Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between information technology consultants and information technology technical leads can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an information technology consultant and an information technology technical lead. Additionally, an information technology technical lead has an average salary of $110,879, 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 technology technical lead are project management, architecture, and governance.
| Information Technology Consultant | Information Technology Technical Lead | |
| Yearly salary | $84,790 | $110,879 |
| Hourly rate | $40.76 | $53.31 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 142,475 | 156,246 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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 technical lead is responsible for assisting the technology team in solving system issues, designing new application systems, improving existing network infrastructure, and maintaining the safety and security of the organization's database. Information technology technical leads inspect the technology system's performance, recommending strategic solutions for optimization and smooth navigations for end-users. They also perform configurations and modifications, adhering to business requirements to support production operations. An information technology technical lead must have excellent knowledge of the technology industry, as well as a strong command of programming languages and system codes to handle technical complexities for maximum efficiency.
Information technology consultants and information technology technical leads have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Technology Consultant | Information Technology Technical Lead | |
| Average salary | $84,790 | $110,879 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $115,000 | Between $84,000 And $146,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | California Resources | McKinsey & Company Inc |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between an information technology consultant and an information technology technical lead in terms of educational background:
| Information Technology Consultant | Information Technology Technical Lead | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between information technology consultants' and information technology technical leads' demographics:
| Information Technology Consultant | Information Technology Technical Lead | |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.4% Female, 16.6% | Male, 75.9% Female, 24.1% |
| 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, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 11% |