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The differences between technical consultants and lead technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a technical consultant, becoming a lead technician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a lead technician has an average salary of $90,615, which is higher than the $89,290 average annual salary of a technical consultant.
The top three skills for a technical consultant include java, database and customer service. The most important skills for a lead technician are java, architecture, and digital transformation.
| Technical Consultant | Lead Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $89,290 | $90,615 |
| Hourly rate | $42.93 | $43.56 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 173,374 | 250,590 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
A technical consultant is an individual who provides technical support and performs troubleshooting functions for the company's product or application. A consultant should be highly knowledgeable about the product or application so that he/she can assist users and clients with whatever issues they may be facing. A bachelor's degree is required to work as a technical consultant, particularly a degree in Computer Science or Engineering. Also, a consultant should conduct training sessions and therefore, must possess excellent communication skills.
Lead technicians are technicians who oversee the technical needs of a specific project or department. They are usually tenured employees, and their familiarity with the company's technical and technological processes, software, and hardware would be a great advantage in succeeding in their role. Lead technicians are responsible for installing, updating, and maintaining various software and hardware components in the office. They often manage a group of technicians, and they ensure that the group they manage is properly trained and well-versed on the processes of the company. Lead technicians are expected to have strong analytical skills and decision-making skills.
Technical consultants and lead technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Technical Consultant | Lead Technician | |
| Average salary | $89,290 | $90,615 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $118,000 | Between $67,000 And $121,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Retail |
There are a few differences between a technical consultant and a lead technician in terms of educational background:
| Technical Consultant | Lead Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between technical consultants' and lead technicians' demographics:
| Technical Consultant | Lead Technician | |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.1% Female, 20.9% | Male, 83.4% Female, 16.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 15.3% White, 58.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 15.1% White, 53.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 11% |