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The differences between junior information technology specialists and help desk analysts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a junior information technology specialist and a help desk analyst. Additionally, a junior information technology specialist has an average salary of $46,556, which is higher than the $37,318 average annual salary of a help desk analyst.
The top three skills for a junior information technology specialist include troubleshoot, switches and NAT. The most important skills for a help desk analyst are customer service, troubleshoot, and technical support.
| Junior Information Technology Specialist | Help Desk Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $46,556 | $37,318 |
| Hourly rate | $22.38 | $17.94 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 143,114 | 87,591 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A junior information technology specialist installs and repairs computer hardware and software systems in a company, ensuring quality and efficiency. Their responsibilities include handling computer components, developing test structures, troubleshooting issues, eliminating bugs, and performing security and maintenance checks to ensure that all networks and data are safe and secured. There are also instances when they must produce progress reports and train new members of the workforce. Moreover, they must provide technical support to employees while implementing the company's information technology policies and regulations.
Help Desk Analysts generally provide technical support by assisting customers with their system issues. These analysts are expected to be highly knowledgeable about application processes and basic troubleshooting. Help Desk Analysts usually communicate with end-users through phone calls or e-mail and are required to attend on customers technical issues promptly. Depending on the expertise, the Help Desk Analysts are often categorized to support levels wherein the most complex issues are often handle by the highest tier. The Help Desk Analysts must have critical-thinking skills on solving network problems and document specific concerns and progress.
Junior information technology specialists and help desk analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Junior Information Technology Specialist | Help Desk Analyst | |
| Average salary | $46,556 | $37,318 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $57,000 | Between $26,000 And $52,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | - | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | - | Pacific Investment Management Company LLC |
| Best paying industry | - | Government |
There are a few differences between a junior information technology specialist and a help desk analyst in terms of educational background:
| Junior Information Technology Specialist | Help Desk Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Information Systems |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between junior information technology specialists' and help desk analysts' demographics:
| Junior Information Technology Specialist | Help Desk Analyst | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.8% Female, 19.2% | Male, 71.8% Female, 28.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.4% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 13.2% White, 54.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 12.5% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 11.1% White, 55.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |