Technology
IT Support Specialist
IT support specialists troubleshoot hardware, software, and network problems for users — a common, accessible entry point into the tech industry.
Median salary (BLS)
$60,000
10th–90th percentile (BLS)
$40k – $90k
Job outlook
+6% (about average)
AI exposure
Plan a path to IT Support Specialist
Education
Typical entry: No degree required
Certifications (CompTIA A+, etc.) often matter more than a degree.
Plan my path to this →How to qualify
EstimateCost to qualify
$300–$2,150
Time to qualify
9 mo
Renewal
—
- 1
High school diploma or GED
CourseExpected by most employers; if you need the GED, test fees run $0–$150 depending on the state.
$0–$150 · 3 months · varies by state source
- 2
On-the-job training
ExperienceEmployer-provided and typically paid — days to a few months for most no-degree roles.
Cost varies · 3 months source
- 3
Industry certification (optional)
CertificationVendor certifications (AWS, CompTIA, Google, Microsoft…) are a common entry booster, rarely a hard requirement.
$300–$2,000 · 3 months source
Estimated typical U.S. route for "IT Support Specialist" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.
Typical progression
Junior IT Support Specialist
Entry / Junior
$40,000
~2 yrs to advance
IT Support Specialist
Established
$60,000
~3 yrs to advance
Senior IT Support Specialist
Senior
$75,000
Key skills
A typical day
- •Resolve help-desk tickets
- •Set up hardware and accounts
- •Document fixes
Fields of study
Information Technology · Computer Science
Top colleges for Technology
Explore all- Massachusetts Institute of Technology4% admit · $124,000 grad pay
- Stanford University4% admit · $122,000 grad pay
- Carnegie Mellon University11% admit · $109,000 grad pay
- University of California, Berkeley11% admit · $97,000 grad pay
- Georgia Institute of Technology16% admit · $99,000 grad pay
Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.
Related careers
Other careers from this field of study
Mapped by field-of-study code (Information Technology, Computer Science), not by job-title guessing.