Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between software specialists and application support specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a software specialist, becoming an application support specialist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a software specialist has an average salary of $84,009, which is higher than the $81,820 average annual salary of an application support specialist.
The top three skills for a software specialist include C++, C # and database. The most important skills for an application support specialist are application support, customer service, and troubleshoot.
| Software Specialist | Application Support Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $84,009 | $81,820 |
| Hourly rate | $40.39 | $39.34 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 264,307 | 118,322 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 39 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
Software Specialist designs and develops computer software and operating systems, establishing policies and protocols to ensure quality and data security. They function as a member of a company or an organization's information technology department. They also utilize their expertise by assessing and reviewing existing software, identifying its strengths and weaknesses, implementing solutions against vulnerable areas. Most of the time, a software specialist directly communicates with clients to determine their software needs and preferences, regularly coordinating to ensure client satisfaction and smooth workflow.
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.
Software specialists and application support specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Specialist | Application Support Specialist | |
| Average salary | $84,009 | $81,820 |
| Salary range | Between $60,000 And $115,000 | Between $52,000 And $127,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Cupertino, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | American Express | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | Finance |
There are a few differences between a software specialist and an application support specialist in terms of educational background:
| Software Specialist | Application Support Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between software specialists' and application support specialists' demographics:
| Software Specialist | Application Support Specialist | |
| Average age | 39 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 67.2% Female, 32.8% | Male, 61.6% Female, 38.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 30.0% White, 52.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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 | 8% | 11% |