How to Become an IT Support Specialist
Be the person who gets people unstuck: troubleshoot hardware, software, and access problems for users across an organization. It typically requires an associate degree, with a median salary of $61,860 per year and declining projected job growth.
Median pay
$61,860/yr
Middle half
$49,000 to $79,040
Job growth
Declining
Openings / yr
40,800
Majors that lead here
Key skills
- Troubleshooting
- Customer Service
- Operating Systems
- Active Listening
- Documentation
Helpful certifications
- CompTIA A+
- CompTIA Network+
- Google IT Support
Is this career a fit?
Remote-friendly
37/100
Work-life balance
65/100
Stress level
54/100
Related careers
- Computer and Information Research Scientist$140,300 median
- Database Architect$139,500 median
- Computer Network Architect$134,050 median
- Computer Systems Analyst$105,850 median
- Video Game Designer$104,000 median
- Computer Programmer$100,390 median
Frequently asked questions
How much does an IT Support Specialist make?
The median pay for an IT Support Specialist is $61,860 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $49,000 and $79,040 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). That covers everyone in the job, not only people starting out, so newer workers sit toward the lower end.
What degree do you need to become an IT Support Specialist?
The usual entry point is an associate degree. Common majors are Information Technology, Management Information Systems, and Computer Science.
Is IT Support Specialist a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is declining (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 40,800 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does an IT Support Specialist use most?
Common skills for this role are Troubleshooting, Customer Service, Operating Systems, Active Listening, and Documentation.
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Take the major quizWhere these pay figures come from
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.
Job-growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).