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Desktop Support Specialist Vs Information Technology/Support Technician

The differences between desktop support specialists and information technology/support technicians 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 an information technology/support technician. Additionally, an information technology/support technician has an average salary of $45,591, 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 an information technology/support technician are customer service, troubleshoot, and computer system.

Desktop support specialist vs information technology/support technician overview

Desktop Support SpecialistInformation Technology/Support Technician
Yearly Salary$44,962$45,591
Hourly rate$21.62$21.92
Growth Rate10%10%
Number Of Jobs102,191161,748
Job Satisfaction--
Most Common DegreeBachelor's Degree, 52%Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Average Age4242
Years Of Experience22

What does a Desktop Support Specialist do?

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.

What does an information technology/support technician do?

An information technology (IT) support technician is an individual who is responsible for providing support and troubleshoots software and hardware problems faced by customers. As for larger organizations that have their own IT department, technicians must work together internally with their IT staff members. IT support technicians are involved in inspecting and resolving minor local area network and wireless network issues, which include TCP/IP, DHCP, and VPN. They are also required to obtain an associate's degree in computer science or related field.

Desktop support specialist vs information technology/support technician salary

Desktop support specialists and information technology/support technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Desktop Support SpecialistInformation Technology/Support Technician
Average Salary$44,962$45,591
Salary RangeBetween $33,000 And $59,000Between $31,000 And $66,000
Highest Paying CityBoston, MASan Francisco, CA
Highest Paying StateMassachusettsPennsylvania
Best Paying CompanyCornerstone ResearchMicrosoft
Best Paying IndustryFinanceTechnology

Differences between desktop support specialist and information technology/support technician education

There are a few differences between a desktop support specialist and an information technology/support technician in terms of educational background:

Desktop Support SpecialistInformation Technology/Support Technician
Most Common DegreeBachelor's Degree, 52%Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Most Common MajorComputer ScienceComputer Science
Most Common CollegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Desktop support specialist vs information technology/support technician demographics

Here are the differences between desktop support specialists' and information technology/support technicians' demographics:

Desktop Support SpecialistInformation Technology/Support Technician
Average Age4242
Gender RatioMale, 87.6% Female, 12.4%Male, 85.4% Female, 14.6%
Race RatioBlack 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, 10.7% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 13.2% White, 54.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage11%11%

Differences between desktop support specialist and information technology/support technician duties and responsibilities

Desktop Support Specialist Example Responsibilities.

  • Manage computer assets utilizing Symantec Altiris.
  • Manage schedule software/Security patch upgrades via SCCM.
  • Manage backups, replications and disaster recovery plans of company mission critical servers and database files to ensure redundancy.
  • Deploy McAfee anti-virus tools across enterprise.
  • Automate fixes for common errors using Powershell and batch scripting.
  • Document software processes and core conversion software installations for VDI.
  • Show More

Information Technology/Support Technician Example Responsibilities.

  • Manage DHCP entries, assign and reserve IP addresses for different sites and locations.
  • Manage companies ShoreTel VoIP telephone system.
  • Manage and maintain network peripherals including printers, workstations and network connections.
  • Manage backups, replications and disaster recovery plans of company mission critical servers and database files to ensure redundancy.
  • Furnish technical assistance with VoIP system maintenance.
  • Use SCCM to remotely support and install software allowing for a reduction in troubleshooting times.
  • Show More

Desktop support specialist vs information technology/support technician skills

Common Desktop Support Specialist Skills
  • Customer Service, 10%
  • Desktop Support, 8%
  • Troubleshoot, 7%
  • PC, 6%
  • Technical Support, 5%
  • SCCM, 3%
Common Information Technology/Support Technician Skills
  • Customer Service, 12%
  • Troubleshoot, 9%
  • Computer System, 6%
  • Desk Support, 5%
  • Phone Calls, 4%
  • Remote Desktop, 3%

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