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Job outlook for technical support officers in the United States
Technical support officer job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected technical support officer job growth rate is 10% from 2018-2028.
About 83,100 new jobs for technical support officers are projected over the next decade.
Technical support officer salaries have increased 9% for technical support officers in the last 5 years.
There are over 162,728 technical support officers currently employed in the United States.
There are 203,578 active technical support officer job openings in the US.
The average technical support officer salary is $73,941.
Are technical support officer jobs in demand?
Technical support officer job and salary trends over time
Technical support officer jobs over time
Technical support officer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 162,728 | 0.05% |
| 2020 | 170,731 | 0.05% |
| 2019 | 160,334 | 0.05% |
| 2018 | 108,490 | 0.03% |
| 2017 | 105,672 | 0.03% |
Average technical support officer salary over time
Technical support officer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $73,941 | $35.55 | +3.4% |
| 2024 | $71,505 | $34.38 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $69,886 | $33.60 | +1.5% |
| 2022 | $68,830 | $33.09 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $67,706 | $32.55 | +1.6% |
Technical support officer jobs by state
Most common states for technical support officers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | 623,657 | 377 | 60% |
| 2 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 366 | 53% |
| 3 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 609 | 45% |
| 4 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 341 | 39% |
| 5 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 292 | 39% |
| 6 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 735 | 38% |
| 7 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,826 | 33% |
| 8 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,797 | 30% |
| 9 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 510 | 30% |
| 10 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,642 | 29% |
| 11 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 858 | 29% |
| 12 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 2,392 | 28% |
| 13 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 592 | 28% |
| 14 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 1,620 | 26% |
| 15 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 271 | 26% |
| 16 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 3,138 | 25% |
| 17 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 2,636 | 25% |
| 18 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,887 | 25% |
| 19 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,695 | 25% |
| 20 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 756 | 25% |
Most common cities for technical support officers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Garden Grove | 1 | 1% | $85,049 |
| 2 | Orlando | 1 | 0% | $65,688 |
Technical Support Officer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of technical support officer experts
Palm Beach State College
Arizona State University
SUNY Oswego
Drake University
Grand Valley State University
Tiffin University
California State University - Long Beach
University of Washington
Bakersfield College
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
Dominican University
Kennesaw State University
New York Institute of Technology
Laura Kier
Network Design and Administration InstructorWhat will help Technical Support Officers increase their earning potential?
Laura Kier: Learn to present your skills well from the interview and into your career. Those communication skills count! Industry certifications like CCNA matter. They help you demonstrate a willingness to grow and learn beyond what was required for your degree. Be willing to take on new challenges with your new job and keep learning new skills. It is really important for graduates to understand that talented IT professionals can move up quickly in a company, but they often must start at the bottom to showcase their technical and soft skills. Because of that, they should not shy away from entry level jobs if there is potential for growth.
Dwight Elliot
Professor: Information Management, Cybersecurity & LawPalm Beach State College
Homeland Security
What will help Technical Support Officers increase their earning potential?
Dwight Elliot: Combination of Theoretical and Practical Knowledge: Ensure that you have a strong
combination of theoretical knowledge and practical hands-on skill sets. You must be able
to articulate your knowledge and experience well in an interview and demonstrate what
you are able to do. Be prepared to show examples of precious work that you have
produced or created.
b) Job Research: Always engage in continuous job search Online and in-person. Read
carefully the job description and determine how your background, knowledge and
experience fits best with the job you are reviewing. Customize your resume to that job if
you feel you have the appropriate matching skill sets. If you do not have all the skills sets
at the time, be willing to set mini-goals to gain those skills and update your resume when
you do add additional skills, then reapply to the appropriate jobs available.
c) Online Job Database: Gradually build your profile on various IT and Cybersecurity jobs
such as: www.dice.com, www.monster.com, and www.cyberseek.org and also at the
organizational and company website. Once you setup an Online profile it will make it
easier to reapply in the future for other jobs that are related to your background.
d) Keywords: Make sure you list certain keywords on your resume that matches the jobs, if
you have those skills, so when a HR representative reviews resumes you have the
appropriate terms on your resume that match the job and the algorithms can identify your
skill set. Only do this if you have the actual knowledge and skill can explain yourself in
an interview. Do not do this if you do not have the actual knowledge and skill, since
being asked a question in an interview that you are unqualified to answer is not a good
look for your career and could be detrimental.
e) Continuous Learning: Be willing to engage in continuous learning, studying beyond
your degree accomplishments, since learning never stops and technology continues to
change. Maybe also pursue certifications.
f) Professional Online Business Portfolio and Brand: Continue to build a strong Online
IT, Networking and Cybersecurity Portfolio, through websites such as Linked in for
example, and also your own secure website that shows demonstrations of the creative
work that you have done in the past for clients and other jobs.
g) IT , Networking and Cybersecurity Events, Seminars and Conferences: Be willing to
always continue to attend events, seminars and conferences (in person and virtual) and
actually meet industry professionals. Do a search these events Online at all times.
Robert Rucker
LecturerArizona State University
School of Computing, Informatics, and Decision Systems Engineering
What soft skills should all Technical Support Officers possess?
Robert Rucker: Being able to learn a new technology very quickly is critical since that is what my students encounter.
How do you envision technology impacting Technical Support Officers in the next 5 years?
Mario Bkassiny Ph.D.: There has been recently a great focus on certain engineering technologies that enable smart systems with fast communications abilities. This has led to a revolution in several technologies such as robotics, artificial intelligence, wireless communications and cloud computing. Innovation in these fields will be essential in the upcoming years in order to keep up with the social and economic needs of modern life. The benefits of these innovations will have a long-lasting effect on our society.
What general advice would you give to a Technical Support Officer?
Alanah Mitchell Ph.D.: I recommend students work on developing a portfolio of technology knowledge, skills, and tools. Early project and internship experiences can also be very helpful in finding the first career opportunity after graduation.
What technical skills for a Technical Support Officer stand out to employers?
Chirag Parikh Ph.D.: If you ask me, I consider valuable experience over good paycheck. Once you have gained that experience the paycheck will follow. As soon as you are out of college, the knowledge gained is very fresh and raring to go. If put into the right place can enhance your technical skills and you can do wonders.
As a Computer Engineering professor, I would say the job opportunities are tremendous for students out of college as they can venture into hardware field (technical support, hardware engineer, test engineer and much more) as well as software field (software engineer, software developer, software tester and much more). The possibilities are endless.
With COVID and employees working remotely there is still ample opportunity to enhance your technical and interpersonal skills as I believe remote working might stay for a while till things get back to normal.
What type of skills will young Technical Support Officers need?
George Miller: Many organizations realize graduates cannot learn everything in college about their major but want the graduate to have a solid foundation on their field of study. The organization wants to mold the graduate to their company environment with how they do things related to the field of study. Most companies want college graduates to have good communication skills (both oral and written), critical thinking skills and be able to work well in teams. These skills have been a staple for graduates since I can remember. This is why a college graduate takes many general education courses related to these skills and many of their major courses emphasize these skills.
Going back to the previous answer I believe graduates in all fields of study will need a better knowledge of technology and easier adaptability to changing technology. Again, an IS degree is already preparing students for this.
What experience really stands out on Technical Support Officer resumes?
George Miller: For graduates any experience stands out on a resume and it does not need to be related to their field of study. I tell students to do whatever to get experience. This can be with community volunteer work, at their college through clubs and organization and with professional employment.
There are many organization and government paid internship and co-op opportunities for students within all fields. There is no reason why every student cannot find some sort of internship/co-op during a summer break. Many times, an internship/co-op turns into full time employment. Often high schools and colleges are doing major technology upgrades within the summer months (because they are shut down during this period) and would welcome a student as an IS major as an intern. But volunteer work at the local church or favorite charity can also provide valuable experience. As I opened with this answer any experience stands out on a resume. The experience shows that a graduate has drive and determination.
What general advice would you give to a Technical Support Officer?
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.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Technical Support Officer 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 Technical Support Officer 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.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Technical Support Officers?
Les Atlas: Most certainly an impact, a very strong impact. The best lesson for us is from the 1919 Spanish Flu pandemic. That strain of flu still circulates as a seasonal virus. Over 100 years laters, it is now considered a Phase 6 pandemic by the World Health Organization. While it is reduced due to current social distancing and mask wearing, the 1919 Spanish Flu virus still causes community-level outbreaks in multiple parts of the globe. Societal changes from this event of over 100 years ago are still with us.
In fact, they changed society. As is well-documented, after a high level of immunity was reached in the 1920's, the resulting labor shortage enabled workers to demand better living and working conditions, as well as better wages and public health care. As just one example of the societal changes due to the 1919 pandemic, the drop in the male labor force empowered male workers, and also changed the gender composition.
The aftermath of the 1919 pandemic was the start of women joining the labour force. In the United States, the proportion of women in the labour force rose from 18 per cent in 1900 to almost 21 per cent in 1920. In that same year, with the ratification of the 19th Amendment of the Constitution, the Congress of the United States guaranteed all American women the right to vote.
The current COVID-19 pandemic will certainly change the way we live, be it our mobility or the kinds of career options people have. After our current year-long experience in remote learning and work, will we go back to the inefficiencies of going to our office every work day? Or will remote work be acceptable, where one's residence will not be dependent upon the locations of employment. Will we avoid future hotspots of infection, choosing to instead reside and travel in areas where infection is decreasing? Will we prefer to travel on aircraft which are certified to be virus-free and frequent restaurants which are documented to be safer? Future marketing will likely make a sharp turn in this direction.
What general advice would you give to a Technical Support Officer?
Maryam Farahani: Thinking about the fields they want to experience or try. And to be intentional about their job search. The best advice is learning as much as they can about what company offers. Visualizing themselves in the next 5 years as a starting point. Do they want to travel a lot, or be in management positions? Do they want to be subject matter expert, or a hands-on engineer or technologist? Their goal may change as they progress in their career but having one makes a big difference in their career choices and keeping them on track.
Dr. T.S. Kalkur
Department ChairUniversity of Colorado at Colorado Springs
Electrical and Computer Engineering Department
What experience really stands out on Technical Support Officer resumes?
Dr. T.S. Kalkur: Internship experience and tools used in design.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Technical Support Officer 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 Technical Support Officer 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 Technical Support Officer?
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.
How do you envision technology impacting Technical Support Officers in the next 5 years?
Adeel Khalid Ph.D.: Technology will continue to become more prevalent in the workspace. For students to be successful, they will need to keep up with the rapidly changing technology, and I do not see the rate of this change slowing down anytime soon. More and more systems are becoming interdisciplinary. This is where systems engineering plays a key role. Systems engineers can bridge the gap between other engineers by establishing and communicating the requirements at the system level. They also play a crucial role in the verification and validation of complex systems. With the advent of technology in the coming years, this role will become even more paramount.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Technical Support Officers?
Adeel Khalid Ph.D.: It would be unreasonable to believe that there will be no enduring impact of coronavirus. It has changed the way engineers work. Dependence on technology has increased multifold during the pandemic. When a cure is finally in place, this dependence on technology is unlikely to slow down. This translates to the ability to perform engineering tasks virtually. So graduates need to be well versed in technology to be able to stay engaged and productive. Graduates will also need to adapt to the changing environment where they can meet the needs of the customers that will be more and more dependent on technology and their ability to conduct business virtually.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Technical Support Officers 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.