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The differences between field specialists and desktop support 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 field specialist and a desktop support specialist. Additionally, a field specialist has an average salary of $49,496, which is higher than the $44,962 average annual salary of a desktop support specialist.
The top three skills for a field specialist include customer service, troubleshoot and work ethic. The most important skills for a desktop support specialist are customer service, desktop support, and troubleshoot.
| Field Specialist | Desktop Support Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $49,496 | $44,962 |
| Hourly rate | $23.80 | $21.62 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 101,348 | 102,191 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
The duties of a field specialist depend on one's line of work or industry of employment. In a retail setting, their responsibilities revolve around securing sales by offering products or services to consumers through appointments, walk-ins, calls, or correspondence. They typically participate in developing sales programs, maintain records of all transactions, answer inquiries, and handle any issues or concerns, resolving them promptly and efficiently. Furthermore, as a field specialist, it is essential to devise strategies that will boost product sales, all while upholding the company's policies and regulations.
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.
Field specialists and desktop support specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Field Specialist | Desktop Support Specialist | |
| Average salary | $49,496 | $44,962 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $81,000 | Between $33,000 And $59,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | California | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | LUFKIN Industries | Cornerstone Research |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Finance |
There are a few differences between a field specialist and a desktop support specialist in terms of educational background:
| Field Specialist | Desktop Support Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between field specialists' and desktop support specialists' demographics:
| Field Specialist | Desktop Support Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.0% Female, 25.0% | Male, 87.6% Female, 12.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 10.5% White, 55.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |