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The differences between technician system 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 technician system specialist and a help desk specialist. Additionally, a technician system specialist has an average salary of $80,694, which is higher than the $51,065 average annual salary of a help desk specialist.
The top three skills for a technician system specialist include database, technical support and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a help desk specialist are customer service, troubleshoot, and technical support.
| Technician System Specialist | Help Desk Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $80,694 | $51,065 |
| Hourly rate | $38.80 | $24.55 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 87,806 | 75,004 |
| 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.
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.
Technician system specialists and help desk specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Technician System Specialist | Help Desk Specialist | |
| Average salary | $80,694 | $51,065 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $122,000 | Between $35,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | Jersey City, NJ | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Emergent BioSolutions | Schulte Roth & Zabel |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a technician system specialist and a help desk specialist in terms of educational background:
| Technician System Specialist | Help Desk Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between technician system specialists' and help desk specialists' demographics:
| Technician System Specialist | Help Desk Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.8% Female, 18.2% | Male, 79.4% Female, 20.6% |
| 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, 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% |