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The differences between information technology project leads and senior information technology specialists 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 project lead, becoming a senior information technology specialist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a senior information technology specialist has an average salary of $103,478, which is higher than the $102,491 average annual salary of an information technology project lead.
The top three skills for an information technology project lead include project management, software development and status reports. The most important skills for a senior information technology specialist are customer service, database, and technical support.
| Information Technology Project Lead | Senior Information Technology Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $102,491 | $103,478 |
| Hourly rate | $49.27 | $49.75 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 181,020 | 111,996 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
Information technology (IT) project leads are professionals who manage a team of IT professionals that work on the IT projects of an organization. These project leads are required to handle all issues regarding the project and financial management as well as review business and product requirements with the technical development team to address production issues. They must collaborate with the technical and application team leaders so that they can ensure the appropriate development of infrastructure architecture. IT project leads must also participate in negotiations with the software suppliers and IT consulting firms.
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 project leads and senior information technology specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Technology Project Lead | Senior Information Technology Specialist | |
| Average salary | $102,491 | $103,478 |
| Salary range | Between $75,000 And $139,000 | Between $78,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | California |
| Best paying company | Citi | Ropes & Gray |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Energy |
There are a few differences between an information technology project lead and a senior information technology specialist in terms of educational background:
| Information Technology Project Lead | Senior Information Technology Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between information technology project leads' and senior information technology specialists' demographics:
| Information Technology Project Lead | Senior Information Technology Specialist | |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 65.6% Female, 34.4% | Male, 81.4% Female, 18.6% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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% |