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Desktop support specialist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a desktop support specialist. Desktop support specialists usually study computer science, computer information systems, or information technology. 52% of desktop support specialists hold a bachelor's degree, and 33% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 6,210 real desktop support specialist resumes to see exactly what desktop support specialist education sections show.
The most common colleges for desktop support specialists are the DeVry University and the DeVry University.
There are also many online desktop support specialist courses to help get the education required to be a desktop support specialist.
There are certain desktop support specialist certifications that you should consider. These desktop support specialist certifications include Security 5 Certification and Certified Network Computer Technician (CNCT).
What education do you need to become a desktop support specialist?
What degree do you need to be a desktop support specialist?
- Bachelor's, 52%
- Associate, 33%
- Diploma, 4%
- Master's, 4%
- Other Degrees, 7%
What should I major in to become a desktop support specialist?
- Computer Science, 19%
- Business, 11%
- Other Majors, 43%
Most common colleges for desktop support specialists
| Desktop support specialist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| DeVry University | 20.00% |
| University of Phoenix | 15.56% |
| University of Houston | 7.41% |
| Strayer University | 5.93% |
| American InterContinental University | 4.44% |
Best majors for desktop support specialists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Computer Science | 18.9% |
| 2 | Computer Information Systems | 14.3% |
| 3 | Information Technology | 13.1% |
| 4 | Business | 11.2% |
| 5 | Computer Networking | 9.6% |
Best colleges for desktop support specialists
The best colleges for desktop support specialists are University of Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon University, and Stanford University.
A desktop support specialist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for desktop support specialists. 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 desktop support specialists.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
3. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
4. University of California, Irvine
Irvine, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$13,700
Enrollment
29,722
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
6. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
7. North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$9,101
Enrollment
23,708
8. Stevens Institute of Technology
Hoboken, NJ • Private
In-state tuition
$52,202
Enrollment
3,420
9. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
10. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$53,880
Enrollment
6,590
20 best online courses for desktop support specialists
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Top 10 most affordable universities for desktop support specialists
The most affordable schools for desktop support specialists are Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, hunter college of the city university of new york, and clayton state university.
If the best universities for desktop support specialists 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 desktop support specialists.
1. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
2. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
3. Clayton State University
Morrow, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$5,419
Cost of attendance
17,697
4. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
5. California State University - East Bay
Hayward, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,983
Cost of attendance
21,371
6. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
7. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Ponce
Mercedita, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,914
Cost of attendance
13,564
8. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon
Bayamon, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,940
Cost of attendance
13,508
9. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
10. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Barranquitas
Barranquitas, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,902
Cost of attendance
13,479
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for desktop support specialists
The hardest universities for desktop support specialists to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon University, and Stanford University.
Some great schools for desktop support specialists 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 desktop support specialists 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. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
2. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
3. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
4. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
5. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
6. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
8. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
9. Stevens Institute of Technology
Hoboken, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
41%
SAT average
1,412
10. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy, NY • Private
Admissions rate
43%
SAT average
1,415
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for desktop support specialists
The easiest schools for desktop support specialists to get into are Saint Martin's University, nyack college, and oklahoma wesleyan university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a desktop support specialist 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 desktop support specialists.
1. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
2. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
4. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
5. Linfield College
McMinnville, OR • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
1,117
6. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
7. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
8. Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Winona, MN • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,148
9. Capitol Technology University
Laurel, MD • Private
Admissions rate
69%
SAT average
1,070
10. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
Average desktop support specialist salary by education level
| Desktop support specialist education level | Desktop support specialist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $53,080 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $42,355 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $46,781 |
| Doctorate Degree | $50,904 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $43,188 |
Desktop support specialist education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025