Deskside technician education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a deskside technician. Deskside technicians usually study computer networking, information technology, or computer science. 42% of deskside technicians hold a associate degree, and 41% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 268 real deskside technician resumes to see exactly what deskside technician education sections show.

The most common colleges for deskside technicians are the University of Cincinnati and the University of Cincinnati.

There are also many online deskside technician courses to help get the education required to be a deskside technician.

What education do you need to become a deskside technician?

What degree do you need to be a deskside technician?

The most common degree for deskside technicians is associate degree, with 42% of deskside technicians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 41% and bachelor's degree degree at 5%.

Associate, 42%

Bachelor's, 41%

Master's, 5%

Diploma, 4%

Other Degrees, 8%

What should I major in to become a deskside technician?

You should major in computer networking to become a deskside technician. 17% of deskside technicians major in computer networking. Other common majors for a deskside technician include information technology and computer science.

Computer Networking, 17%

Information Technology, 17%

Computer Science, 13%

Business, 7%

Other Majors, 46%

Most common colleges for deskside technicians

Deskside technicians often get their degrees at University of Cincinnati, Atlanta Campus of Herzing University, and ECPI University. Here are the most common colleges for deskside technicians in the US based on their resumes.

Deskside technician common college	Percentages
University of Cincinnati	9.09%
Atlanta Campus of Herzing University	6.06%
ECPI University	6.06%
University of Phoenix	6.06%
Pennsylvania State University	6.06%

Show more common deskside technician colleges

Best majors for deskside technicians

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Computer Networking	17.0%
2	Information Technology	17.0%
3	Computer Science	13.3%
4	Business	7.4%
5	Computer Information Systems	7.4%

Show more common deskside technician majors

Best colleges for deskside technicians

The best colleges for deskside technicians are Johns Hopkins University, Syracuse University, and University of Pittsburgh.

A deskside technician with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for deskside technicians. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become deskside technicians.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

2. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

3. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,465

Enrollment

6,483

4. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

5. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,522

Enrollment

13,760

6. University of California, Irvine

Irvine, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$13,700

Enrollment

29,722

7. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

8. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Troy, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$53,880

Enrollment

6,590

9. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

10. North Carolina State University

Raleigh, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$9,101

Enrollment

23,708

20 best online courses for deskside technicians

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Top 10 most affordable universities for deskside technicians

The most affordable schools for deskside technicians are Clayton State University, suny polytechnic institute, and suny stony brook.

If the best universities for deskside technicians are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for deskside technicians.

1. Clayton State University

Morrow, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$5,419

Cost of attendance

17,697

2. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,238

Cost of attendance

21,567

3. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,625

Cost of attendance

24,718

4. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Barranquitas

Barranquitas, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,902

Cost of attendance

13,479

5. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Aguadilla

Aguadilla, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,902

Cost of attendance

13,284

6. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Ponce

Mercedita, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,914

Cost of attendance

13,564

7. National University College - Bayamon

Bayamon, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$6,675

Cost of attendance

12,941

8. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon

Bayamon, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,940

Cost of attendance

13,508

9. Minnesota State University - Mankato

Mankato, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$8,184

Cost of attendance

19,883

10. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Guayama

Guayama, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,902

Cost of attendance

13,893

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for deskside technicians

The hardest universities for deskside technicians to get into are Johns Hopkins University, Syracuse University, and University of Pittsburgh.

Some great schools for deskside technicians are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for deskside technicians based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

2. Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY • Private

Admissions rate

50%

SAT average

1,284

3. University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

59%

SAT average

1,367

4. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,326

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

6. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

7. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

8. Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

66%

SAT average

1,319

9. University of Redlands

Redlands, CA • Private

Admissions rate

75%

SAT average

1,189

10. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY • Private

Admissions rate

65%

SAT average

1,176

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for deskside technicians

The easiest schools for deskside technicians to get into are Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, kean university, and lindenwood university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a deskside technician without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for deskside technicians.

1. Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

Winona, MN • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,148

2. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

3. Lindenwood University

Saint Charles, MO • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,117

4. Capitol Technology University

Laurel, MD • Private

Admissions rate

69%

SAT average

1,070

5. Towson University

Towson, MD • Private

Admissions rate

79%

SAT average

1,131

6. University of Redlands

Redlands, CA • Private

Admissions rate

75%

SAT average

1,189

7. Purdue University Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne, IN • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,080

8. Pace University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

76%

SAT average

1,154

9. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY • Private

Admissions rate

65%

SAT average

1,176

10. Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,070

Average deskside technician salary by education level

Deskside technicians with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $55,524 annually. With a Doctorate degree, deskside technicians earn a median annual income of $53,190 compared to $48,775 for deskside technicians with an Bachelor's degree.

Deskside technician education level	Deskside technician salary
Master's Degree	$55,524
High School Diploma or Less	$44,046
Bachelor's Degree	$48,775
Doctorate Degree	$53,190
Some College/ Associate Degree	$44,936

Deskside technician education FAQs

What is the best college for Deskside Technicians?

Have more questions? See all answers to common computer and mathematical questions.

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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