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The differences between information technology managers and information technology technical leads 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 manager, becoming an information technology technical lead takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an information technology manager has an average salary of $119,589, which is higher than the $110,879 average annual salary of an information technology technical lead.
The top three skills for an information technology manager include customer service, project management and database. The most important skills for an information technology technical lead are project management, architecture, and governance.
| Information Technology Manager | Information Technology Technical Lead | |
| Yearly salary | $119,589 | $110,879 |
| Hourly rate | $57.49 | $53.31 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 108,179 | 156,246 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 47 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 6 |
An information technology manager is responsible for supervising tasks for the company's network and information systems operations. Information technology managers require excellent knowledge of the information systems industry, a strong command of programming languages, and software and hardware application processes. An information technology manager reviews the performance of the IT department staff, ensuring that networks and systems maintain the highest quality and efficiency, and adjusting the specific system updates as needed. Information technology managers monitor the security of the system's database and identify business opportunities to utilize all business systems to improve the company's services.
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 managers and information technology technical leads have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Technology Manager | Information Technology Technical Lead | |
| Average salary | $119,589 | $110,879 |
| Salary range | Between $84,000 And $169,000 | Between $84,000 And $146,000 |
| Highest paying City | Richmond, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Meta | McKinsey & Company Inc |
| Best paying industry | - | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between an information technology manager and an information technology technical lead in terms of educational background:
| Information Technology Manager | 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 | Carnegie Mellon University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between information technology managers' and information technology technical leads' demographics:
| Information Technology Manager | Information Technology Technical Lead | |
| Average age | 47 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 84.5% Female, 15.5% | Male, 75.9% Female, 24.1% |
| 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, 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 | 11% | 11% |