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The differences between information technology specialists and technical support specialists 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 a technical support specialist. Additionally, an information technology specialist has an average salary of $81,241, which is higher than the $48,667 average annual salary of a technical support specialist.
The top three skills for an information technology specialist include customer service, troubleshoot and computer system. The most important skills for a technical support specialist are customer service, technical support, and troubleshoot.
| Information Technology Specialist | Technical Support Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $81,241 | $48,667 |
| Hourly rate | $39.06 | $23.40 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 122,519 | 157,425 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.6 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| 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.
A technical support specialist is responsible for assisting customer's and businesses' concerns and system issues by performing troubleshooting and remote solutions. These specialists must have extensive knowledge of system applications, including software and hardware database to handle complex processes that might affect the end user's experience or the business' daily operations. Technical support specialists should maintain excellent communication skills to guide the client and business on solving network problems. They must also document concerns and progress promptly for reference and quality checks.
Information technology specialists and technical support specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Technology Specialist | Technical Support Specialist | |
| Average salary | $81,241 | $48,667 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $113,000 | Between $30,000 And $76,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Meta | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between an information technology specialist and a technical support specialist in terms of educational background:
| Information Technology Specialist | Technical Support Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between information technology specialists' and technical support specialists' demographics:
| Information Technology Specialist | Technical Support Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 77.8% Female, 22.2% | Male, 75.4% Female, 24.6% |
| 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, 11.7% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 11.3% White, 55.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |