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The differences between information systems administrators and information systems 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 information systems administrator and an information systems specialist. Additionally, an information systems administrator has an average salary of $79,194, which is higher than the $73,495 average annual salary of an information systems specialist.
The top three skills for an information systems administrator include linux, troubleshoot and OS. The most important skills for an information systems specialist are customer service, data analysis, and data entry.
| Information Systems Administrator | Information Systems Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $79,194 | $73,495 |
| Hourly rate | $38.07 | $35.33 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 176,724 | 164,042 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
An Information Systems Specialist is responsible for supporting and developing the database system of an organization. They are responsible for designing and implementing information systems, developing prototypes, and maintaining hardware and software operations. They build information security to protect the computer system against a threat. Information System Specialists must have good communication and analytical skills to adapt to different organizational needs.
Information systems administrators and information systems specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Systems Administrator | Information Systems Specialist | |
| Average salary | $79,194 | $73,495 |
| Salary range | Between $60,000 And $104,000 | Between $51,000 And $104,000 |
| Highest paying City | Pleasanton, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | Kentucky |
| Best paying company | Cadence Design Systems | |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between an information systems administrator and an information systems specialist in terms of educational background:
| Information Systems Administrator | Information Systems Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between information systems administrators' and information systems specialists' demographics:
| Information Systems Administrator | Information Systems Specialist | |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 74.3% Female, 25.7% | Male, 68.9% Female, 31.1% |
| 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, 11.7% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.8% Asian, 10.7% White, 56.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 11% |