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The differences between systems support specialists and application support specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a systems support specialist and an application support specialist. Additionally, an application support specialist has an average salary of $81,820, which is higher than the $61,744 average annual salary of a systems support specialist.
The top three skills for a systems support specialist include customer service, troubleshoot and technical support. The most important skills for an application support specialist are application support, customer service, and troubleshoot.
| Systems Support Specialist | Application Support Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $61,744 | $81,820 |
| Hourly rate | $29.68 | $39.34 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 159,364 | 118,322 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A systems support specialist is responsible for assisting end-users on system issues, including network configuration and improving network infrastructure. System support specialists implement network strategies alongside the whole technology team to boost the system's efficiency and optimal performance. They create resolution reports for reference and write recommendations to prevent system defects and inconsistencies. A systems support specialist also handles network installations and upgrades, requiring them to have excellent technical skills and knowledge of programming languages.
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.
Systems support specialists and application support specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Systems Support Specialist | Application Support Specialist | |
| Average salary | $61,744 | $81,820 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $91,000 | Between $52,000 And $127,000 |
| Highest paying City | Centreville, VA | Cupertino, CA |
| Highest paying state | Virginia | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Koch Industries | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a systems support specialist and an application support specialist in terms of educational background:
| Systems Support Specialist | Application Support Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between systems support specialists' and application support specialists' demographics:
| Systems Support Specialist | Application Support Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 73.4% Female, 26.6% | Male, 61.6% Female, 38.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 10.6% White, 56.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | 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 | 11% | 11% |