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The differences between technician system specialists and desk support technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a technician system specialist and a desk support technician. Additionally, a technician system specialist has an average salary of $80,694, which is higher than the $40,715 average annual salary of a desk support technician.
The top three skills for a technician system specialist include database, technical support and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a desk support technician are customer service, technical support, and troubleshoot.
| Technician System Specialist | Desk Support Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $80,694 | $40,715 |
| Hourly rate | $38.80 | $19.57 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 87,806 | 130,485 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
In the information technology industry, a technical system specialist is in charge of developing and maintaining computer systems. Their responsibilities typically include providing technical support to clients and employees, identifying the needs of projects and programs, drafting designs and schematics, and producing regular progress reports. They may also address issues and concerns, troubleshoot, perform routine maintenance checks, and conduct repairs. Furthermore, a technical system specialist may supervise and train new staff members, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
A desktop support technician is responsible for assisting end-users with their network issues, grant authorization requests, and create user accounts. Desktop support technicians maintain the safety and security of networks, preventing unauthorized access and illegal dissemination of database information. They also handle the software configurations and upgrading the network infrastructure to avoid system downtimes and operational delays. A desktop support technician must have excellent communication and technical skills to monitor systems performance and enhance network navigation.
Technician system specialists and desk support technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Technician System Specialist | Desk Support Technician | |
| Average salary | $80,694 | $40,715 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $122,000 | Between $26,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | Jersey City, NJ | South San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | Emergent BioSolutions | BNY Mellon |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a technician system specialist and a desk support technician in terms of educational background:
| Technician System Specialist | Desk Support Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between technician system specialists' and desk support technicians' demographics:
| Technician System Specialist | Desk Support Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.8% Female, 18.2% | Male, 82.6% Female, 17.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 11.5% White, 54.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 11.7% White, 55.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |