Jetted FoxCareers · Tech support, networks & cyber
Computer user support specialists
Fix computer, phone, software and account problems for people in person, by phone or by chat. No college degree needed.
Start after 2–6 months of a short course
Starting pay ranges from about $19/hr in Arkansas to $31.93/hr in Washington, DC.
Pay in every state
| State | Start | 2 years |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $16.98–20.32/hr | $23.86/hr |
| Alaska | $21.64–25.20/hr | $30.34/hr |
| Arizona | $21.03–23.51/hr | $29.53/hr |
| Arkansas | $16.80–19/hr | $22.29/hr |
| California | $25.13–30.19/hr | $38.25/hr |
| Colorado | $23.36–28.22/hr | $34.57/hr |
| Connecticut | $22.20–27.27/hr | $33.76/hr |
| Delaware | $19.69–24.27/hr | $29.89/hr |
| Florida | $18.63–22.59/hr | $28.24/hr |
| Georgia | $18.15–23.16/hr | $29.06/hr |
| Hawaii | $18.56–23.35/hr | $27.29/hr |
| Idaho | $19.90–23/hr | $28.45/hr |
| Illinois | $19.44–22.69/hr | $28.78/hr |
| Indiana | $18.85–22.28/hr | $27.17/hr |
| Iowa | $18.14–22.99/hr | $28.27/hr |
| Kansas | $18.49–22.82/hr | $27/hr |
| Kentucky | $17.79–21.63/hr | $27.81/hr |
| Louisiana | $17.55–21.66/hr | $25.21/hr |
| Maine | $22.77–25.31/hr | $29.28/hr |
| Maryland | $18.64–24.65/hr | $31.13/hr |
| Massachusetts | $23.43–29.11/hr | $36.09/hr |
| Michigan | $18.34–22.22/hr | $27.04/hr |
| Minnesota | $23–26.18/hr | $30.59/hr |
| Mississippi | $16.93–21.07/hr | $25.11/hr |
| Missouri | $19.19–22.78/hr | $28.74/hr |
| Montana | $19.97–23.58/hr | $28.11/hr |
| Nebraska | $19.67–23.57/hr | $29.25/hr |
| Nevada | $19.31–22.74/hr | $27.82/hr |
| New Hampshire | $20–23.15/hr | $29.16/hr |
| New Jersey | $20.11–25/hr | $31/hr |
| New Mexico | $18.22–21.93/hr | $25.62/hr |
| New York | $22.41–27.17/hr | $34.89/hr |
| North Carolina | $18.40–22.85/hr | $28.90/hr |
| North Dakota | $21.79–23.93/hr | $29.48/hr |
| Ohio | $18.62–23.03/hr | $28.71/hr |
| Oklahoma | $17.03–21.35/hr | $25.02/hr |
| Oregon | $23.04–25.72/hr | $30.21/hr |
| Pennsylvania | $18.41–22.69/hr | $28.21/hr |
| Rhode Island | $22.76–24.76/hr | $30.05/hr |
| South Carolina | $17.06–21.23/hr | $25.04/hr |
| South Dakota | $18.14–19.59/hr | $23.20/hr |
| Tennessee | $18.51–22.60/hr | $26.92/hr |
| Texas | $18.60–22.73/hr | $28.60/hr |
| Utah | $20.68–22.78/hr | $29.38/hr |
| Vermont | $23.57–26.40/hr | $30.30/hr |
| Virginia | $21.63–24.74/hr | $31.27/hr |
| Washington | $23.42–28.93/hr | $36.17/hr |
| Washington, DC | $28.84–31.93/hr | $38.92/hr |
| West Virginia | $18.36–22.43/hr | $26.61/hr |
| Wisconsin | $20.80–23.56/hr | $28.27/hr |
| Wyoming | $19.06–24.49/hr | $31.30/hr |
Estimates, May 2025. Start = what the lowest-paid 10–25% earn; 2 years = the median. US Bureau of Labor Statistics
What it takes
Before you're hired
Once you're hired
Other way in: Hired at a help desk without a certificate.
A normal day
You work a help desk at a company, school, hospital or call center, answering tickets, calls and chats. You reset passwords, fix printers and email, set up laptops and walk people through problems step by step. Hard issues go up to senior staff, and you log every fix.
The good parts
The most common no-degree way into IT. Certifications like CompTIA A+ help you get hired. Leads to network, systems and security jobs.
The hard parts
Repetitive tickets like password resets fill much of the day. Users are often frustrated or rude. Some jobs cover nights and weekends.
Where it leads
tier 2 support, systems administrator, network or security analyst within 5-10 years.
Quick answers
Do computer user support specialists need a college degree?
No. Start after 2–6 months of a short course.
How long is the training for computer user support specialists?
2–6 months studying for a certificate, then a few months of paid training at work.
How much do computer user support specialists make?
About $19.70–23.56 an hour to start and $29.74 an hour at the median across the US (May 2025).
Is it a fit for you?
Answer a few questions and see your paths. Free, about 7 minutes.
Last updated October 13, 2026. Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Jobs: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Training, costs and requirements: Jetted Fox research (estimates). This site includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Jetted Fox has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Facts, not advice.