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IT Support Specialist

$61,860
median pay per year
full range coming in the next data update

What the job actually is

Help users solve computer and network problems, set up equipment, and answer technical questions.

Where you work

Offices, help desks, or remote; at a desk or moving to workstations.

The hours

Full-time; shift work and on-call for round-the-clock support.

By the numbers

May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$61,860
per year
What most earn
range coming soon
Openings a year
~40,800
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
-3%
Declining
Working in the U.S.
coming soon

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

How you get in

Typical starting education

Some college, no degree

Training path: Certs (A+) — many start at the helpdesk and learn up.

License or certification

No license required; entry-level certifications help you get hired.

You can earn while you train. This field has a genuinely paid pathway in — an apprenticeship, a paid academy, or employer-funded training — so you draw a paycheck instead of taking on debt to learn it.

What it takes

Problem solvingPatienceCommunicationTechnical skills

The honest take

Tech's classic no-degree entrance: helpdesk today, admin or security later.

Standard Occupational Classification 15-1232. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.