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Job outlook for senior system support specialists in the United States
Senior system support specialist job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected senior system support specialist job growth rate is 10% from 2018-2028.
About 83,100 new jobs for senior system support specialists are projected over the next decade.
Senior system support specialist salaries have increased 9% for senior system support specialists in the last 5 years.
There are over 27,566 senior system support specialists currently employed in the United States.
There are 108,134 active senior system support specialist job openings in the US.
The average senior system support specialist salary is $84,043.
Are senior system support specialist jobs in demand?
Senior system support specialist job and salary trends over time
Senior system support specialist jobs over time
Senior system support specialist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 27,566 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 34,158 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 10,624 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 16,773 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 16,328 | 0.00% |
Average senior system support specialist salary over time
Senior system support specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $84,043 | $40.41 | +3.4% |
| 2024 | $81,273 | $39.07 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $79,433 | $38.19 | +1.5% |
| 2022 | $78,234 | $37.61 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $76,956 | $37.00 | +1.6% |
Senior system support specialist jobs by state
Most common states for senior system support specialists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 424 | 61% |
| 2 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 213 | 24% |
| 3 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,519 | 21% |
| 4 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 611 | 21% |
| 5 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,730 | 20% |
| 6 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,150 | 19% |
| 7 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 394 | 19% |
| 8 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,162 | 17% |
| 9 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 1,067 | 17% |
| 10 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 531 | 17% |
| 11 | Vermont | 623,657 | 103 | 17% |
| 12 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 471 | 16% |
| 13 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 124 | 16% |
| 14 | California | 39,536,653 | 5,749 | 15% |
| 15 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 1,524 | 15% |
| 16 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 767 | 15% |
| 17 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 197 | 15% |
| 18 | Alaska | 739,795 | 108 | 15% |
| 19 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 586 | 14% |
| 20 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 407 | 14% |
Most common cities for senior system support specialists
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Overland Park | 1 | 1% | $80,048 |
| 2 | Westminster | 1 | 1% | $72,067 |
| 3 | Birmingham | 1 | 0% | $76,968 |
Senior System Support Specialist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of senior system support specialist experts
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
California State University - Long Beach
University of New Hampshire
Dominican University
Kennesaw State University
Rowan University
North Carolina Central University
American Public University System
New York Institute of Technology
Forsyth County, Georgia
What will help Senior System Support Specialists increase their earning potential?
Don Gelosh Ph.D.: There is a great demand for those who can understand the big picture as well as knowing the
smallest detail in the development and delivery of complex systems. It is very important that
everyone involved in the engineering of complex systems works from the same requirements
and understands the intended operational environment. Systems engineers facilitate this
common understanding of the target system, interconnected systems and the operational
environment.
Today's advanced technology and systems that utilize that technology are increasingly
becoming more complex and more challenging to develop and deliver. This requires a different
type of engineer, one who has both in-depth technical knowledge and leadership skills.
Systems engineers who understand these requirements and can deliver successful complex
systems will always be in demand.
What Senior System Support Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Lesley Farmer: Internships are probably the best option, even if unpaid. Some institutions provide career placement services, and grads could contact their instructors about possible options. Companies, professional associations, and non-profits also advertise internships.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Senior System Support Specialist job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Lesley Farmer: Many employees have trouble pivoting to online work so in the short term, tech support and instructional design jobs are in high demand. Data privacy and security are also hot topics and need ed tech expertise. Tech maintenance, including cloud services and networks, continue to be needed, rather like car maintenance. Thinking forward, software development is another area of need, particularly with more online-based education. If grads have data analytics expertise, they can find jobs on data management and learning analytics.
Disabilities continue to be an issue, particularly in terms of equity, so jobs dealing with assistive technology and other ed tech supports are possible. Finally, grads should broaden their concept of educational settings; informal education is more important than ever: in business/HR, libraries and museums, recreational and youth-serving clubs, mass media, government and non-profit agencies. All of these entities are involved in training, outreach, PR, and public awareness/education. Be creative and persistent.
What general advice would you give to a Senior System Support Specialist?
Dr. Lesley Farmer: Get to know the site before interviewing, and remember that even interviews are an opportunity to practice communication skills-and to see if there's a good match between you and the site. Once hired, learn about the organizational culture and develop trustful relationships. Make one memorable contribution the first month, but focus on becoming an expert before changing others. In addition, join a local and national professional association to keep current and network.
Marc Lessard
ProfessorUniversity of New Hampshire
Physics and Astronomy Department and Space Science Center
What experience really stands out on Senior System Support Specialist resumes?
