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The differences between information technology directors and senior information technology specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become an information technology director, becoming a senior information technology specialist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an information technology director has an average salary of $138,906, which is higher than the $103,478 average annual salary of a senior information technology specialist.
The top three skills for an information technology director include customer service, project management and cloud. The most important skills for a senior information technology specialist are customer service, database, and technical support.
| Information Technology Director | Senior Information Technology Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $138,906 | $103,478 |
| Hourly rate | $66.78 | $49.75 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 87,765 | 111,996 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 47 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 2 |
An information technology (IT) Director is an individual responsible for the management, strategy, and execution of an organization's IT infrastructure. He/She supervises a team of workers while working with the organization's management and external vendors and advisors. Aside from managing workers, an IT director should possess problem-solving skills and an aptitude for organizational thinking. An IT director must also identify new market opportunities and should lead an effort to improve the organization's IT process.
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 directors and senior information technology specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Technology Director | Senior Information Technology Specialist | |
| Average salary | $138,906 | $103,478 |
| Salary range | Between $97,000 And $197,000 | Between $78,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | The Tipping Point | Ropes & Gray |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Energy |
There are a few differences between an information technology director and a senior information technology specialist in terms of educational background:
| Information Technology Director | Senior Information Technology Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between information technology directors' and senior information technology specialists' demographics:
| Information Technology Director | Senior Information Technology Specialist | |
| Average age | 47 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.1% Female, 11.9% | Male, 81.4% Female, 18.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.6% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 9.9% Asian, 12.7% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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 | 11% | 11% |