IT Support Specialist career guide
An IT support specialist helps people when their computers, accounts, networks or software stop working. They work at help desks inside companies, schools and hospitals, and at service providers that support many clients.
Pay data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Job content: O*NET 31.0. Updated 2026-10-26.
- $61,860median annual wage (U.S.)
- $29.74median hourly wage
- 717,190people employed in the U.S.
- Bachelor's Degreemost common required education
What an IT support specialist does
Provide technical assistance to computer users. Answer questions or resolve computer problems for clients in person, via telephone, or electronically. May provide assistance concerning the use of computer hardware and software, including printing, installation, word processing, electronic mail, and operating systems.
Typical tasks
- Oversee the daily performance of computer systems.
- Set up equipment for employee use, performing or ensuring proper installation of cables, operating systems, or appropriate software.
- Read technical manuals, confer with users, or conduct computer diagnostics to investigate and resolve problems or to provide technical assistance and support.
- Answer user inquiries regarding computer software or hardware operation to resolve problems.
- Install and perform minor repairs to hardware, software, or peripheral equipment, following design or installation specifications.
- Confer with staff, users, and management to establish requirements for new systems or modifications.
- Enter commands and observe system functioning to verify correct operations and detect errors.
- Maintain records of daily data communication transactions, problems and remedial actions taken, or installation activities.
A typical day
Most of the day is a queue of tickets and calls: resetting passwords, setting up laptops, fixing printers, installing software and explaining fixes. Specialists document what they did so the next person can follow it, and escalate harder problems to network or systems teams.
Skills employers look for
These are the skills O*NET rates as most important for this occupation.
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Complex Problem Solving
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Social Perceptiveness
- Service Orientation
Knowledge areas
- Computers and Electronics
- Customer and Personal Service
- Telecommunications
- English Language
- Education and Training
Tools and technology
Examples of technology used in this occupation, from O*NET: Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Creative Cloud software, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, AJAX, Amazon Redshift, Amazon Web Services AWS software, Ansible software, Apache Cassandra.
Education and training
When O*NET asked people in this occupation what education the job requires, the most common answers were:
- Bachelor's Degree: 47% of respondents
- Post-Secondary Certificate: 32% of respondents
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree: 14% of respondents
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
IT Support Specialist pay
The median annual wage for computer user support specialists was $61,860 in May 2025 ($29.74 an hour). Half of workers earned between $49,000 and $79,040.
Highest-paying states
- District of Columbia: $80,950 median
- California: $79,570 median
- Washington: $75,220 median
- Massachusetts: $75,070 median
- New York: $72,560 median
States with the most IT support specialists
- California: 74,490 employed
- Texas: 72,030 employed
- Florida: 51,220 employed
- New York: 39,100 employed
- Pennsylvania: 30,560 employed
IT Support Specialist pay in every state
How to get hired
Many IT support jobs accept an associate degree, a certificate or equivalent experience instead of a bachelor's degree. Entry-level certifications are common on job postings. A home lab, volunteer work or any time you supported others with technology is worth describing, along with how you explain problems to people who are not technical.
Job titles you may see
Computer Support Specialist, Computer Tech (Computer Technician), IS Tech (Information Systems Technician), IT Specialist (Information Technology Specialist).
Looking for work as an IT support specialist?
On Jobder you see one job at a time and swipe right to apply. A mutual Match happens when both sides say yes, and after a Match you and the employer can message each other. Free signup is open for job seekers and employers.
Related career guides
- Software Developer
- Web Developer
- Retail Sales Associate
- Cashier
- Retail Store Supervisor
- Stocker and Order Filler
IT Support Specialist salary by state · IT Support Specialist job description and interview questions
Sources and methodology
Wage and employment estimates: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, cross-industry estimates for all ownerships. Figures are as published; BLS does not publish some estimates for some states. As defined by BLS, wages include tips, commissions and production bonuses, and exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and other premium pay. BLS OEWS
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Jobder has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET Database
Written and maintained by the Jobder team. Last updated 2026-10-26. Questions or corrections: support@jobder.pro.
Frequently asked questions
What does an IT support specialist do?
Provide technical assistance to computer users. Answer questions or resolve computer problems for clients in person, via telephone, or electronically. May provide assistance concerning the use of computer hardware and software, including printing, installation, word processing, electronic mail, and operating systems.
How much does an IT support specialist make?
The median annual wage for computer user support specialists in the United States was $61,860 in May 2025, or $29.74 an hour. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $40,980 and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $100,540.
What education do you need to become an IT support specialist?
In O*NET's survey of people in this occupation, the most common answer for required education was "Bachelor's Degree" (47% of respondents). O*NET classifies the occupation as "Medium Preparation Needed".
Which state pays IT support specialists the most?
District of Columbia had the highest median annual wage for this occupation in May 2025, at $80,950, followed by California ($79,570) and Washington ($75,220).
How many IT support specialists are there in the U.S.?
BLS estimated 717,190 people were employed as computer user support specialists in May 2025. California employed the most, with 74,490.