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The differences between help desk engineers and information engineers 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 an information engineer. Additionally, an information engineer has an average salary of $105,003, which is higher than the $52,444 average annual salary of a help desk engineer.
The top three skills for a help desk engineer include troubleshoot, help-desk support and technical support. The most important skills for an information engineer are customer service, linux, and troubleshoot.
| Help Desk Engineer | Information Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $52,444 | $105,003 |
| Hourly rate | $25.21 | $50.48 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 100,003 | 151,357 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| 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.
An information engineer is responsible for monitoring the efficiency of computer systems and network infrastructure, performing configuration to boost the optimal performance of the technology systems. Information engineers assist end-users in resolving network issues, identifying the source of inconsistencies, and create resolution reports for reference to avoid reoccurrence. They also design new network systems according to business needs and client specifications, running multiple diagnostic tests to ensure effectiveness before the release of final deliverables. An information engineer should have excellent technical skills, as well as a strong command of programming languages and system codes.
Help desk engineers and information engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Help Desk Engineer | Information Engineer | |
| Average salary | $52,444 | $105,003 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $74,000 | Between $78,000 And $139,000 |
| Highest paying City | Radnor, PA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | Bain & Company | Mayo Clinic |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a help desk engineer and an information engineer in terms of educational background:
| Help Desk Engineer | Information Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between help desk engineers' and information engineers' demographics:
| Help Desk Engineer | Information Engineer | |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.8% Female, 18.2% | Male, 85.8% Female, 14.2% |
| 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, 7.8% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 13.6% White, 61.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 9% |