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The differences between remote support specialists and desktop 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 remote support specialist and a desktop support specialist. Additionally, a desktop support specialist has an average salary of $44,962, which is higher than the $43,180 average annual salary of a remote support specialist.
The top three skills for a remote support specialist include customer service, PC and technical support. The most important skills for a desktop support specialist are customer service, desktop support, and troubleshoot.
| Remote Support Specialist | Desktop Support Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $43,180 | $44,962 |
| Hourly rate | $20.76 | $21.62 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 129,512 | 102,191 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A remote support specialist is responsible for assisting customers and end-users on their network and system issues through electronic communications. These support specialists diagnose technical problems by analyzing customers' statements and conduct immediate troubleshooting procedures, advising clients the instructions to prevent the reoccurrence of system failures. They also recommend system upgrades and installation to boost the system's optimization and operational efficiency. A remote support specialist must have excellent technical and communication skills, especially in writing resolution reports and collaborating with the technical team for process improvement techniques.
A Desktop Support Specialist is focused on troubleshooting different software packages, hardware devices, and other peripherals. They monitor the performance of the company's desktop infrastructure.
Remote support specialists and desktop support specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Remote Support Specialist | Desktop Support Specialist | |
| Average salary | $43,180 | $44,962 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $61,000 | Between $33,000 And $59,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | California | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | CDM Smith | Cornerstone Research |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Finance |
There are a few differences between a remote support specialist and a desktop support specialist in terms of educational background:
| Remote Support Specialist | Desktop Support Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between remote support specialists' and desktop support specialists' demographics:
| Remote Support Specialist | Desktop Support Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.3% Female, 38.7% | Male, 87.6% Female, 12.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 10.9% White, 55.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 12.3% White, 54.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |