What They Do: Computer support specialists provide help and advice to computer users and organizations.
Work Environment: Most computer support specialists have full-time work schedules; however, many do not work typical 9-to-5 jobs. Because computer support is important for businesses, support services may need to be available 24 hours a day. As a result, many support specialists must work nights or weekends.
How to Become One: Because of the wide range of skills used in different computer support jobs, there are many paths into the occupation. A bachelor’s degree is required for some computer support specialist positions, but an associate’s degree or postsecondary classes may be enough for others.
Salary: The median annual wage for computer network support specialists is $62,760. The median annual wage for computer user support specialists is $49,770.
Job Outlook: Employment of computer support specialists is projected to grow 6 percent over the next ten years, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Related Careers: Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of computer support specialists with similar occupations.
Computer support specialists provide help and advice to computer users and organizations. These specialists either support computer networks or they provide technical assistance directly to computer users.
Computer network support specialists typically do the following:
Computer network support specialists, also called technical support specialists, analyze, troubleshoot, and evaluate computer network problems. They play an important role in the routine maintenance of their organization's networks, such as performing file backups on the network. Maintenance can be performed daily, weekly, or monthly and is important to an organization's disaster recovery efforts. Solving an information technology (IT) problem promptly is important because organizations depend on their network systems. Network support specialists may assist computer users through phone, email, or in-person visits. They often work under network and computer systems administrators, who handle more complex tasks.
Computer user support specialists typically do the following:
Computer user support specialists, also called help-desk technicians, usually provide technical help to non-IT computer users. They respond to phone and email requests for help. They can usually help users remotely, but they also may make site visits so that they can solve a problem in person.
Help-desk technicians may solve a range of problems that vary with the industry and the particular firm. Some technicians work for large software companies or for support service firms and must give instructions to business customers on how to use business-specific programs such as an electronic health records program used in hospitals or physicians' offices. Sometimes they work with other technicians to resolve problems.
Other help-desk technicians work in call centers, answering simpler questions from nonbusiness customers. They may walk customers through basic steps in reestablishing an Internet connection or troubleshooting household IT products such as Wi-Fi routers.
Computer network support specialists hold about 185,500 jobs. The largest employers of computer network support specialists are as follows:
| Computer systems design and related services | 19% |
| Telecommunications | 13% |
| Finance and insurance | 6% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 5% |
| Data processing, hosting, and related services | 3% |
Computer user support specialists hold about 690,200 jobs. The largest employers of computer user support specialists are as follows:
| Computer systems design and related services | 22% |
| Educational services; state, local, and private | 11% |
| Temporary help services | 5% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 5% |
| Software publishers | 4% |
Faster computer networks are making it possible for some support specialists, particularly help-desk technicians, to telework, or work from their home. However, a few specialized help-desk technicians may have to travel to a client's location to solve a problem.
Most computer support specialists have full-time work schedules; however, many do not work typical 9-to-5 jobs. Because computer support is important for businesses, support services may need to be available 24 hours a day. As a result, many support specialists must work nights or weekends.
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Because of the wide range of skills used in different computer support jobs, there are many paths into the occupation. A bachelor's degree is required for some applicants applying to computer support specialist positions, but an associate's degree or postsecondary classes may be enough for others.
Education requirements for computer support specialists vary. Computer user support specialist jobs require some computer knowledge, but not necessarily a postsecondary degree. Applicants who have taken some computer-related classes may be qualified for these jobs. For computer network support specialists, many employers accept applicants with an associate's degree, although some prefer applicants to have a bachelor's degree.
Large software companies that provide support to business users who buy their products or services often require applicants to have a bachelor's degree. Positions that are more technical are likely to require a degree in a field such as computer science, engineering, or information science, but for others, the applicant's field of study is less important.
To keep up with changes in technology, many computer support specialists continue their education throughout their careers.
Certification programs are generally offered by vendors or from vendor-neutral certification providers. Certification validates the knowledge of and best practices required by computer support specialists. Companies may require their computer support specialists to hold certifications in the products the companies use.
Many computer support specialists advance to other information technology positions, such as network and computer systems administrators and software developers. Some become managers in the computer support services department. Some organizations provide paths for support specialists to move into other parts of the organization, such as sales. For more information, see the profiles on network and computer systems administrators and software developers.
Customer-service skills. Computer support specialists must be patient and sympathetic. They often help people who are frustrated with the software or hardware they are trying to use.
Listening skills. Support workers must be able to understand the problems that their customers are describing and know when to ask questions to clarify the situation.
Problem-solving skills. Support workers must identify both simple and complex computer problems, analyze them, and solve them.
Speaking skills. Support workers must describe the solutions to computer problems in a way that a nontechnical person can understand.
Writing skills. Strong writing skills are useful for preparing instructions and email responses for employees and customers, as well as for real-time web chat interactions.
The median annual wage for computer network support specialists is $62,760. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $38,560, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $102,410.
The median annual wage for computer user support specialists is $49,770. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $34,220, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $91,060.
The median annual wages for computer network support specialists in the top industries in which they work are as follows:
| Telecommunications | $76,910 |
| Finance and insurance | $74,920 |
| Management of companies and enterprises | $66,500 |
| Data processing, hosting, and related services | $62,460 |
| Computer systems design and related services | $61,390 |
The median annual wages for computer user support specialists in the top industries in which they work are as follows:
| Software publishers | $59,830 |
| Management of companies and enterprises | $58,430 |
| Computer systems design and related services | $48,540 |
| Educational services; state, local, and private | $48,530 |
| Temporary help services | $46,680 |
Most computer support specialists work full time. Because computer support services may need to be available 24 hours a day, some specialists work nights or weekends.
Employment of computer support specialists is projected to grow 6 percent over the next ten years, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
About 75,000 openings for computer support specialists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
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Computer support specialists will be needed to provide technical help and training to users with new hardware or software. However, this demand may be offset somewhat as organizations continue to implement automated tools, such as chatbots, for troubleshooting. Some businesses, especially smaller ones with minimal information technology (IT) requirements, may find it more cost effective to contract with outside firms for these services rather than to hire computer support specialists directly.
| Occupational Title | Employment, 2021 | Projected Employment, 2031 | Change, 2021-31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent | Numeric | |||
| Computer support specialists | 875,700 | 932,100 | 6 | 56,400 |
| Computer network support specialists | 185,500 | 199,200 | 7 | 13,800 |
| Computer user support specialists | 690,200 | 732,900 | 6 | 42,700 |
For more information about computer support specialists, visit
Association of Support Professionals
Help Desk Institute (HDI)
Technology Services Industry Association
For more information about computer careers, visit
Association for Computing Machinery
Computing Research Association
For information about opportunities for women pursuing information technology careers, visit
A portion of the information on this page is used by permission of the U.S. Department of Labor.