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Technical support officer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a technical support officer. Technical support officers usually study computer science, information technology, or electrical engineering. 70% of technical support officers hold a bachelor's degree, and 13% hold an diploma. We analyzed 538 real technical support officer resumes to see exactly what technical support officer education sections show.

The most common colleges for technical support officers are the Frostburg State University and the Frostburg State University.

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

What education do you need to become a technical support officer?

What degree do you need to be a technical support officer?

The most common degree for technical support officers is bachelor's degree, with 70% of technical support officers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are diploma degree at 13% and diploma degree at 12%.
  • Bachelor's, 70%
  • Diploma, 13%
  • Master's, 12%
  • Associate, 4%
  • Other Degrees, 1%

What should I major in to become a technical support officer?

You should major in computer science to become a technical support officer. 23% of technical support officers major in computer science. Other common majors for a technical support officer include information technology and electrical engineering.

Most common colleges for technical support officers

Technical support officers often get their degrees at Frostburg State University, University of Houston - Clear Lake, and American University. Here are the most common colleges for technical support officers in the US based on their resumes.
Technical support officer common collegePercentages
Frostburg State University6.67%
University of Houston - Clear Lake6.67%
American University6.67%
University of Phoenix6.67%
American InterContinental University6.67%

Best majors for technical support officers

Best colleges for technical support officers

The best colleges for technical support officers are University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.

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

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

4. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

7. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

8. Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Worcester, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,530

Enrollment

4,571

9. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Enrollment

33,495

10. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon

Bayamon, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,940

Enrollment

4,169

20 best online courses for technical support officers

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. 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...

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
(1,561)

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

5. 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...

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

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4.2
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Learn how the different levels of IT technical support work, from service desk to infrastructure and server support...

7. 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...

8. Computer Network Fundamentals- IT Helpdesk & Desktop Support

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4
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Learn the basic fundamentals of computer networking & OSI model for desktop support and IT service desk technicians...

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

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

10. Computer Hardware, Operating System and Networking

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

11. Advanced IT Troubleshooting for Helpdesk Support Technicians

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

12. IT/Desktop Computer Support- Troubleshooting for Technicians

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

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

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

14. Active Directory & Group Policy Administration for IT Techs

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4.5
(651)

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

15. Customer Service & Support For Customer Service Executives

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4.5
(941)

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

16. Customer Service, Customer Support, And Customer Experience

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4.6
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Customer service, customer support, and customer experience training. Loyal clients through world-class customer service...

17. Remote Desktop Services Windows Server 2016

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

18. Introduction to Business Support System - BSS

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

19. 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...

20. Active Directory on Windows Server

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

Top 10 most affordable universities for technical support officers

The most affordable schools for technical support officers are California State University - Bakersfield, california state university - long beach, and suny farmingdale.

If the best universities for technical support officers 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 technical support officers.

1. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

2. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

3. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

4. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

5. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

6. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

7. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

8. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

Socorro, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$7,770

Cost of attendance

21,244

9. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

10. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,353

Cost of attendance

21,302

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for technical support officers

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

Some great schools for technical support officers 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 technical support officers 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. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

4. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

5. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

7. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

8. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

9. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

10. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for technical support officers

The easiest schools for technical support officers to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, capitol technology university, and oregon institute of technology.

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

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Capitol Technology University

Laurel, MD • Private

Admissions rate

69%

SAT average

1,070

3. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

4. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

5. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

6. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

7. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

8. Iona College

New Rochelle, NY • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,089

9. Linfield College

McMinnville, OR • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,117

10. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

Average technical support officer salary by education level

According to our data, technical support officers with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $98,260 annually. Technical support officers with a Doctorate degree earn an average annual salary of $91,460.
Technical support officer education levelTechnical support officer salary
Master's Degree$98,260
High School Diploma or Less$66,748
Bachelor's Degree$79,141
Doctorate Degree$91,460
Some College/ Associate Degree$69,015

Technical support officer 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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