Information systems administrator vs help desk administrator

The differences between information systems administrators and help desk administrators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an information systems administrator and a help desk administrator. Additionally, an information systems administrator has an average salary of $79,194, which is higher than the $49,798 average annual salary of a help desk administrator.

The top three skills for an information systems administrator include linux, troubleshoot and OS. The most important skills for a help desk administrator are customer service, desk support, and troubleshoot.

Information systems administrator vs help desk administrator overview

	Information Systems Administrator	Help Desk Administrator
Yearly salary	$79,194	$49,798
Hourly rate	$38.07	$23.94
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	176,724	130,180
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 52%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	2	2

What does an information systems administrator do?

Businesses today are mostly dependent heavily on the internet and computer systems for their daily transactions. The information systems administrator is a person that monitors, configures, and upgrades these systems to adapt to the constant advancement in technology. The information systems administrator maintains networks used inside the company, making access to information efficient and fast. A company with a fast and reliable information system will have an edge against competitive companies.

What does a help desk administrator do?

Help desk administrator is responsible for handling activities related to system support for their company or organization. They are in charge of providing superb client experiences and working in resolving support issues in a professional and timely manner. One of their primary tasks includes providing login resets and passwords for end-users. In addition, they will also perform innovative systems and network repairs, as well as assist computer information responses as required. Moreover, they support complete equipment set-up, renewal, or termination of a user account, handle server, and domain account changes.

Information systems administrator vs help desk administrator salary

Information systems administrators and help desk administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Information Systems Administrator	Help Desk Administrator
Average salary	$79,194	$49,798
Salary range	Between $60,000 And $104,000	Between $34,000 And $71,000
Highest paying City	Pleasanton, CA	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	California	New Jersey
Best paying company	Cadence Design Systems	Houlihan Lokey
Best paying industry	Finance	Finance

Differences between information systems administrator and help desk administrator education

There are a few differences between an information systems administrator and a help desk administrator in terms of educational background:

	Information Systems Administrator	Help Desk Administrator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 52%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

Information systems administrator vs help desk administrator demographics

Here are the differences between information systems administrators' and help desk administrators' demographics:

	Information Systems Administrator	Help Desk Administrator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 74.3% Female, 25.7%	Male, 74.3% Female, 25.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 8.7% White, 63.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.8% Asian, 8.8% White, 63.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between information systems administrator and help desk administrator duties and responsibilities

Information systems administrator example responsibilities.

Manage mission critical Linux systems which track all data relating to rotary wing aircraft.
Institute, manage, and document procedures for UNIX systems security, maintenance, and backup.
Install/Configure managed switches to increase network speed
Manage the company Novell network including relate equipment.
Manage network infrastructure spanning multiple geographically-distribute sites, including VPN / remote access systems and firewalls.
Ensure adequate security protections for proprietary data and intellectual property; manage and configure firewalls and security posture.

Help desk administrator example responsibilities.

Create, deploy and manage VMWare virtual desktops as well as configured customize pools for specific operational needs.
Manage the PC refresh program transferring all user data remotely and installing require software applications.
Configure, establish and manage local area network (LAN) connectivity and remote access per customer configuration requirements.
Administer DNS / DHCP servers, work with network administer to make sure the tables are updating correctly.
Administer IP address allocation through DHCP management.
Assist in the deployment of new POS applications and hardware.

Information systems administrator vs help desk administrator skills

Common information systems administrator skills

Linux, 13%
Troubleshoot, 10%
OS, 8%
Unix, 7%
Virtualization, 6%
Java, 4%

Common help desk administrator skills

Customer Service, 11%
Desk Support, 7%
Troubleshoot, 6%
Technical Support, 5%
Phone Calls, 4%
Remote Desktop, 4%

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Information Systems Administrator vs Help Desk Administrator

Updated January 8, 2025

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