Computer User Support Specialists
Computer User Support Specialists (SOC 15-1232) earn a median $61,860 a year ($29.74 an hour) in the United States, with 717,190 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is District of Columbia.
What computer user support specialists do
Computer user support specialists give technical help to people who use computers and software. They answer questions and resolve problems for customers or coworkers in person, by telephone, or electronically, and are often called help desk technicians or technical support specialists. Typical tasks include setting up equipment for employees and checking that it is installed correctly, answering inquiries about the operation of hardware and software, and running diagnostics to find the cause of a problem. Specialists consult technical manuals, talk with users, and keep an eye on how systems perform from day to day. Common topics include printing, installation, email, word processing, and operating systems. Titles include help desk technician, application support engineer, and call center support representative. The occupation differs from computer network support specialists, who handle network problems, and from network and computer systems administrators. They also install and perform minor repairs on hardware, software, and peripheral equipment and keep records of problems and the remedial actions taken.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a bachelor's degree as the typical level of education for this occupation.
Also called: Application Customer Service Representative (Application CSR), Application Support Engineer, Applications Analyst, Automatic Data Processing Customer Liaison (ADP Customer Liaison), Call Center Support Representative (Call Center Support Rep).
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $19.70 | $23.56 | $29.74 | $38.00 | $48.34 | $32.37 | 717,190 |
| Annual | $40,980 | $49,000 | $61,860 | $79,040 | $100,540 | $67,330 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where computer user support specialists earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $28.84 | $31.93 | $38.92 | $48.43 | $58.10 | $41.20 | 3,140 | 4.48 | 0.97 |
| Annual | $59,980 | $66,410 | $80,950 | $100,730 | $120,840 | $85,690 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $25.13 | $30.19 | $38.25 | $48.94 | $59.01 | $40.88 | 74,490 | 4.09 | 0.89 |
| Annual | $52,270 | $62,790 | $79,570 | $101,780 | $122,750 | $85,030 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $23.42 | $28.93 | $36.17 | $44.60 | $61.77 | $38.62 | 21,860 | 6.16 | 1.33 |
| Annual | $48,710 | $60,160 | $75,220 | $92,760 | $128,470 | $80,340 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $23.43 | $29.11 | $36.09 | $43.76 | $50.46 | $36.76 | 17,570 | 4.83 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $48,740 | $60,540 | $75,070 | $91,020 | $104,950 | $76,460 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $22.41 | $27.17 | $34.89 | $43.82 | $52.57 | $36.20 | 39,100 | 4.04 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $46,620 | $56,510 | $72,560 | $91,150 | $109,340 | $75,290 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $25.13 | $30.19 | $38.25 | $48.94 | $59.01 | $40.88 | 74,490 | 4.09 | 0.89 |
| Annual | $52,270 | $62,790 | $79,570 | $101,780 | $122,750 | $85,030 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $18.60 | $22.73 | $28.60 | $35.01 | $43.34 | $29.66 | 72,030 | 5.12 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $38,690 | $47,270 | $59,490 | $72,820 | $90,140 | $61,690 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $18.63 | $22.59 | $28.24 | $35.99 | $46.90 | $30.26 | 51,220 | 5.16 | 1.12 |
| Annual | $38,750 | $46,990 | $58,740 | $74,850 | $97,560 | $62,940 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $22.41 | $27.17 | $34.89 | $43.82 | $52.57 | $36.20 | 39,100 | 4.04 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $46,620 | $56,510 | $72,560 | $91,150 | $109,340 | $75,290 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $18.41 | $22.69 | $28.21 | $35.21 | $40.76 | $29.35 | 30,560 | 5.04 | 1.09 |
| Annual | $38,280 | $47,190 | $58,670 | $73,230 | $84,790 | $61,040 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | $31.98 | $39.43 | $50.98 | $59.01 | $64.73 | $49.57 | 13,820 | 12.79 | 2.77 |
| Annual | $66,510 | $82,020 | $106,040 | $122,750 | $134,630 | $103,110 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $28.52 | $36.00 | $45.00 | $55.43 | $65.23 | $46.03 | 5,790 | 5.10 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $59,310 | $74,890 | $93,590 | $115,300 | $135,690 | $95,730 | ||||
| Carson City, NV | Hourly | $27.75 | $34.32 | $44.98 | $52.51 | $63.08 | $44.44 | 560 | 17.60 | 3.81 |
| Annual | $57,710 | $71,390 | $93,560 | $109,220 | $131,210 | $92,430 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $28.32 | $34.54 | $43.00 | $51.39 | $62.71 | $44.12 | 10,770 | 4.54 | 0.98 |
| Annual | $58,910 | $71,840 | $89,440 | $106,900 | $130,440 | $91,780 | ||||
| Vallejo, CA | Hourly | $25.37 | $30.33 | $39.08 | $50.99 | $59.01 | $41.54 | 330 | 2.30 | 0.50 |
| Annual | $52,770 | $63,090 | $81,280 | $106,060 | $122,750 | $86,390 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $22.88 | $28.80 | $36.39 | $45.80 | $56.29 | $37.89 | 36,580 | 3.85 | 0.84 |
| Annual | $47,600 | $59,900 | $75,690 | $95,270 | $117,080 | $78,800 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $19.23 | $23.48 | $29.19 | $35.86 | $44.45 | $30.30 | 22,600 | 5.58 | 1.21 |
| Annual | $39,990 | $48,830 | $60,710 | $74,590 | $92,460 | $63,030 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $23.83 | $29.58 | $36.09 | $45.73 | $52.96 | $37.41 | 20,660 | 3.29 | 0.71 |
| Annual | $49,560 | $61,520 | $75,070 | $95,120 | $110,150 | $77,820 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $20.29 | $23.05 | $29.20 | $37.52 | $47.40 | $31.56 | 19,680 | 4.36 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $42,200 | $47,950 | $60,730 | $78,040 | $98,590 | $65,640 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $24.23 | $29.55 | $37.43 | $46.67 | $57.78 | $38.84 | 18,510 | 5.90 | 1.28 |
| Annual | $50,390 | $61,470 | $77,860 | $97,070 | $120,190 | $80,790 | ||||
Top industries employing computer user support specialists
Computer Systems Design and Related Services employ 22.0% of computer user support specialists nationally (157,660 jobs) at a median $60,440 a year ($29.06 an hour), followed by Elementary and Secondary Schools (5.9%) and Management of Companies and Enterprises (5.5%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services NAICS 541500 | 157,660 | 22.0% | $60,440 | $29.06 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools NAICS 611100 | 42,660 | 5.9% | $57,260 | $27.53 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises NAICS 551100 | 39,110 | 5.5% | $63,890 | $30.72 |
| Software Publishers NAICS 513200 | 29,860 | 4.2% | $65,530 | $31.51 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 27,830 | 3.9% | $61,310 | $29.48 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (717,190). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $49,770 for computer user support specialists in May 2021 and $61,860 in May 2025, with employment of 654,310 and 717,190.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $49,770 | $23.93 | 654,310 |
| May 2022 | $57,890 | $27.83 | 696,830 |
| May 2023 | $59,240 | $28.48 | 689,700 |
| May 2024 | $60,340 | $29.01 | 697,210 |
| May 2025 | $61,860 | $29.74 | 717,190 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia profile | $38.92 | $80,950 | $59,980 | $120,840 | 3,140 | 4.48 | 0.97 |
| 2 | California profile | $38.25 | $79,570 | $52,270 | $122,750 | 74,490 | 4.09 | 0.89 |
| 3 | Washington profile | $36.17 | $75,220 | $48,710 | $128,470 | 21,860 | 6.16 | 1.33 |
| 4 | Massachusetts profile | $36.09 | $75,070 | $48,740 | $104,950 | 17,570 | 4.83 | 1.05 |
| 5 | New York profile | $34.89 | $72,560 | $46,620 | $109,340 | 39,100 | 4.04 | 0.88 |
| 6 | Colorado profile | $34.57 | $71,900 | $48,590 | $116,850 | 16,740 | 5.83 | 1.26 |
| 7 | Connecticut profile | $33.76 | $70,210 | $46,180 | $101,540 | 9,300 | 5.48 | 1.19 |
| 8 | Wyoming profile | $31.30 | $65,100 | $39,640 | $89,440 | 790 | 2.80 | 0.61 |
| 9 | Virginia profile | $31.27 | $65,040 | $44,990 | $101,560 | 20,910 | 5.09 | 1.10 |
| 10 | Maryland profile | $31.13 | $64,750 | $38,760 | $106,150 | 12,200 | 4.41 | 0.96 |
| 11 | New Jersey profile | $31.00 | $64,470 | $41,830 | $105,380 | 18,200 | 4.25 | 0.92 |
| 12 | Minnesota profile | $30.59 | $63,630 | $47,840 | $95,220 | 15,320 | 5.19 | 1.13 |
| 13 | Alaska profile | $30.34 | $63,110 | $45,010 | $85,330 | 950 | 2.90 | 0.63 |
| 14 | Vermont profile | $30.30 | $63,030 | $49,020 | $95,680 | 1,630 | 5.36 | 1.16 |
| 15 | Oregon profile | $30.21 | $62,840 | $47,930 | $94,310 | 8,850 | 4.50 | 0.98 |
| 16 | Rhode Island profile | $30.05 | $62,510 | $47,340 | $94,040 | 1,780 | 3.55 | 0.77 |
| 17 | Delaware profile | $29.89 | $62,160 | $40,940 | $96,330 | 1,890 | 3.90 | 0.85 |
| 18 | Arizona profile | $29.53 | $61,410 | $43,750 | $94,640 | 18,780 | 5.80 | 1.26 |
| 19 | North Dakota profile | $29.48 | $61,310 | $45,310 | $92,430 | 1,400 | 3.26 | 0.71 |
| 20 | Utah profile | $29.38 | $61,110 | $43,010 | $95,420 | 11,120 | 6.41 | 1.39 |
| 21 | Maine profile | $29.28 | $60,890 | $47,360 | $80,240 | 2,810 | 4.39 | 0.95 |
| 22 | Nebraska profile | $29.25 | $60,830 | $40,910 | $78,150 | 6,380 | 6.23 | 1.35 |
| 23 | New Hampshire profile | $29.16 | $60,660 | $41,600 | $94,790 | 3,910 | 5.72 | 1.24 |
| 24 | Georgia profile | $29.06 | $60,440 | $37,750 | $98,750 | 25,980 | 5.31 | 1.15 |
| 25 | North Carolina profile | $28.90 | $60,120 | $38,270 | $97,210 | 23,100 | 4.67 | 1.01 |
| 26 | Illinois profile | $28.78 | $59,860 | $40,440 | $96,040 | 26,060 | 4.27 | 0.93 |
| 27 | Missouri profile | $28.74 | $59,770 | $39,920 | $93,090 | 13,510 | 4.60 | 1.00 |
| 28 | Ohio profile | $28.71 | $59,720 | $38,730 | $89,700 | 22,370 | 4.03 | 0.87 |
| 29 | Texas profile | $28.60 | $59,490 | $38,690 | $90,140 | 72,030 | 5.12 | 1.11 |
| 30 | Idaho profile | $28.45 | $59,170 | $41,380 | $88,020 | 3,650 | 4.26 | 0.92 |
| 31 | Iowa profile | $28.27 | $58,810 | $37,740 | $85,680 | 6,140 | 3.94 | 0.85 |
| 32 | Wisconsin profile | $28.27 | $58,810 | $43,260 | $82,100 | 12,400 | 4.22 | 0.91 |
| 33 | Florida profile | $28.24 | $58,740 | $38,750 | $97,560 | 51,220 | 5.16 | 1.12 |
| 34 | Pennsylvania profile | $28.21 | $58,670 | $38,280 | $84,790 | 30,560 | 5.04 | 1.09 |
| 35 | Montana profile | $28.11 | $58,460 | $41,530 | $79,000 | 1,640 | 3.20 | 0.69 |
| 36 | Nevada profile | $27.82 | $57,870 | $40,150 | $91,150 | 6,560 | 4.23 | 0.92 |
| 37 | Kentucky profile | $27.81 | $57,850 | $37,000 | $89,970 | 9,460 | 4.73 | 1.03 |
| 38 | Hawaii profile | $27.29 | $56,760 | $38,610 | $86,990 | 2,440 | 3.89 | 0.84 |
| 39 | Indiana profile | $27.17 | $56,510 | $39,220 | $83,900 | 13,540 | 4.23 | 0.92 |
| 40 | Michigan profile | $27.04 | $56,240 | $38,150 | $84,940 | 22,090 | 5.02 | 1.09 |
| 41 | Kansas profile | $27.00 | $56,150 | $38,460 | $76,590 | 6,780 | 4.72 | 1.02 |
| 42 | Tennessee profile | $26.92 | $55,990 | $38,500 | $80,780 | 11,920 | 3.63 | 0.79 |
| 43 | West Virginia profile | $26.61 | $55,350 | $38,180 | $87,430 | 2,250 | 3.20 | 0.69 |
| 44 | New Mexico profile | $25.62 | $53,280 | $37,900 | $77,420 | 3,290 | 3.78 | 0.82 |
| 45 | Louisiana profile | $25.21 | $52,440 | $36,510 | $90,610 | 4,780 | 2.47 | 0.54 |
| 46 | Mississippi profile | $25.11 | $52,230 | $35,220 | $82,490 | 3,830 | 3.29 | 0.71 |
| 47 | South Carolina profile | $25.04 | $52,080 | $35,490 | $85,760 | 9,880 | 4.29 | 0.93 |
| 48 | Oklahoma profile | $25.02 | $52,040 | $35,410 | $83,530 | 9,600 | 5.62 | 1.22 |
| 49 | Alabama profile | $23.86 | $49,630 | $35,320 | $75,790 | 7,360 | 3.48 | 0.75 |
| 50 | South Dakota profile | $23.20 | $48,260 | $37,720 | $64,550 | 1,240 | 2.72 | 0.59 |
| 51 | Arkansas profile | $22.29 | $46,360 | $34,950 | $74,680 | 4,390 | 3.37 | 0.73 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (15-1230), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Computer and Mathematical Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 15-1232 Computer User Support Specialists.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 15-1232, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 15-1232.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.