Technology & IT · Help desk and desktop support
BLS projects employment of computer user support specialists to fall 3% between 2025 and 2035, yet it still expects about 39,700 openings a year as people move up into other IT jobs or leave the field. Careerscape's IT recruiters work remotely across the U.S. and specialize in support and infrastructure roles, so candidates are screened against the tools your users actually rely on.
Job description
O*NET's sample titles for this occupation include help desk analyst, desktop support technician, IT specialist and technical support specialist. Use the title your candidates search for, then match the duties to the level of support you need.
[Company] is hiring an IT support specialist to keep [number] employees productive: answering tickets by phone, chat and in person, setting up devices and accounts, and escalating what cannot be fixed on first contact.
Certifications
Certifications matter most at entry level, where work history is thin. BLS notes that some employers require certification in the specific products they use, so match the credential to your environment rather than asking for all of them.
| Credential | Issuer | Best fit | Stays valid | How it renews |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CompTIA A+ | CompTIA | Entry-level help desk and desktop support. Two exams: Core 1 (220-1201) and Core 2 (220-1202) | 3 years from passing | 20 continuing education units, the CertMaster CE course, or a qualifying higher certification |
| CompTIA Network+ | CompTIA | Support staff who also troubleshoot connectivity | 3 years | Continuing education units under CompTIA's CE program, or earning a higher CompTIA certification |
| CompTIA Security+ | CompTIA | Support roles with security duties, or a step toward security work | 3 years | 50 continuing education units, the CertMaster CE course, or a higher certification |
| Microsoft associate certifications (role-based) | Microsoft | Shops built on Microsoft 365 and Windows device management | 1 year | Free online assessment on Microsoft Learn, open from six months before expiry |
| Cisco CCNA | Cisco | Support staff moving into network work | 3 years | 30 continuing education credits, a retake, or a higher Cisco certification. Exam 200-301 v1.1 ends Feb 2, 2027; v2.0 starts Feb 3, 2027 |
For most help desk roles, A+ or equivalent experience plus the vendor credential for your main platform is enough. Check that a listed certification is still current: Microsoft associate certifications lapse after one year without the renewal assessment. Source: CompTIA certification renewal policy and A+ FAQ; Microsoft Learn renewal FAQ; Cisco recertification page and Cisco Learning blog (checked Oct 22, 2026).
Demand
BLS projects user support employment to decline 3% from 2025 to 2035, a drop of about 26,200 jobs. Openings stay high because many specialists move into systems, network or security work, or leave the labor force. Expect turnover and plan for it: a support hire who grows can become your next systems administrator.
National figures for Computer User Support Specialists, as published on O*NET OnLine.
Talent by metro
New York City has the largest support pool of the metros we track (36,580 jobs), followed by Dallas (22,600), Los Angeles (20,660) and Chicago (19,680). For concentration, Austin (1.62), Seattle (1.56) and Raleigh-Durham (1.55) lead, which means support jobs make up a bigger share of local employment there than they do nationally.
| Market | Jobs | Median pay · vs. U.S. | Concentration |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York City | 36,580 | $75,690+22% | 0.84 |
| Dallas | 22,600 | $60,710−2% | 1.21 |
| Los Angeles | 20,660 | $75,070+21% | 0.71 |
| Chicago | 19,680 | $60,730−2% | 0.95 |
| Washington, DC | 18,510 | $77,860+26% | 1.28 |
| Atlanta | 15,980 | $62,110±0% | 1.20 |
| Seattle | 15,030 | $78,330+27% | 1.56 |
| Phoenix | 14,310 | $62,310+1% | 1.31 |
| Boston | 13,580 | $77,850+26% | 1.09 |
| Miami | 13,270 | $60,500−2% | 1.02 |
| Philadelphia | 12,850 | $62,210+1% | 0.96 |
| Houston | 12,840 | $59,250−4% | 0.85 |
| Minneapolis | 11,190 | $64,890+5% | 1.24 |
| San Francisco | 10,770 | $89,440+45% | 0.98 |
| Denver | 9,960 | $75,480+22% | 1.34 |
| Austin | 9,680 | $61,990±0% | 1.62 |
| Detroit | 9,240 | $59,040−5% | 1.05 |
| Tampa | 7,410 | $61,050−1% | 1.11 |
| Portland | 5,630 | $65,880+6% | 1.01 |
| Raleigh-Durham | 5,320 | $62,460+1% | 1.55 |
| Pittsburgh | 5,270 | $59,010−5% | 1.03 |
| San Diego | 5,260 | $74,020+20% | 0.74 |
| Charlotte | 5,250 | $60,220−3% | 0.84 |
| Baltimore | 5,080 | $62,950+2% | 0.81 |
| Nashville | 4,310 | $58,960−5% | 0.85 |
| Hartford | 3,450 | $63,930+3% | 1.25 |
| Buffalo | 2,430 | $60,660−2% | 0.98 |
| Providence | 2,290 | $62,410+1% | 0.70 |
| Albany | 1,690 | $61,190−1% | 0.81 |
Local pay spreads wider than the national band suggests. San Francisco's median is $89,440, while Nashville, Pittsburgh, Detroit and Houston sit near $59,000. Eighteen of the 29 metros are above the U.S. median of $61,860. Los Angeles (0.71) and San Diego (0.74) have thin pools relative to their size, so on-site roles there draw on a smaller local pool than the metro's size suggests. Figures are BLS OEWS metro estimates for May 2025; see the technology industry overview for city-level IT hiring. Computer User Support Specialists, by metro area, sorted by jobs. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; U.S. median $61,860. Concentration is the BLS location quotient: above 1.0 means the job is a bigger share of local employment than nationally.
National pay
Nationally, the middle half of computer user support specialists earned between $49,000 and $79,040 in May 2025. The median was $61,860.
Middle half of all workers (25th to 75th percentile)
Phone and ticket-queue roles usually price near the lower bands. Desktop support with on-site device work and admin rights tends to sit around the middle. Senior specialists who script, manage endpoints or support executives reach the upper bands. City and level ranges are in the IT support specialist Salary Guide. Annual pay, all U.S. employers, BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), occupation: Computer User Support Specialists. Pay by level and city: IT Support Specialist salary guide.
Screening
For many employees, the help desk is the only part of IT they ever talk to. These checks catch what a resume hides.
Give a vague complaint such as "my email is broken" and listen for questions before answers. Strong candidates narrow the problem quickly and explain each step in plain words.
Ask for a short write-up of an issue they solved. The next technician should be able to follow it without calling them.
Ask how they would give a new hire access to a shared mailbox and folder, and how they would remove it when that person leaves. Granting more access than needed is a security problem, not a small slip.
Before resetting a password or approving a new device, a good specialist confirms who is asking. Ask for their exact steps. Password resets are an obvious route for impersonation.
Microsoft ended Windows 10 support on October 14, 2025. Commercial Extended Security Updates are sold one year at a time for up to three years, at $61 per device for year one and doubling each year after. If devices still need replacing, a temporary or contract team can run the migration while your core help desk keeps tickets moving.
BLS says user support specialists typically need some college courses, and some qualify with a high school diploma plus IT certifications. Asking for a degree, three certifications and five years for a first-tier role shrinks the pool without making the hire better.
Request talent
Tell us how many users you support, which tools you run, the schedule, and whether the work is on-site.
Looking for a job instead? Submit your resume or browse open jobs.
FAQ
An IT support specialist helps employees or customers when technology fails. BLS describes the work as diagnosing and documenting computer problems, guiding users through solutions, setting up or repairing equipment, installing hardware and software and training people to use it, and reporting major or recurring issues to the wider IT team. The work happens in person, by phone, by chat and by email.
Help desk staff usually handle the first contact remotely: tickets, calls, chats and password resets. Desktop support is more hands-on, with device setup, repairs and on-site visits. Many employers combine both in one IT support specialist role, and O*NET lists help desk analyst and desktop support technician as titles within the same occupation. State in the posting which mix you need.
It depends on how long the need lasts. Temporary staffing fits short coverage, such as a leave or a device rollout. Contract or contract-to-hire works when you want a few months of work and a chance to evaluate someone before an offer. Choose direct hire when the role is permanent and you want someone who learns your systems for the long term.
CompTIA A+ is the common vendor-neutral starting point. It takes two exams, 220-1201 and 220-1202, and stays valid for three years, renewable with 20 continuing education units. If your environment runs on Microsoft 365, a Microsoft associate certification is useful, but it expires after one year unless the holder passes a free renewal assessment. Hands-on testing still matters more than any certificate.
Yes, for many people. BLS expects the occupation to shrink slightly over the next decade, but it still projects tens of thousands of openings a year as specialists move into systems, network and security roles. Job seekers never pay Careerscape, and a search stays confidential while you are employed. See open roles on our job board or send us your resume.
Whether you need one specialist for a device rollout or a permanent desktop support hire, our IT recruiters will send pre-screened candidates to your private Employer Portal.
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