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The differences between installation 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 installation specialist and a technical support specialist. Additionally, an installation specialist has an average salary of $49,602, which is higher than the $48,667 average annual salary of a technical support specialist.
The top three skills for an installation specialist include customer service, ladders and scaffolding. The most important skills for a technical support specialist are customer service, technical support, and troubleshoot.
| Installation Specialist | Technical Support Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $49,602 | $48,667 |
| Hourly rate | $23.85 | $23.40 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 103,003 | 157,425 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.6 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Installation specialists are skilled employees who are responsible for installing various equipment, machinery, and computer systems for a company or clients. These specialists must work with HVAC contractors to install air-conditioning ductwork and materials in business establishments and homes. They should recommend corrective action when identifying electrical and environmental deficiencies to ensure optimized performance and reliability of equipment. Installation specialists must also test hardware and software to determine its efficiency and reliability as well as its compatibility with the existing system.
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.
Installation specialists and technical support specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Installation Specialist | Technical Support Specialist | |
| Average salary | $49,602 | $48,667 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $73,000 | Between $30,000 And $76,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Technip USA Corporation | Meta |
| Best paying industry | - | Finance |
There are a few differences between an installation specialist and a technical support specialist in terms of educational background:
| Installation Specialist | Technical Support Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between installation specialists' and technical support specialists' demographics:
| Installation Specialist | Technical Support Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.8% Female, 16.2% | Male, 75.4% Female, 24.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 10.1% White, 56.9% 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% |