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The differences between information technology consultants and information technology/support technicians 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 technology/support technician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an information technology consultant has an average salary of $84,790, which is higher than the $45,591 average annual salary of an information technology/support technician.
The top three skills for an information technology consultant include customer service, database and project management. The most important skills for an information technology/support technician are customer service, troubleshoot, and computer system.
| Information Technology Consultant | Information Technology/Support Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $84,790 | $45,591 |
| Hourly rate | $40.76 | $21.92 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 142,475 | 161,748 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| 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 technology (IT) support technician is an individual who is responsible for providing support and troubleshoots software and hardware problems faced by customers. As for larger organizations that have their own IT department, technicians must work together internally with their IT staff members. IT support technicians are involved in inspecting and resolving minor local area network and wireless network issues, which include TCP/IP, DHCP, and VPN. They are also required to obtain an associate's degree in computer science or related field.
Information technology consultants and information technology/support technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Technology Consultant | Information Technology/Support Technician | |
| Average salary | $84,790 | $45,591 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $115,000 | Between $31,000 And $66,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Pennsylvania |
| Best paying company | California Resources | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between an information technology consultant and an information technology/support technician in terms of educational background:
| Information Technology Consultant | Information Technology/Support Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between information technology consultants' and information technology/support technicians' demographics:
| Information Technology Consultant | Information Technology/Support Technician | |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.4% Female, 16.6% | Male, 85.4% Female, 14.6% |
| 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, 10.7% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 13.2% White, 54.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 11% |