Post job

Senior system support specialist education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a senior system support specialist. Senior system support specialists usually study computer science, business, or electrical engineering. 59% of senior system support specialists hold a bachelor's degree, and 26% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 340 real senior system support specialist resumes to see exactly what senior system support specialist education sections show.

The most common colleges for senior system support specialists are the University of Memphis and the University of Memphis.

There are also many online senior system support specialist courses to help get the education required to be a senior system support specialist.

What education do you need to become a senior system support specialist?

What degree do you need to be a senior system support specialist?

The most common degree for senior system support specialists is bachelor's degree, with 59% of senior system support specialists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 26% and associate degree degree at 7%.
  • Bachelor's, 59%
  • Associate, 26%
  • Master's, 7%
  • Diploma, 4%
  • Other Degrees, 4%

What should I major in to become a senior system support specialist?

You should major in computer science to become a senior system support specialist. 19% of senior system support specialists major in computer science. Other common majors for a senior system support specialist include business and electrical engineering.

Most common colleges for senior system support specialists

Senior system support specialists often get their degrees at University of Memphis, Pennsylvania State University, and University of Phoenix. Here are the most common colleges for senior system support specialists in the US based on their resumes.
Senior system support specialist common collegePercentages
University of Memphis6.52%
Pennsylvania State University6.52%
University of Phoenix6.52%
University of Massachusetts Boston6.52%
University of Iowa6.52%

Best majors for senior system support specialists

Best colleges for senior system support specialists

The best colleges for senior system support specialists are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.

A senior system 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 senior system 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 senior system support specialists.

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 senior system support specialists

Advertising disclosure

1. Introduction to Technical Support

coursera

Technical Support professionals are in great demand! This is the first course in the IBM IT Support Professional Certificate program, designed to prepare you for a rewarding career in technical support. You will begin this self-paced course by learning what Informational Technology (IT) support is all about. You'll find out the roles and responsibilities of Technical Support professionals and become familiar with all the different career paths you can take in Technical Support. You will also...

2. Network Support Fundamentals

coursera

Dive into the realm of network support with the Network Support Fundamentals course. This online course is meticulously designed to introduce you to the essential skills needed for supporting enterprise networks - one of the most in-demand skill sets in the digital landscape. By the end of this course you will be able to explain network security basics, monitor network performance, and provide essential professional support. Ideal for beginners aiming for an entry-level IT career or current IT...

3. IT Support Technical Skills Bootcamp

udemy
4.5
(1,653)

Hands-on Technical skills for IT Support Professionals...

4. IT Support Technical Skills Helpdesk

udemy
4.7
(1,561)

Hands-on Technical skills for IT Support Learners...

5. Computer Hardware, Operating System and Networking

udemy
4.1
(314)

For Any Graduates/Engineering/Diploma/Arts & Science/Freshers/Home Users/Individuals/Desktop Support/FM/Service Engineer...

6. Desktop IT Support Level 1 & 2 in real life (Troubleshooting

udemy
4.2
(1,443)

Learn everything in real life Troubleshooting for IT Help Desk , Helpdesk , IT Support , System Administration and IT...

7. IT & Technical Support Guide to Helpdesk, Desktop & Servers

udemy
4.2
(1,138)

Learn how the different levels of IT technical support work, from service desk to infrastructure and server support...

8. Computer Network Fundamentals- IT Helpdesk & Desktop Support

udemy
4
(409)

Learn the basic fundamentals of computer networking & OSI model for desktop support and IT service desk technicians...

9. Active Directory on Windows Server

udemy
4.6
(8,804)

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

10. Basic Computer Course - Windows 7/10 - IT & Desktop Support

udemy
4.7
(1,213)

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

11. Windows Server 2019: Active Directory, GPO, R. Server Access

udemy
4.7
(4,916)

Training For Beginners - Become a Network Administrator in Microsoft Windows Server 2019 with Remote Server Access!...

12. Active Directory & Group Policy Administration for IT Techs

udemy
4.5
(651)

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

13. [Active Directory] Management using Windows PowerShell

udemy
4.5
(1,078)

[Power Shell] Simplified practical knowledge for automation & management of [Active Directory] using Windows Power Shell...

14. TOTAL: Active Directory with Windows Server 2016

udemy
4.6
(2,189)

Identity, Access, and Authentication with Microsoft AD and Identity with Windows Server 2016...

15. Introduction to Business Support System - BSS

udemy
4.5
(319)

Learn about business support system employed in telecom domain...

16. Customer Service, Customer Support, And Customer Experience

udemy
4.6
(2,666)

Customer service, customer support, and customer experience training. Loyal clients through world-class customer service...

17. Customer Service & Support For Customer Service Executives

udemy
4.5
(941)

Learn Customer Service Skills & Provide Excellent Customer Support, Customer Experience & How To Manage Upset Customers...

18. Remote Desktop Services Windows Server 2016

udemy
4.6
(1,444)

Learn RDS Sessions and Application on Windows Server 2016 and Get Everything You Need To Start Deploying RDS...

19. Essential Tools for Windows System Administrators

udemy
4.2
(325)

[Windows] [System Administration] Learn Windows Builtin Tools & Open Source Tools for Efficient System Administration...

20. Windows Server 2022 administration course. Lecture and Sims

udemy
4.6
(1,377)

Learn how to expertly administer Windows Server 2022 with lecture and hands on simulations available 24/7...

Top 10 most affordable universities for senior system support specialists

The most affordable schools for senior system support specialists are California State University - Bakersfield, suny farmingdale, and brooklyn college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for senior system 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 senior system support specialists.

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 senior system support specialists

The hardest universities for senior system support specialists to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.

Some great schools for senior system 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 senior system 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. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

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 senior system support specialists

The easiest schools for senior system support specialists 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 senior system 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 senior system support specialists.

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 senior system support specialist salary by education level

Senior system support specialists with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $102,775 annually. With a Doctorate degree, senior system support specialists earn a median annual income of $97,689 compared to $88,183 for senior system support specialists with an Bachelor's degree.
Senior system support specialist education levelSenior system support specialist salary
Master's Degree$102,775
High School Diploma or Less$78,171
Bachelor's Degree$88,183
Doctorate Degree$97,689
Some College/ Associate Degree$80,041

Senior system support specialist education FAQs

Search for senior system support specialist jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
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.

Browse computer and mathematical jobs