician in terms of educational background:
| Desktop Support Consultant | Information Systems Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between desktop support consultants' and information systems technicians' demographics:
| Desktop Support Consultant | Information Systems Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 85.0% Female, 15.0% | Male, 73.6% Female, 26.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 13.5% White, 54.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |