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The differences between user support analysts and desktop support consultants 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 desktop support consultant. Additionally, a user support analyst has an average salary of $79,842, which is higher than the $46,733 average annual salary of a desktop support consultant.
The top three skills for a user support analyst include user experience, end user support and technical support. The most important skills for a desktop support consultant are desktop support, customer service, and troubleshoot.
| User Support Analyst | Desktop Support Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $79,842 | $46,733 |
| Hourly rate | $38.39 | $22.47 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 116,372 | 100,650 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| 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.
The duties of a desk support consultant vary on their line of work or industry of employment. Most of their responsibilities are likely to revolve around reaching out to clients through calls and correspondence, answering inquiries, troubleshooting, and providing corrective measures, all to attain customer satisfaction. Moreover, a desk support consultant may devise strategies to better communicate with clients, produce progress reports, and maintain accurate records of all transactions. Furthermore, it is essential to adhere to all policies and regulations at all times.
User support analysts and desktop support consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| User Support Analyst | Desktop Support Consultant | |
| Average salary | $79,842 | $46,733 |
| Salary range | Between $50,000 And $125,000 | Between $33,000 And $64,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | California | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | NTT Data International L.L.C. | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a user support analyst and a desktop support consultant in terms of educational background:
| User Support Analyst | Desktop Support Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between user support analysts' and desktop support consultants' demographics:
| User Support Analyst | Desktop Support Consultant | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 69.1% Female, 30.9% | Male, 85.0% Female, 15.0% |
| 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, 11.1% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 13.5% White, 54.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |