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The differences between technical specialists and help desk 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 technical specialist and a help desk specialist. Additionally, a technical specialist has an average salary of $88,773, which is higher than the $51,065 average annual salary of a help desk specialist.
The top three skills for a technical specialist include customer service, technical support and patients. The most important skills for a help desk specialist are customer service, troubleshoot, and technical support.
| Technical Specialist | Help Desk Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $88,773 | $51,065 |
| Hourly rate | $42.68 | $24.55 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 121,151 | 75,004 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
The role of technical specialists is to provide technical support for applications and programs to staff members and customers within an organization. They train staff and customers on products and apps and offer advice on the best practices for utilizing technical programs and applications. They also design training materials to teach other staff members the most effective methods of using its technology. It is also their job to reduce company costs by looking for ways to improve productivity and lessen expenses.
The primary role of help desk specialists is to maintain relationships between the company and its customers. Their duties and responsibilities include responding to guests' queries, providing technical computer support, and maintaining computer systems' performance. Help desk specialists are also responsible for following up with customers to resolve issues and train computer users. There are several requirements to be qualified for this position, which include having relevant customer service experience, problem-solving and analytical skills, and the ability to prioritize vital tasks.
Technical specialists and help desk specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Technical Specialist | Help Desk Specialist | |
| Average salary | $88,773 | $51,065 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $126,000 | Between $35,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner | Schulte Roth & Zabel |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a technical specialist and a help desk specialist in terms of educational background:
| Technical Specialist | Help Desk Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between technical specialists' and help desk specialists' demographics:
| Technical Specialist | Help Desk Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 71.2% Female, 28.8% | Male, 79.4% Female, 20.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 12.5% White, 54.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 12.3% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 11.6% White, 55.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |