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The differences between information technology technical leads and information technology administrators 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 technical lead, becoming an information technology administrator takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an information technology technical lead has an average salary of $110,879, which is higher than the $73,195 average annual salary of an information technology administrator.
The top three skills for an information technology technical lead include project management, architecture and governance. The most important skills for an information technology administrator are customer service, troubleshoot, and linux.
| Information Technology Technical Lead | Information Technology Administrator | |
| Yearly salary | $110,879 | $73,195 |
| Hourly rate | $53.31 | $35.19 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 156,246 | 159,499 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Average age | 44 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
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.
An Information Technology (IT) administrator is an individual responsible for managing the day-to-day operation of an organization's IT systems and ensuring that the systems are running effectively. IT administrators must conduct consistent analyses of the computer system and install updates when needed. They are required to assess the organization's security programs and run the system for viruses and spyware. IT administrators also extend support to the organization's end-users and train them on desktop applications.
Information technology technical leads and information technology administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Technology Technical Lead | Information Technology Administrator | |
| Average salary | $110,879 | $73,195 |
| Salary range | Between $84,000 And $146,000 | Between $50,000 And $105,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | California |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | Databricks |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Finance |
There are a few differences between an information technology technical lead and an information technology administrator in terms of educational background:
| Information Technology Technical Lead | Information Technology Administrator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between information technology technical leads' and information technology administrators' demographics:
| Information Technology Technical Lead | Information Technology Administrator | |
| Average age | 44 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.9% Female, 24.1% | Male, 81.6% Female, 18.4% |
| 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, 9.1% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 9.8% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 9% |