To become an application support specialist, you usually need a bachelor's degree and 1-2 years of experience. The most common jobs before becoming an application support specialist are technical support specialist, customer service representative, and help desk analyst. Hiring managers expect an application support specialist to have soft skills such as customer-service skills, listening skills, and problem-solving skills. Once you have all the required skills and experience, it takes an average of 3-6 months of job training to become an application support specialist.

The national average salary for application support specialists is $81,820, but with the right certifications and experience, they can make up to $127,000. Getting a certification as a Certified Network Computer Technician (CNCT) will help you to earn more as an application support specialist.

Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 10% and produce 83,100 job opportunities across the U.S.

How to become an Application Support Specialist in 5 steps:

  • Step 1: Explore application support specialist education
  • Step 2: Develop application support specialist skills
  • Step 3: Complete relevent training/internship
  • Step 4: Research application support specialist duties
  • Step 5: Prepare your resume

Key Steps To Become an Application Support Specialist

  1. Explore Application Support Specialist Education

    If you're interested in becoming an application support specialist, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 62.9% of application support specialists have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 7.1% of application support specialists have master's degrees. Even though most application support specialists have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.

    Choosing the right major is always an important step when researching how to become an application support specialist. When we researched the most common majors for an application support specialist, we found that they most commonly have business, computer science and computer information systems.

    Application Support Specialist Degrees

    Bachelors

    62.9 %

    Associate

    22.1 %

    Masters

    7.1 %

    Application Support Specialist MajorPercentages
    Business19.80%
    Computer Science16.30%
    Computer Information Systems12.40%
    Information Technology8.70%
    Other Degrees43.00%

  2. Develop Application Support Specialist Skills

    It'll be a good idea to develop application support specialist skills before applying for a job. Here are some skills commonly requested in application support specialist job descriptions:

  3. Complete Relevent Training/Internship

    Application support specialists spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. During this time, new application support specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their specific job and employer. The chart below shows how much time it takes to gain competency as an application support specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real application support specialist resumes.

    Average Amount Of Time At Training

    None

    Less than 1 month

    1-3 months

    3-6 months

    6-12 months

    1-2 years

    2-4 years

  4. Research Application Support Specialist Duties

    When you decide to become an application support specialist, It's important to know what duties and responsibilities are required for this position. Some common responsibilities are a part of most application support specialist jobs. Here is a list of the main duties that define the role:

    • Help manage the design, development, and deployment of HL7 interfaces.
    • Lead, and manage CRM (Peoplesoft and Siebel) implementation technical teams on multiple engagements.
    • Assist users of varying PC and application skills levels and manage through a wide variety of customer scenarios.
    • Develop and automate network and mainframe system diagnostics as necessary using a variety of 3rd party software tools and utilities.
    • Develop and maintain existing Perl scripts to automate business process.
    • Manage multiple imaging-relate projects across both radiology and cardiology service lines, both inpatient and outpatient, to completion.

  5. Prepare Your Resume

    Finally, when you already have checked the skills and responsibilities for this role, you can start creating your resume. Everything that goes into creating a perfect resume can take hours, days, or even weeks. No worries, we created a resume builder to make this process as easy as possible with tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and a summary.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Application Support Specialist Resume templates

    Build a professional Application Support Specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Application Support Specialist resume.

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    Application Support Specialist Resume
    Application Support Specialist Resume

  6. Apply For an Application Support Specialist Job

    With your ready resume, it's time to start searching for a new job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

    Application Support Specialist Jobs

  7. How To Become an Application Support Specialist
    How To Become an Application Support Specialist Career Overview
Top Application Support Specialist Jobs Near You

Average Salary for an Application Support Specialist

Application Support Specialists in America make an average salary of $81,820 per year or $39 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $127,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $52,000 per year.
Average Application Support Specialist Salary
$81,820 Yearly
$39.34 hourly

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