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The differences between support analysts and computer analysts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a support analyst, becoming a computer analyst takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a support analyst has an average salary of $75,989, which is higher than the $75,852 average annual salary of a computer analyst.
The top three skills for a support analyst include customer service, troubleshoot and technical support. The most important skills for a computer analyst are computer system, troubleshoot, and C++.
| Support Analyst | Computer Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $75,989 | $75,852 |
| Hourly rate | $36.53 | $36.47 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 107,039 | 75,369 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
The role of support analysts is to resolve problems with hardware, computer programs, and peripherals. They may focus on a particular aspect of the information technology (IT) department or give technical support to end-users. They mainly detect issues with IT equipment and software and devise solutions to resolve these issues. Also, they are responsible for answering queries from users, preparing service records, and handling escalations. Support analysts also support the company's IT operations and best practices by creating and distributing relevant IT documents.
A computer analyst is responsible for generating technical solutions to improve operational efficiency and processes. Computer analysts create models for system applications and perform upgrades on software and hardware networks to boost optimization. They also develop strategic methods to enhance the performance of existing systems and identify inconsistencies for immediate resolution. A computer analyst must have excellent communication and technical skills, especially in managing the security of computer data and setting the configuration and accessibility of networks for authorized users.
Support analysts and computer analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Support Analyst | Computer Analyst | |
| Average salary | $75,989 | $75,852 |
| Salary range | Between $50,000 And $114,000 | Between $57,000 And $99,000 |
| Highest paying City | Jersey City, NJ | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Washington |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Citi |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a support analyst and a computer analyst in terms of educational background:
| Support Analyst | Computer Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between support analysts' and computer analysts' demographics:
| Support Analyst | Computer Analyst | |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 63.1% Female, 36.9% | Male, 71.4% Female, 28.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.2% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% Asian, 12.9% White, 54.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.0% Asian, 14.6% White, 59.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 8% |