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The differences between service desk analysts and help desk specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a help desk specialist has an average salary of $51,065, which is higher than the $45,397 average annual salary of a service desk analyst.
The top three skills for a service desk analyst include service desk, customer service and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a help desk specialist are customer service, troubleshoot, and technical support.
| Service Desk Analyst | Help Desk Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $45,397 | $51,065 |
| Hourly rate | $21.83 | $24.55 |
| Growth rate | - | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 55,828 | 75,004 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 37 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
Service Desk Analysts are information technology (IT) employees who usually oversee the helpdesk hotline of the IT department. They address the technical concerns of other employees or even clients of the company. They also help in installing, repairing, and maintaining the different IT systems in the company. Service Desk Analysts resolve issues related to software, hardware, and other related systems. They also manage information related to these concerns and analyze these concerns. They identify trends or patterns and anticipate concerns that might come in the future. Service Desk Analysts may recommend steps to ensure that these concerns will not come up again.
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.
Service desk analysts and help desk specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Service Desk Analyst | Help Desk Specialist | |
| Average salary | $45,397 | $51,065 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $67,000 | Between $35,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | New York | Alaska |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Schulte Roth & Zabel |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a service desk analyst and a help desk specialist in terms of educational background:
| Service Desk Analyst | Help Desk Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Information Technology | Computer Science |
| Most common college | - | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between service desk analysts' and help desk specialists' demographics:
| Service Desk Analyst | Help Desk Specialist | |
| Average age | 37 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 74.4% Female, 25.6% | Male, 79.4% Female, 20.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 7.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.8% Asian, 12.3% White, 50.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7% | 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 | 13% | 11% |