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Technical support specialist vs technical specialist

The differences between technical support specialists and technical 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 support specialist and a technical specialist. Additionally, a technical specialist has an average salary of $88,773, which is higher than the $48,667 average annual salary of a technical support specialist.

The top three skills for a technical support specialist include customer service, technical support and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a technical specialist are customer service, technical support, and patients.

Technical support specialist vs technical specialist overview

Technical Support SpecialistTechnical Specialist
Yearly salary$48,667$88,773
Hourly rate$23.40$42.68
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs157,425121,151
Job satisfaction4.6-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 50%Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Average age4242
Years of experience22

What does a technical support specialist do?

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.

What does a technical specialist do?

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.

Technical support specialist vs technical specialist salary

Technical support specialists and technical specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Technical Support SpecialistTechnical Specialist
Average salary$48,667$88,773
Salary rangeBetween $30,000 And $76,000Between $62,000 And $126,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CAWashington, DC
Highest paying stateNew JerseyDelaware
Best paying companyMetaFinnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner
Best paying industryFinanceTechnology

Differences between technical support specialist and technical specialist education

There are a few differences between a technical support specialist and a technical specialist in terms of educational background:

Technical Support SpecialistTechnical Specialist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 50%Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Most common majorComputer ScienceBusiness
Most common collegeStanford UniversityStanford University

Technical support specialist vs technical specialist demographics

Here are the differences between technical support specialists' and technical specialists' demographics:

Technical Support SpecialistTechnical Specialist
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 75.4% Female, 24.6%Male, 71.2% Female, 28.8%
Race ratioBlack 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%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%
LGBT Percentage11%11%

Differences between technical support specialist and technical specialist duties and responsibilities

Technical support specialist example responsibilities.

  • Implement hardware and software upgrades and maintain stability, usability, and security for desktop/laptop/mobile systems; achieve SLA's.
  • Manage all operating end-user software including JavaScript - updating/installing Java.
  • Install, configure and manage proprietary applications on Unix servers.
  • Manage large-scale PC deployments including site surveys involving verification of network activity and appropriate power availability.
  • Manage backups, replications and disaster recovery plans of company mission critical servers and database files to ensure redundancy.
  • Deploy and troubleshoot complex software installations in Microsoft and Linux environments.
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Technical specialist example responsibilities.

  • Install and manage LAN/WAN using TCP/IP protocol.
  • Manage the development of a customize ERP system for the client.
  • Design and manage studies for alternative API qualification for commercial products.
  • Lead and assist in troubleshooting problems and assure appropriate communication with physicians and patients.
  • Manage customer complaints and internal GMP audits for product manufacturing, coordinate FDA audits and recommend corrective actions.
  • Develop HTML, CSS, JavaScript for commercial websites.
  • Show more

Technical support specialist vs technical specialist skills

Common technical support specialist skills
  • Customer Service, 12%
  • Technical Support, 10%
  • Troubleshoot, 8%
  • Math, 4%
  • Customer Satisfaction, 3%
  • Phone Calls, 3%
Common technical specialist skills
  • Customer Service, 13%
  • Technical Support, 6%
  • Patients, 6%
  • Project Management, 6%
  • Customer Satisfaction, 4%
  • C++, 4%

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