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The differences between systems support specialists and information systems 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 information systems specialist. Additionally, an information systems specialist has an average salary of $73,495, 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 information systems specialist are customer service, data analysis, and data entry.
| Systems Support Specialist | Information Systems Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $61,744 | $73,495 |
| Hourly rate | $29.68 | $35.33 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 159,364 | 164,042 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| 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 Information Systems Specialist is responsible for supporting and developing the database system of an organization. They are responsible for designing and implementing information systems, developing prototypes, and maintaining hardware and software operations. They build information security to protect the computer system against a threat. Information System Specialists must have good communication and analytical skills to adapt to different organizational needs.
Systems support specialists and information systems specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Systems Support Specialist | Information Systems Specialist | |
| Average salary | $61,744 | $73,495 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $91,000 | Between $51,000 And $104,000 |
| Highest paying City | Centreville, VA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Virginia | Kentucky |
| Best paying company | Koch Industries | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a systems support specialist and an information systems specialist in terms of educational background:
| Systems Support Specialist | Information Systems Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between systems support specialists' and information systems specialists' demographics:
| Systems Support Specialist | Information Systems Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 73.4% Female, 26.6% | Male, 68.9% Female, 31.1% |
| 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, 11.7% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.8% Asian, 10.7% White, 56.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |