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Support education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a support. Supports usually study business, computer science, or accounting. 44% of supports hold a bachelor's degree, and 21% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 13,935 real support resumes to see exactly what support education sections show.

The most common colleges for supports are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

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

There are certain support certifications that you should consider. These support certifications include Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) and Basic Life Support for Healthcare and Public Safety (BLS).

What education do you need to become a support?

What degree do you need to be a support?

The most common degree for supports is bachelor's degree, with 44% of supports earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 21% and associate degree degree at 19%.
  • Bachelor's, 44%
  • Associate, 21%
  • High School Diploma, 19%
  • Diploma, 6%
  • Other Degrees, 10%

What should I major in to become a support?

You should major in business to become a support. 26% of supports major in business. Other common majors for a support include computer science and accounting.

Most common colleges for supports

Supports often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, DeVry University, and University of Maryland - College Park. Here are the most common colleges for supports in the US based on their resumes.
Support common collegePercentages
University of Phoenix20.16%
DeVry University11.38%
University of Maryland - College Park5.59%
Pennsylvania State University5.39%
Western Washington University4.59%

Best majors for supports

RankMajorPercentages
1Business25.5%
2Computer Science7.5%
3Accounting6.7%
4Psychology5.9%
5General Studies5.5%

Best colleges for supports

The best colleges for supports are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.

A support with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for supports. 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 supports.

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. Maine Maritime Academy

Castine, ME • Private

In-state tuition

$13,478

Enrollment

979

5. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

6. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Enrollment

9,142

7. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

8. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,308

Enrollment

6,819

9. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

10. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$49,880

Enrollment

4,177

20 best online courses for supports

Advertising disclosure

1. Introduction to Technical Support

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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. Create Customer Support Data with Google Sheets

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By the end of this project, you will create a Google Sheet that transforms a business’s raw customer support data into a useful data set that provides the business with an overview of past support requirements. You will be able to determine which areas of the business are exceeding standards and which departments are performing below standard. This course will include an introduction to Google Sheets, how to leverage formulas, how to link multiple tabs, and how to utilize Google Sheets to...

3. IT Support Technical Skills Bootcamp

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4.5
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Hands-on Technical skills for IT Support Professionals...

4. IT Support Technical Skills Helpdesk

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4.7
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Hands-on Technical skills for IT Support Learners...

5. Akamai Customer Consulting and Support

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Are you interested in end-to-end project management? Want to deliver the best solutions to our customers while collaborating with teams from all over the world? You will never stop learning in this fast-moving environment and across our cutting-edge technologies. This beginner level certificate is designed to provide you with in-demand skills that range from internet technology fundamentals, networking, operating systems and problem solving techniques.\n\nThis certificate program consists of...

6. Customer Service Fundamentals

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There are a growing number of exciting, well-paying jobs in today’s tech industry that do not require a traditional college degree, an one of the hottest areas with high demand is in IT customer service and support. Customer Service is a perfect entry point to start your career in IT, with a multitude of job openings ranging from onsite or remote help desk work to customer care or client support. We can help you get there with the Customer Service Fundamentals course. We will help you to build...

7. Customer Service & Support For Customer Service Executives

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

8. Customer Service, Customer Support, And Customer Experience

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

9. Network Support Fundamentals

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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...

10. IBM IT Support

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Prepare for an in-demand career in Information Technology (IT). In this program, you’ll develop a strong foundation in IT fundamentals, networking, cybersecurity, and cloud computing to get job-ready in as little as 3 months, with no prior experience or degree needed to get started.\n\nAlmost every organization, business, or individual relies on technology. A career in IT Support is about providing technological assistance to better optimize organizational efficiency. This can include...

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

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

12. IT Support and Service Desk jobs -Crash Course for Beginners

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Let me help you land your first job in IT. Learn about different roles, procedures, tools, and applications - Part 1...

13. Introduction to Business Support System - BSS

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

14. IT service operations and Service Desk management

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Improve Service Desk and IT support processes and service functions. Better preparation for the professional exam...

15. Computer Network Fundamentals- IT Helpdesk & Desktop Support

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

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

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

17. Service Desk Analyst Crash course for beginners.

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Get Hands-On Experience for following JOB roles - Service Desk Analyst IT Help Desk Professional L1 IT Support GSD...

18. Zendesk for Customer Service Agents Training Course

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How to provide great customer support using Zendesk, a course for beginners...

19. Help Desk Analyst

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Boost your career with this course, pass the e-Learning course, and achieve your Help Desk Analyst certificate...

20. 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...

Top 10 most affordable universities for supports

The most affordable schools for supports are SUNY Farmingdale, california state university - bakersfield, and baruch college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for supports 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 supports.

1. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

2. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

3. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

4. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

5. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

6. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

7. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,238

Cost of attendance

21,567

8. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

9. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Cost of attendance

22,990

10. Clayton State University

Morrow, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$5,419

Cost of attendance

17,697

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for supports

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

Some great schools for supports 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 supports 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. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

6. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

7. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,407

8. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

43%

SAT average

1,338

9. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

Admissions rate

40%

SAT average

1,376

10. Brandeis University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

31%

SAT average

1,398

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for supports

The easiest schools for supports to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, notre dame de namur university, and holy names university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a support 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 supports.

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

3. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

4. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

5. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

6. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

7. Life University

Marietta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

94%

SAT average

979

8. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

9. Presentation College

Aberdeen, SD • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,050

10. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

Average support salary by education level

According to our data, supports with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $45,857 annually. Supports with a Doctorate degree earn an average annual salary of $43,210.
Support education levelSupport salary
Master's Degree$45,857
High School Diploma or Less$33,280
Bachelor's Degree$38,326
Doctorate Degree$43,210
Some College/ Associate Degree$34,214

Support education FAQs

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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.

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