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The differences between implementation specialists and 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 an implementation specialist and a support specialist. Additionally, an implementation specialist has an average salary of $56,545, which is higher than the $40,782 average annual salary of a support specialist.
The top three skills for an implementation specialist include client expectations, customer service and business processes. The most important skills for a support specialist are customer service, patients, and mental health.
| Implementation Specialist | Support Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $56,545 | $40,782 |
| Hourly rate | $27.19 | $19.61 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 50,975 | 125,740 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
As the name entails, implementation specialists perform tasks related to the implementation of computer software and hardware, technical systems, or solutions. They are responsible for identifying clients' needs and determining how they will use the software or systems that they have acquired. They may also assist clients in setting up their equipment and perform additional tasks such as importing client data, creating customized reports, and modifying metrics. There are certain skills and qualifications to be considered to apply for this role, which includes a bachelor's degree in business, in-depth technical knowledge, and problem-solving skills.
A support specialist is responsible for assisting technical and administrative support, depending on the business need. Support specialists must have extensive knowledge of the services of the organization they work for to assist customers with their inquiries and resolve complaints efficiently. A support specialist maintains documents of issue resolution, providing recommendations to improve business strategies and procedures. Support specialists must be well-versed on technology systems, perform basic troubleshooting, and secure databases. They should also have impeccable customer service and communication skills to attend with customers' needs and requests.
Implementation specialists and support specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Implementation Specialist | Support Specialist | |
| Average salary | $56,545 | $40,782 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $87,000 | Between $25,000 And $64,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Jose, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | New York |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between an implementation specialist and a support specialist in terms of educational background:
| Implementation Specialist | Support Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between implementation specialists' and support specialists' demographics:
| Implementation Specialist | Support Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 49.3% Female, 50.7% | Male, 38.4% Female, 61.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.3% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 10.7% White, 55.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 10.4% White, 56.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |