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The differences between help desk engineers and help desk analysts 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 engineer and a help desk analyst. Additionally, a help desk engineer has an average salary of $52,444, which is higher than the $37,318 average annual salary of a help desk analyst.
The top three skills for a help desk engineer include troubleshoot, help-desk support and technical support. The most important skills for a help desk analyst are customer service, troubleshoot, and technical support.
| Help Desk Engineer | Help Desk Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $52,444 | $37,318 |
| Hourly rate | $25.21 | $17.94 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 100,003 | 87,591 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Help desk engineers solve problems. They have the technical know-how and have the right troubleshooting tools. They are required to set up computer hardware and software for users and events. When individuals have a certain issue or problem relating to their computer, they bring it to the help desk engineer, who then analyzes and provides a solution. Furthermore, they attend to the issues registered by clients via emails, chats, instant messages, or phone calls.
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.
Help desk engineers and help desk analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Help Desk Engineer | Help Desk Analyst | |
| Average salary | $52,444 | $37,318 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $74,000 | Between $26,000 And $52,000 |
| Highest paying City | Radnor, PA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Bain & Company | Pacific Investment Management Company LLC |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Government |
There are a few differences between a help desk engineer and a help desk analyst in terms of educational background:
| Help Desk Engineer | Help Desk Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Information Systems |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between help desk engineers' and help desk analysts' demographics:
| Help Desk Engineer | Help Desk Analyst | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.8% Female, 18.2% | Male, 71.8% Female, 28.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 12.2% White, 54.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |