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The differences between service desk supervisors and service leads can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a service desk supervisor and a service lead. Additionally, a service lead has an average salary of $83,844, which is higher than the $60,516 average annual salary of a service desk supervisor.
The top three skills for a service desk supervisor include ITIL, operational procedures and technical support. The most important skills for a service lead are food service, food safety, and exceptional client.
| Service Desk Supervisor | Service Lead | |
| Yearly salary | $60,516 | $83,844 |
| Hourly rate | $29.09 | $40.31 |
| Growth rate | 16% | -4% |
| Number of jobs | 45,802 | 52,336 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 44% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A service desk supervisor oversees the operations of a help desk. They research issues, monitor staff, and ensure the office runs efficiently. They deliver customer service such as resolving calls, reporting support metrics, and connecting customers with higher management. They are also responsible for managing incoming work requests.
A service lead is an individual who manages a team of customer service staff members to support a company's customer service activities. Service leads help staff members respond directly to customers who need assistance through phone calls or emails and provide a quick resolution to the issues and concerns. In case a team member is unable to resolve customer issues, service leads are required to identify a solution to the customer query or direct them to another department. Service leads must also conduct periodic evaluations of team members to discuss performance and note their improvement areas.
Service desk supervisors and service leads have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Service Desk Supervisor | Service Lead | |
| Average salary | $60,516 | $83,844 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $96,000 | Between $49,000 And $142,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New York |
| Best paying company | Nintendo | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | - |
There are a few differences between a service desk supervisor and a service lead in terms of educational background:
| Service Desk Supervisor | Service Lead | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 44% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | California State University - Bakersfield |
Here are the differences between service desk supervisors' and service leads' demographics:
| Service Desk Supervisor | Service Lead | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 36.8% Female, 63.2% | Male, 48.1% Female, 51.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 17.3% Asian, 6.0% White, 61.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 5.8% White, 60.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |