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The differences between software specialists and technical 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 a technical support specialist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a software specialist has an average salary of $84,009, which is higher than the $48,667 average annual salary of a technical support specialist.
The top three skills for a software specialist include C++, C # and database. The most important skills for a technical support specialist are customer service, technical support, and troubleshoot.
| Software Specialist | Technical Support Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $84,009 | $48,667 |
| Hourly rate | $40.39 | $23.40 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 264,307 | 157,425 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.6 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| 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.
A technical support specialist is responsible for assisting customer's and businesses' concerns and system issues by performing troubleshooting and remote solutions. These specialists must have extensive knowledge of system applications, including software and hardware database to handle complex processes that might affect the end user's experience or the business' daily operations. Technical support specialists should maintain excellent communication skills to guide the client and business on solving network problems. They must also document concerns and progress promptly for reference and quality checks.
Software specialists and technical support specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Specialist | Technical Support Specialist | |
| Average salary | $84,009 | $48,667 |
| Salary range | Between $60,000 And $115,000 | Between $30,000 And $76,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | San Francisco, 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 a technical support specialist in terms of educational background:
| Software Specialist | Technical Support Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between software specialists' and technical support specialists' demographics:
| Software Specialist | Technical Support Specialist | |
| Average age | 39 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 67.2% Female, 32.8% | Male, 75.4% Female, 24.6% |
| 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, 11.7% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 11.3% White, 55.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 11% |