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The differences between desktop support specialists and desktop support consultants 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 specialist and a desktop support consultant. Additionally, a desktop support consultant has an average salary of $46,733, which is higher than the $44,962 average annual salary of a desktop support specialist.
The top three skills for a desktop support specialist include customer service, desktop support and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a desktop support consultant are desktop support, customer service, and troubleshoot.
| Desktop Support Specialist | Desktop Support Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $44,962 | $46,733 |
| Hourly rate | $21.62 | $22.47 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 102,191 | 100,650 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A Desktop Support Specialist is focused on troubleshooting different software packages, hardware devices, and other peripherals. They monitor the performance of the company's desktop infrastructure.
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.
Desktop support specialists and desktop support consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Desktop Support Specialist | Desktop Support Consultant | |
| Average salary | $44,962 | $46,733 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $59,000 | Between $33,000 And $64,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Cornerstone Research | NTT Data International L.L.C. |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a desktop support specialist and a desktop support consultant in terms of educational background:
| Desktop Support Specialist | Desktop Support Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between desktop support specialists' and desktop support consultants' demographics:
| Desktop Support Specialist | Desktop Support Consultant | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.6% Female, 12.4% | Male, 85.0% Female, 15.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 12.3% White, 54.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |