Do you need a degree for tech support?

No, you do not need a degree for tech support. In fact, over 49% of the IT job postings do not list a college degree as a requirement for applicants. Moreover, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 26% of IT workers in the United States do not hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

How long does IT take to become a technical support specialist?

It takes about two years to become an IT technical support specialist. At a minimum, an associate degree or certification coupled with on-the-job training and certification can be sufficient to get hired.

How much do technical specialists make?

Technical specialists make $82,524 per year ($39.67 per hour), on average. Technical specialists in the lower 10%, such as entry-level positions, only make about $61,000 a year, while the top 10% average $110,000 per year.

What is a technical support specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Ranganathan Chandrasekaran,

Oriehi Destiny Anyaiwe

A technical support specialist assists customers and users who encounter technical problems with electronic devices or software. They troubleshoot, diagnose, and resolve hardware or software issues. They may provide support through phone, email, chat, or in-person. Technical support specialists require knowledge about computer systems, networks, software applications, and related technologies. They must possess excellent communication skills, patience and the ability to explain technical information simply. Their primary goal aims to ensure customer satisfaction.

What general advice would you give to a technical support specialist?

Ranganathan Chandrasekaran

Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, University of Illinois

As we roll into another month of the COVID-19 pandemic, graduating students are facing one of the worst moments of their lives. They face several uncertainties; due to financial challenges, uncertainty about completing their degrees on time, adjusting to online and hybrid modes of learning, and worst of all, facing the worst job market. As a result, I see the stress and anxiety levels among the graduating students to be significantly higher, at levels I have not experienced in my academic career.

Several businesses have been hit hard by the pandemic, and they have rolled back their offers made to students for internships and jobs. Businesses have also resorted to downsizing and layoffs, and we are likely to see that continue, at least in the near term. However, two sectors that are showing promises of a quick turnaround are technology and healthcare.

It might take many months for the economy to get back on track, but the demand for information systems graduates is likely to grow, as a large number of businesses have turned to increased use of technology in this pandemic period. As more companies go digital, we need more professionals to manage the remote-work, technological infrastructure and meet the other demands of the business. Students pursuing education in information systems, computer science, and healthcare are going to be in greater demand.

On the positive side, the uncertainties induced by the pandemic have also helped students to prepare themselves better for a tougher job market. I found many students rise up and use the lockdown period to have a serious introspection and invest their time and effort in upgrading their knowledge and skills. The internship drought and rescinding of job/internship offers brought their dreams crashing down, but I found several students to quickly get over their disappointments, and engage in improving their skillsets utilizing the pandemic lockdown as an opportunity. I am aware of many students, especially in the information systems disciple, who spent time doing online courses, completing certification programs, and take up DIY projects on data analysis, developing analytical and forecasting models, and visualization of various aspects of the pandemic. The pandemic has resulted in massive amounts of data, released by several organizations worldwide, that have provided a stimulant for students to indulge in DIY-projects. I had several students approach me over summer to do some projects, and we have done some interesting projects using public datasets related to COVID-19.

ScoreTechnical Support SpecialistUS Average

Salary

3.8

Avg. Salary $48,667

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.7

Growth rate 10%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.4

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.41%

Asian 11.33%

Black or African American 11.73%

Hispanic or Latino 16.16%

Unknown 5.37%

White 55.00%

Gender

female 24.58%

male 75.42%

Age - 41

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 41

Stress level

6.7

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

6.5

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

7.4

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a technical support specialist?

Pros

Chance to continuously learn and improve technical skills
High demand for technical support specialists, leading to job security and good salary
Opportunity to work with a diverse range of people and businesses
Chance to help others solve problems and make their lives easier
Possibility for career advancement within the technical support field

Cons

High-stress environment and need to multitask
Repetitive nature of some technical support tasks
Can be difficult to resolve complex technical problems
Possibility for burnout due to high volume of work and customer complaints
Can be difficult to communicate technical solutions to non-technical individuals

Key steps to become a technical support specialist

Explore technical support specialist education requirements

Most common technical support specialist degrees

Bachelor's

50.4 %

Associate

31.5 %

High School Diploma

6.8 %

Start to develop specific technical support specialist skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	11.68%
Technical Support	10.44%
Troubleshoot	7.75%
Math	4.23%
Customer Satisfaction	3.30%

Complete relevant technical support specialist training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New technical support specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a technical support specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real technical support specialist resumes.

Gain additional technical support specialist certifications

Technical support specialist certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific technical support specialist certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for technical support specialists include Security 5 Certification and Certified Network Computer Technician (CNCT).

More About Certifications

Research technical support specialist duties and responsibilities

Implement hardware and software upgrades and maintain stability, usability, and security for desktop/laptop/mobile systems; achieve SLA's.
Manage all operating end-user software including JavaScript - updating/installing Java.
Install, configure and manage proprietary applications on Unix servers.
Manage large-scale PC deployments including site surveys involving verification of network activity and appropriate power availability.

Prepare your technical support specialist resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your technical support specialist resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a technical support specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable technical support specialist resume templates

Build a professional technical support specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your technical support specialist resume.

Apply for technical support specialist jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a technical support specialist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

Average technical support specialist salary

The average technical support specialist salary in the United States is $48,667 per year or $23 per hour. Technical support specialist salaries range between $30,000 and $76,000 per year.

Average technical support specialist salary

$48,667 Yearly

$23.40 hourly

How do technical support specialists rate their job?

4.6/5

Out of 5 Technical Support Specialist reviews, 100% were positive.

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Based on 5 ratings

Career growth

4.0

Overall rating

4.6

Work/life balance

3.0

Pay / salary

3.0

Technical support specialist reviews

4.0

A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2023

Pros

You get to help a lot of people in many different ways as well as learning new things about technology

Cons

I have aids now due to the painfulness of sitting down all day

A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2022

Cons

There was nothing to like. Everyone was polite an hard workers

Pros

Working with The people

5.0

A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2020

Pros

I decided to go to technical support because I've been fascinated by technology all my life and I love working with the people as well. I want to use my technical know-how to solve directly the problems that customers have. I want to be the person who makes life easier and more enjoyable for people who have had a problem. This is what I like most as a technical Support.

Cons

I don't like sitting around being inactive. So I'll keep my self always busy

What is a technical support specialist and how to become one

What general advice would you give to a technical support specialist?

What are the pros and cons of being a technical support specialist?

Technical support specialist career paths

Key steps to become a technical support specialist

Explore technical support specialist education requirements

Most common technical support specialist degrees

Start to develop specific technical support specialist skills

Complete relevant technical support specialist training and internships

Gain additional technical support specialist certifications

Research technical support specialist duties and responsibilities

Prepare your technical support specialist resume

Choose from 10+ customizable technical support specialist resume templates

Apply for technical support specialist jobs

How did you land your first technical support specialist job

Average technical support specialist salary

How do technical support specialists rate their job?

Technical support specialist reviews

Technical support specialist FAQs

Do you need a degree for tech support?

How long does IT take to become a technical support specialist?

How much do technical specialists make?

Search for technical support specialist jobs

Technical support specialist jobs by state