Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between information technology administrators and senior information technology 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 technology administrator and a senior information technology specialist. Additionally, a senior information technology specialist has an average salary of $103,478, which is higher than the $73,195 average annual salary of an information technology administrator.
The top three skills for an information technology administrator include customer service, troubleshoot and linux. The most important skills for a senior information technology specialist are customer service, database, and technical support.
| Information Technology Administrator | Senior Information Technology Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $73,195 | $103,478 |
| Hourly rate | $35.19 | $49.75 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 159,499 | 111,996 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
An Information Technology (IT) administrator is an individual responsible for managing the day-to-day operation of an organization's IT systems and ensuring that the systems are running effectively. IT administrators must conduct consistent analyses of the computer system and install updates when needed. They are required to assess the organization's security programs and run the system for viruses and spyware. IT administrators also extend support to the organization's end-users and train them on desktop applications.
A senior information technology specialist is responsible for handling technology systems and network issues, ensuring the efficiency and optimal performance of the database by configuration and improving network infrastructures. Senior information technology specialists also design computer systems and applications to support business functions and operations, depending on the requirements and budget limitations. They create resolution reports for reference and recommend strategic techniques to prevent the reoccurrence of defects and malfunctions. A senior information technology specialist must have excellent communication and technical skills, especially in responding to the end-users' inquiries and concerns about the servers.
Information technology administrators and senior information technology specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Technology Administrator | Senior Information Technology Specialist | |
| Average salary | $73,195 | $103,478 |
| Salary range | Between $50,000 And $105,000 | Between $78,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Databricks | Ropes & Gray |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Energy |
There are a few differences between an information technology administrator and a senior information technology specialist in terms of educational background:
| Information Technology Administrator | Senior Information Technology Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between information technology administrators' and senior information technology specialists' demographics:
| Information Technology Administrator | Senior Information Technology Specialist | |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.6% Female, 18.4% | Male, 81.4% Female, 18.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 9.8% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 14.1% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 11% |