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The differences between junior information technology specialists and help desk specialists 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 specialist. Additionally, a help desk specialist has an average salary of $51,065, which is higher than the $46,556 average annual salary of a junior information technology specialist.
The top three skills for a junior information technology specialist include troubleshoot, switches and NAT. The most important skills for a help desk specialist are customer service, troubleshoot, and technical support.
| Junior Information Technology Specialist | Help Desk Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $46,556 | $51,065 |
| Hourly rate | $22.38 | $24.55 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 143,114 | 75,004 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| 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.
The primary role of help desk specialists is to maintain relationships between the company and its customers. Their duties and responsibilities include responding to guests' queries, providing technical computer support, and maintaining computer systems' performance. Help desk specialists are also responsible for following up with customers to resolve issues and train computer users. There are several requirements to be qualified for this position, which include having relevant customer service experience, problem-solving and analytical skills, and the ability to prioritize vital tasks.
Junior information technology specialists and help desk specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Junior Information Technology Specialist | Help Desk Specialist | |
| Average salary | $46,556 | $51,065 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $57,000 | Between $35,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | - | Alaska |
| Best paying company | - | Schulte Roth & Zabel |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a junior information technology specialist and a help desk specialist in terms of educational background:
| Junior Information Technology Specialist | Help Desk Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between junior information technology specialists' and help desk specialists' demographics:
| Junior Information Technology Specialist | Help Desk Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.8% Female, 19.2% | Male, 79.4% Female, 20.6% |
| 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, 12.3% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 11.6% White, 55.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |