IT Support Specialist Salary.
Across 81 U.S. cities.
$60,000
national median salary
$48,000 to $77,000. Last updated August 2026.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $61,860 for Computer User Support Specialists (SOC 15-1232) across the United States, based on 717,190 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$40,980
25th percentile
$49,000
Median
$61,860
75th percentile
$79,040
90th percentile
$100,540
Workers surveyed
717,190
What BLS published in each release
May 2024 release
$60,340
May 2025 release
$61,860
These are two separate published estimates, not a time series. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not encourage the use of OEWS data for time-series analysis. Differences between releases reflect changes in occupational classification, survey methodology, and the three-year pooled sample as well as any change in pay, so the two figures should not be read as a rate of wage growth.
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Computer User Support Specialists (SOC 15-1232) rather than IT Support Specialistspecifically. The national range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 15-1232Highest Paying
$83,000
San Francisco, CA
Best Purchasing Power
$63,000
Newark, NJ
Lowest Paying
$46,000
Charleston, WV
The salary figures on this page are computed estimates, not observed wages. Each one is a national role baseline scaled by a Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parity cost-of-living multiplier (2025 index) and rounded to the nearest $1,000. No published wage percentile is consulted and no wage survey response enters the calculation, so an Orbyt estimate must not be cited as a Bureau of Labor Statistics figure or as measured pay. The published wage data Orbyt holds is Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, and Department of Labor H-1B Labor Condition Application filings, which record a filed minimum visa base wage rather than market pay. Where BLS publishes a wage for the occupation a role maps to, it is shown on that role's page as a separate benchmark, labelled with its occupation code, metro area and the number of employed workers it covers. Last updated August 2026. This role maps to BLS occupation code 15-1232. Full methodology.
Orbyt estimates the average IT Support Specialist salary in the United States at $60,000 in 2026, within a range of $48,000 to $77,000. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page. San Francisco is the highest of the 81 cities at $83,000, while Newark offers the best purchasing power after cost-of-living adjustments. Location and industry create the largest pay gaps for support roles.
IT Support Specialist salary by city.
Skills that increase IT Support Specialist pay.
The skills below command measurable salary premiums for IT Support Specialists based on job posting data. Learning the top skill here could add $8,400 to your annual compensation.
≈ +$8,400 per year
≈ +$7,800 per year
≈ +$7,200 per year
≈ +$6,600 per year
≈ +$6,600 per year
≈ +$6,000 per year
≈ +$6,000 per year
≈ +$5,400 per year
What you should know.
Location and industry create the largest pay gaps for support roles. Specialists supporting financial trading floors or hospital systems earn 20 to 30% more than general office support. CompTIA A+ and Microsoft 365 certifications provide baseline credential bumps, while networking skills in Cisco or cloud admin push toward the high end.
Help desk tier 1 agents start at $35,000 to $42,000, progressing to IT support specialist at $42,000 to $72,000 in two to three years. Senior support engineers earn $65,000 to $85,000, while systems administrators or IT manager roles reach $85,000 to $120,000 with continued skill development.
Overtime pay can add $5,000 to $12,000 annually for on-site support roles. Many employers provide certification training budgets of $1,500 to $3,000, and shift differentials for evening or weekend coverage add 10 to 15% to base hourly rates.
Total compensation breakdown.
Salary by company size
Remote salary adjustment
Remote IT Support Specialists typically earn $51,000 (15% less than on-site). This reflects location-adjusted pay policies at companies using geographic salary bands. Some companies pay flat national rates regardless of location.
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Common questions about IT Support Specialist pay.
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