Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
Some college, no degree
None
Moderate-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Computer user support specialists focus on helping people with computer and technology-related needs. Nationally, there are about 730,000 jobs in this occupation, showing that it is a sizable field with many existing roles. The national median salary of $60,340 reflects solid earning potential, with some states and metro areas offering even higher typical pay. The role draws on a mix of technical ability, communication, problem solving, and attention to detail, supported by skills such as computers and information technology, speaking and listening, and critical and analytical thinking. While projected employment growth is -3.7%, there are still an estimated 41,000 annual openings, indicating ongoing turnover and hiring activity. Typical education is some college with no degree, which may make this career accessible to people who have completed relevant college coursework but have not earned a degree. Overall, this occupation can appeal to individuals who enjoy technology and working with others to resolve issues and provide support.
For computer user support specialists, the national median annual salary is $60,340, with notable variation across states and metro areas. Among the highlighted states, median pay ranges from $71,900 in Colorado to $79,570 in California, indicating that some regions offer substantially higher typical earnings than the national median. Massachusetts, New York, and Washington also show median salaries above $70,000. At the metro level, salary levels can be even higher. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA has a median salary of $93,590, and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA reports $89,440, both well above the national median. The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro has a median salary of $75,690, while Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH are in the upper $70,000 range. These patterns suggest that location choice can significantly influence earning potential in this career.
Computer user support specialists currently have national employment of about 730,000, reflecting a large existing workforce. Projected employment growth is -3.7%, indicating that overall employment in the occupation is expected to decline over the projection period. Despite this negative growth rate, there are still an estimated 41,000 annual openings. This combination suggests that many opportunities are likely to arise from factors such as workers leaving the occupation or changing jobs, even as total employment is projected to decrease. The same -3.7% growth figure appears across the top states and metro areas listed, implying a consistent projected pattern rather than major regional differences in growth within this dataset. For career planning, this means job seekers should pay attention both to the large base of existing positions and to ongoing replacement openings when evaluating long-term prospects in computer user support roles.
Location plays a significant role in opportunity for computer user support specialists. Among states, California stands out with a median salary of $79,570 and employment of 74,490, paired with the highest listed opportunity score of 67.38. Massachusetts and New York follow closely with median salaries of $75,070 and $72,560 and opportunity scores around 66, while Colorado and Washington also show median pay above $70,000 with opportunity scores in the mid‑50s. All listed states have the same projected growth rate of -3.7%, so their differences lie mainly in pay levels, employment size, and opportunity scores. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA leads with a median salary of $93,590 and the highest opportunity score of 77.42. The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro also has a high opportunity score of 77.27. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH offer strong salaries and opportunity scores, making them notable local markets.
The typical education level for computer user support specialists is some college with no degree. This means many people in the field have completed college coursework without necessarily earning a formal degree, which can make this path accessible to those who have started but not finished a program. Success in this occupation is supported by a blend of technical and interpersonal skills. Key skills include computers and information technology, problem solving and decision making, and critical and analytical thinking, which help specialists understand and address technology-related issues. Speaking and listening, writing and reading, and being detail oriented support clear communication and accurate work. Skills such as adaptability, creativity and innovation, mechanical aptitude, and fine motor abilities further round out the profile. Together, this mix suggests that both technical comfort with technology and strong communication and thinking skills are important for people considering this career.
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