Marc Lessard: Students who have been significantly involved in research projects have a distinct advantage over those who haven't. Those who began such work (which is typically paid) as sophomores or juniors often will have played a significant role in these real-world research efforts, which can be very different than what might be tackled as part of a capstone project.
Written and oral presentation skills are also essential!
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Senior System Support Specialist job market given the pandemic?
Kate Marek Ph.D.: Probably an acceleration of existing trends - remote working, skill-set based job openings (rather than degree-specific), along with an ongoing need for necessary skills such as writing, problem-solving, collaboration, and project management.
What Senior System Support Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Kate Marek Ph.D.: If possible, find a paid internship in your area of interest, which will help expand your professional network and build your skillset. Use this time to keep scanning job ads to identify skill sets in demand; look for online mini-courses to make those skill sets.
What general advice would you give to a Senior System Support Specialist?
Kate Marek Ph.D.: Choose an organization in tune with one's values. Look for a job in growth areas, such as data asset management, data analysis, etc.
What experience really stands out on Senior System Support Specialist resumes?
Adeel Khalid Ph.D.: It is the age of diversity. A graduate can stand out when their resume shows a broad portfolio of experiences. In addition to a solid academic record, students who demonstrate that they can take on challenging tasks and work beyond a degree's basic requirements are more likely to be successful. I advise students to get involved in various activities, including undergraduate research projects, student design competitions, student organizations, internships, co-ops, etc. All of these should be highlighted on the resume. When a recruiter sees an overview of a student that shows relevant work experience in the form of work-study, internships, or co-op or research, their resume automatically comes to the top of the pile.
Dr. Kate Seltzer Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorRowan University
Department of Language, Literacy and Sociocultural education
How would you rate the starting salaries for Senior System Support Specialists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Dr. Kate Seltzer Ph.D.: Educators are not paid nearly enough. However, working in a state with strong teachers' unions helps to ensure a starting salary that recent graduates can live off of and growth opportunities, albeit modest, over their careers.
Elisha Blankson
Program Director NCCU, Assistant ProfessorNorth Carolina Central University
Communication Disorders Department
What type of skills will young Senior System Support Specialists need?
Elisha Blankson: Graduates will need a skill set about the field in which they received training and additional skills useful to the job market. For example, with the changing demographics in the United States, extra skills in information technology and foreign languages will be a plus when entering the job market.
Dr. Elizabeth Keavney Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorAmerican Public University System
Public Administration Department
What type of skills will young Senior System Support Specialists need?
Dr. Elizabeth Keavney Ph.D.: The ability to examine all sides of an issue, to include long-term consequences and short-term consequences and unintended consequences and intended outcomes is vital. A focus on goals and objectives, instead of depending on an emotional response, will help lead to the best solutions. Public servants should be adaptable and able to work with people from various cultures. They need to have an understanding of how to work with and motivate individuals and groups. Those who can stay engaged and exercise good judgment will fare best in fluid and changing times.
How do you envision technology impacting Senior System Support Specialists in the next 5 years?
Dr. Elizabeth Keavney Ph.D.: COVID-19 has increased the number of people who are working at home. This means a solid basic knowledge of telecommuting, and the ability to work unsupervised will be necessary. The ability to use remote security protocols, the cloud, and various software platforms will be required.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Senior System Support Specialists in the next 3-5 years?
Babak Beheshti Ph.D.: -The enormous growth of IoT and wearables. The number of connected devices is expected to be more than 26 billion in 2020. That includes things like household appliances, controllable lighting, and much more. This trend is likely to continue as it is expected to see the industry grow to 661 billion dollars by 2021.
-We will be witnessing a more widespread commercial deployment of 5G in 2020. With the implementation of the Standalone 5G devices based on the 3gpp release 16, we should be seeing the more robust mobile broadband deployment of 5G, wider availability of 5G smartphones, and a push towards an all 5G Network in select urban areas around the world.
-Significant growth in AI-based technologies, from face recognition and voice recognition to business intelligence and market predictions. As machines and deep learning algorithms get integrated into many applications, many industries will undergo substantial changes. AI systems will continue to interact with our phones; cars will interpret and analyze their surroundings and intelligently drive themselves. Online vendors will monitor our browsing habits, and Google decides what kind of search results to give us, based on who it thinks we are.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Senior System Support Specialists to find work opportunities?
Donna Kukarola: This one, not so sure of, the southeast continues to see options as well as mid-western states.