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The differences between user support analysts 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 user support analyst and a desk support technician. Additionally, a user support analyst has an average salary of $79,842, which is higher than the $40,715 average annual salary of a desk support technician.
The top three skills for a user support analyst include user experience, end user support and technical support. The most important skills for a desk support technician are customer service, technical support, and troubleshoot.
| User Support Analyst | Desk Support Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $79,842 | $40,715 |
| Hourly rate | $38.39 | $19.57 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 116,372 | 130,485 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
User support analysts are computer professionals who provide support to users by investigating and resolving their computer software and hardware problems. By answering telephone calls and applying their knowledge of computer software and hardware, these analysts are required to talk and answer questions from users to learn the source of error. They must discuss with programmers about software errors as well as call the software and hardware vendors to request service regarding defective products. User support analysts must also revise training manuals and should develop training materials such as exercises and visual displays.
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.
User support analysts and desk support technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| User Support Analyst | Desk Support Technician | |
| Average salary | $79,842 | $40,715 |
| Salary range | Between $50,000 And $125,000 | Between $26,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | South San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | BNY Mellon | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a user support analyst and a desk support technician in terms of educational background:
| User Support Analyst | Desk Support Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between user support analysts' and desk support technicians' demographics:
| User Support Analyst | Desk Support Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 69.1% Female, 30.9% | Male, 82.6% Female, 17.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 13.9% White, 54.6% 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% |