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The differences between systems support specialists and technical 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 a technical support specialist. Additionally, a systems support specialist has an average salary of $61,744, which is higher than the $48,667 average annual salary of a technical support specialist.
The top three skills for a systems support specialist include customer service, troubleshoot and technical support. The most important skills for a technical support specialist are customer service, technical support, and troubleshoot.
| Systems Support Specialist | Technical Support Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $61,744 | $48,667 |
| Hourly rate | $29.68 | $23.40 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 159,364 | 157,425 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.6 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| 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.
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.
Systems support specialists and technical support specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Systems Support Specialist | Technical Support Specialist | |
| Average salary | $61,744 | $48,667 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $91,000 | Between $30,000 And $76,000 |
| Highest paying City | Centreville, VA | San Francisco, 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 a technical support specialist in terms of educational background:
| Systems Support Specialist | Technical Support Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between systems support specialists' and technical support specialists' demographics:
| Systems Support Specialist | Technical Support Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 73.4% Female, 26.6% | Male, 75.4% Female, 24.6% |
| 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, 16.2% Asian, 11.3% White, 55.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |