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The differences between program support specialists and application 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 a program support specialist and an application support specialist. Additionally, an application support specialist has an average salary of $81,820, which is higher than the $39,327 average annual salary of a program support specialist.
The top three skills for a program support specialist include program support, veterans and powerpoint. The most important skills for an application support specialist are application support, customer service, and troubleshoot.
| Program Support Specialist | Application Support Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $39,327 | $81,820 |
| Hourly rate | $18.91 | $39.34 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 169,855 | 118,322 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A program support specialist is responsible for monitoring the overall program aspects of an organization from the conceptualization to the final execution. Program support specialists negotiate contracts and transactions with the suppliers and vendors for resources that meet the funding and budget limitations. They process documents and assist the program staff in coordinating with other organizations for program plans and potential sponsorships. A program support specialist must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in handling the program objectives and ensure client satisfaction.
An application support specialist's role is to utilize their technical expertise in responding to inquiries and addressing issues and concerns, resolving them promptly and effectively. They may communicate with clients through calls or correspondence, even arrange appointments when necessary. Moreover, one may work as a member of a company or independently. As an application support specialist in a company setting, it is essential to coordinate with different department personnel, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.
Program support specialists and application support specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Program Support Specialist | Application Support Specialist | |
| Average salary | $39,327 | $81,820 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $58,000 | Between $52,000 And $127,000 |
| Highest paying City | Urban Honolulu, HI | Cupertino, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Los Alamos National Laboratory | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Government | Finance |
There are a few differences between a program support specialist and an application support specialist in terms of educational background:
| Program Support Specialist | Application Support Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between program support specialists' and application support specialists' demographics:
| Program Support Specialist | Application Support Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 24.7% Female, 75.3% | Male, 61.6% Female, 38.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.8% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.0% Asian, 10.5% White, 56.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 11.5% White, 55.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |