Helpdesk computer technician education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a helpdesk computer technician. Helpdesk computer technicians usually study computer information systems, computer science, or business. 50% of helpdesk computer technicians hold a bachelor's degree, and 34% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 1,786 real helpdesk computer technician resumes to see exactly what helpdesk computer technician education sections show.

The most common colleges for helpdesk computer technicians are the DeVry University and the DeVry University.

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

There are certain helpdesk computer technician certifications that you should consider. These helpdesk computer technician certifications include IT Information Library Foundations Certification (ITIL) and Network 5 Certification.

What education do you need to become a helpdesk computer technician?

What degree do you need to be a helpdesk computer technician?

The most common degree for helpdesk computer technicians is bachelor's degree, with 50% of helpdesk computer technicians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 34% and associate degree degree at 5%.

Bachelor's, 50%

Associate, 34%

High School Diploma, 5%

Master's, 4%

Other Degrees, 7%

What should I major in to become a helpdesk computer technician?

You should major in computer information systems to become a helpdesk computer technician. 16% of helpdesk computer technicians major in computer information systems. Other common majors for a helpdesk computer technician include computer science and business.

Computer Information Systems, 16%

Computer Science, 15%

Business, 14%

Information Technology, 12%

Other Majors, 43%

Most common colleges for helpdesk computer technicians

Helpdesk computer technicians often get their degrees at DeVry University, Strayer University, and University of Phoenix. Here are the most common colleges for helpdesk computer technicians in the US based on their resumes.

Helpdesk computer technician common college	Percentages
DeVry University	14.79%
Strayer University	11.97%
University of Phoenix	11.97%
University of Maryland - College Park	7.04%
George Mason University	4.93%

Show more common helpdesk computer technician colleges

Best majors for helpdesk computer technicians

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Computer Information Systems	16.3%
2	Computer Science	15.0%
3	Business	14.1%
4	Information Technology	12.1%
5	Computer Networking	6.7%

Show more common helpdesk computer technician majors

Best colleges for helpdesk computer technicians

The best colleges for helpdesk computer technicians are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.

A helpdesk computer 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 helpdesk computer 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 helpdesk computer technicians.

1. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

4. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

5. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Enrollment

9,142

6. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

7. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

8. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

9. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

10. Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Worcester, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,530

Enrollment

4,571

20 best online courses for helpdesk computer technicians

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Basic computer course with troubleshooting skills -computer hardware and computer networking, for IT support technicians...

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Learn how to troubleshoot desktop computer issues as an IT Support Technician on real-world organisational networks...

6. Active Directory & Group Policy Administration for IT Techs

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Active Directory & Group Policy Administration Basics for Helpdesk and Desktop / IT Support Technicians...

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Learn some of the less common IT troubleshooting techniques for Windows computers...

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4.6

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Learn how to deploy and manage all aspects of Active Directory, Group Policy, DNS and many more technologies...

18. Mastering Group Policy on Windows Server

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An IT person's guide to managing Active Directory Users and Computers with Group Policy...

19. Citrix Fundamentals for Beginners.

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20. Computer Networks Fundamentals

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Top 10 most affordable universities for helpdesk computer technicians

The most affordable schools for helpdesk computer technicians are California State University - Bakersfield, suny farmingdale, and brooklyn college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for helpdesk computer 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 helpdesk computer technicians.

1. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

2. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

3. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

4. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

5. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

6. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

7. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

8. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

9. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

Socorro, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$7,770

Cost of attendance

21,244

10. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for helpdesk computer technicians

The hardest universities for helpdesk computer technicians to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.

Some great schools for helpdesk computer 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 helpdesk computer 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. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

4. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

7. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

8. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Troy, NY • Private

Admissions rate

43%

SAT average

1,415

9. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

10. University of Rochester

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,422

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for helpdesk computer technicians

The easiest schools for helpdesk computer technicians to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, barry university, and nyack college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a helpdesk computer 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 helpdesk computer technicians.

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

3. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

4. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

5. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

6. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

7. Saint Martin's University

Lacey, WA • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,111

8. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

9. Iona College

New Rochelle, NY • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,089

10. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

Average helpdesk computer technician salary by education level

Helpdesk computer technicians with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $49,676 annually. With a Doctorate degree, helpdesk computer technicians earn a median annual income of $47,607 compared to $43,692 for helpdesk computer technicians with an Bachelor's degree.

Helpdesk computer technician education level	Helpdesk computer technician salary
Master's Degree	$49,676
High School Diploma or Less	$39,493
Bachelor's Degree	$43,692
Doctorate Degree	$47,607
Some College/ Associate Degree	$40,284

Helpdesk computer technician education FAQs

What is the best college for Helpdesk Computer Technicians?

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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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