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The differences between information technology specialists and information technology analysts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an information technology specialist, becoming an information technology analyst takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an information technology analyst has an average salary of $83,078, which is higher than the $81,241 average annual salary of an information technology specialist.
The top three skills for an information technology specialist include customer service, troubleshoot and computer system. The most important skills for an information technology analyst are infrastructure, customer service, and security policies.
| Information Technology Specialist | Information Technology Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $81,241 | $83,078 |
| Hourly rate | $39.06 | $39.94 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 122,519 | 145,565 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
An Information Technology Specialist, also known as a Computer Professional or IT Specialist, is responsible for the computer support of an establishment or individual. Most of the duties require extensive and proactive knowledge of Information Technology, such as in the aspects of network and systems administration, security and information, hardware and software management, troubleshooting, and more. The tasks of an IT Specialist are diverse. It is not limited to installation or activation, as it also involves monitoring, management, and analyzation.
An information technology analyst is responsible for identifying business opportunities by creating and designing technology systems that would help business operations perform efficiently and accurately. Information technology analysts manage systems maintenance, upgrade and install updates for better optimization, and perform feature revisions and adjustments based on the end-user experience. They analyze client and business specifications and research a multiple system approach to generate technology solutions. An information technology analyst must have excellent analytical skills, as well as broad knowledge of the technology industry.
Information technology specialists and information technology analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Technology Specialist | Information Technology Analyst | |
| Average salary | $81,241 | $83,078 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $113,000 | Between $62,000 And $111,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Mayo Clinic | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between an information technology specialist and an information technology analyst in terms of educational background:
| Information Technology Specialist | Information Technology Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between information technology specialists' and information technology analysts' demographics:
| Information Technology Specialist | Information Technology Analyst | |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 77.8% Female, 22.2% | Male, 68.8% Female, 31.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.2% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 11.9% White, 54.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.0% Asian, 15.3% White, 58.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 8% |