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The differences between information technology consultants and information engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an information technology consultant, becoming an information engineer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an information engineer has an average salary of $105,003, which is higher than the $84,790 average annual salary of an information technology consultant.
The top three skills for an information technology consultant include customer service, database and project management. The most important skills for an information engineer are customer service, linux, and troubleshoot.
| Information Technology Consultant | Information Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $84,790 | $105,003 |
| Hourly rate | $40.76 | $50.48 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 142,475 | 151,357 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
An Information Technology Consultant, also known as IT Consultant, is responsible for sharing extensive knowledge of Information Technology by providing suggestions and solving issues within the company. Among the duties include installing and maintaining the necessary software and hardware, designing new procedures, overseeing all implementations, and ensuring that all systems are running smoothly, employing methods to secure databases, and providing essential instructions when needed. Furthermore, an Information Technology Consultant needs to coordinate and report to management or supervisors at all times.
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.
Information technology consultants and information engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Technology Consultant | Information Engineer | |
| Average salary | $84,790 | $105,003 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $115,000 | Between $78,000 And $139,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | California Resources | Mayo Clinic |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between an information technology consultant and an information engineer in terms of educational background:
| Information Technology Consultant | Information Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between information technology consultants' and information engineers' demographics:
| Information Technology Consultant | Information Engineer | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.4% Female, 16.6% | Male, 85.8% Female, 14.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 14.5% White, 58.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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 | 8% | 9% |