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The differences between information technology specialists and information technology/support technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an information technology specialist and an information technology/support technician. Additionally, an information technology specialist has an average salary of $81,241, which is higher than the $45,591 average annual salary of an information technology/support technician.
The top three skills for an information technology specialist include customer service, troubleshoot and computer system. The most important skills for an information technology/support technician are customer service, troubleshoot, and computer system.
| Information Technology Specialist | Information Technology/Support Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $81,241 | $45,591 |
| Hourly rate | $39.06 | $21.92 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 122,519 | 161,748 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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 (IT) support technician is an individual who is responsible for providing support and troubleshoots software and hardware problems faced by customers. As for larger organizations that have their own IT department, technicians must work together internally with their IT staff members. IT support technicians are involved in inspecting and resolving minor local area network and wireless network issues, which include TCP/IP, DHCP, and VPN. They are also required to obtain an associate's degree in computer science or related field.
Information technology specialists and information technology/support technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Technology Specialist | Information Technology/Support Technician | |
| Average salary | $81,241 | $45,591 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $113,000 | Between $31,000 And $66,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Pennsylvania |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between an information technology specialist and an information technology/support technician in terms of educational background:
| Information Technology Specialist | Information Technology/Support Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between information technology specialists' and information technology/support technicians' demographics:
| Information Technology Specialist | Information Technology/Support Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 77.8% Female, 22.2% | Male, 85.4% Female, 14.6% |
| 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, 10.7% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 13.2% White, 54.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |