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The differences between help desk 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 help desk analyst and a help desk specialist. Additionally, a help desk specialist has an average salary of $51,065, which is higher than the $37,318 average annual salary of a help desk analyst.
The top three skills for a help desk analyst include customer service, troubleshoot and technical support. The most important skills for a help desk specialist are customer service, troubleshoot, and technical support.
| Help Desk Analyst | Help Desk Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $37,318 | $51,065 |
| Hourly rate | $17.94 | $24.55 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 87,591 | 75,004 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Help Desk Analysts generally provide technical support by assisting customers with their system issues. These analysts are expected to be highly knowledgeable about application processes and basic troubleshooting. Help Desk Analysts usually communicate with end-users through phone calls or e-mail and are required to attend on customers technical issues promptly. Depending on the expertise, the Help Desk Analysts are often categorized to support levels wherein the most complex issues are often handle by the highest tier. The Help Desk Analysts must have critical-thinking skills on solving network problems and document specific concerns and progress.
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.
Help desk analysts and help desk specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Help Desk Analyst | Help Desk Specialist | |
| Average salary | $37,318 | $51,065 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $52,000 | Between $35,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Pacific Investment Management Company LLC | Schulte Roth & Zabel |
| Best paying industry | Government | Technology |
There are a few differences between a help desk analyst and a help desk specialist in terms of educational background:
| Help Desk Analyst | Help Desk Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Computer Information Systems | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between help desk analysts' and help desk specialists' demographics:
| Help Desk Analyst | Help Desk Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 71.8% Female, 28.2% | Male, 79.4% Female, 20.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.5% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 11.1% White, 55.6% 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% |