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The differences between information technology consultants and senior information technology managers 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 a senior information technology manager takes usually requires 6-8 years. Additionally, a senior information technology manager has an average salary of $133,138, 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 a senior information technology manager are project management, cloud, and architecture.
| Information Technology Consultant | Senior Information Technology Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $84,790 | $133,138 |
| Hourly rate | $40.76 | $64.01 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 142,475 | 187,930 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 43 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 8 |
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.
A senior information technology manager is responsible for monitoring the efficiency and performance of the company's technology and network systems. Senior information technology managers oversee technology infrastructures and operations, ensuring the processes adhere to the company policies and regulations. They analyze the schematics and specifications of computer systems, maintaining the safety and security across all networks to prevent unauthorized access. A senior information technology manager must have extensive knowledge of the technology industry, as well as a strong command of programming languages.
Information technology consultants and senior information technology managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Technology Consultant | Senior Information Technology Manager | |
| Average salary | $84,790 | $133,138 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $115,000 | Between $98,000 And $179,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | California Resources | Netflix |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Professional |
There are a few differences between an information technology consultant and a senior information technology manager in terms of educational background:
| Information Technology Consultant | Senior Information Technology Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Carnegie Mellon University |
Here are the differences between information technology consultants' and senior information technology managers' demographics:
| Information Technology Consultant | Senior Information Technology Manager | |
| Average age | 43 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.4% Female, 16.6% | Male, 81.8% Female, 18.2% |
| 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, 6.5% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 14.6% White, 63.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 11% |