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The differences between help desk assistants 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 assistant and a help desk specialist. Additionally, a help desk specialist has an average salary of $51,065, which is higher than the $28,262 average annual salary of a help desk assistant.
The top three skills for a help desk assistant include computer lab, customer service and desk support. The most important skills for a help desk specialist are customer service, troubleshoot, and technical support.
| Help Desk Assistant | Help Desk Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $28,262 | $51,065 |
| Hourly rate | $13.59 | $24.55 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 83,479 | 75,004 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Help desk assistants and help desk specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Help Desk Assistant | Help Desk Specialist | |
| Average salary | $28,262 | $51,065 |
| Salary range | Between $14,000 And $56,000 | Between $35,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | Hartford, CT | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Information Technology and Innovation Foundation | Schulte Roth & Zabel |
| Best paying industry | Government | Technology |
There are a few differences between a help desk assistant and a help desk specialist in terms of educational background:
| Help Desk Assistant | Help Desk Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between help desk assistants' and help desk specialists' demographics:
| Help Desk Assistant | Help Desk Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 53.4% Female, 46.6% | Male, 79.4% Female, 20.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.2% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.8% Asian, 11.5% White, 54.8% 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% |