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Hourly Wage for Technical Support Engineer I Salary in the United States

What is the hourly salary range of Technical Support Engineer I?

As of August 01, 2026, the average hourly rate for a Technical Support Engineer I in the United States is $32, which translates to an annual salary of about $66,428.

However, the hourly wage can vary significantly based on several factors. Here’s a detailed look at the typical pay range per hour:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $37 per hour
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $28 to $35 per hour
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $25 per hour

Key Factors That Influence Technical Support Engineer I Salaries

A Technical Support Engineer I's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Technical Support Engineer I Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Technical Support Engineer I's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Technical Support Engineer I (0-2 years): $66,428
  • Technical Support Engineer II (2-4 years): $79,784
  • Technical Support Engineer III (4-7 years): $105,367
  • Technical Support Engineer IV (7+ years): $122,511
  • Technical Support Engineer V (7-10 years): $150,640
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Technical Support Engineer I0-2 years$66,428
Technical Support Engineer II2-4 years$79,784
Technical Support Engineer III4-7 years$105,367
Technical Support Engineer IV7+ years$122,511
Technical Support Engineer V7-10 years$150,640

Top Paying Cities for Technical Support Engineer I

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $83,786
  • San Francisco: $82,868
  • Oakland: $81,122

What Skills Can Increase a Technical Support Engineer I's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Troubleshooting (Mentioned in 9.41% Job Postings): Troubleshooting is a form of problem solving, often applied to repair failed products or processes on a machine or a system. It is a logical, systematic search for the source of a problem in order to solve it, and make the product or process operational again. Troubleshooting is needed to identify the symptoms. Determining the most likely cause is a process of elimination—eliminating potential causes of a problem. Finally, troubleshooting requires confirmation that the solution restores the product or process to its working state. In general, troubleshooting is the identification or diagnosis of "trouble" in the management flow of a system caused by a failure of some kind. The problem is initially described as symptoms of malfunction, and troubleshooting is the process of determining and remedying the causes of these symptoms. A system can be described in terms of its expected, desired or intended behavior (usually, for artificial systems, its purpose). Events or inputs to the system are expected to generate specific results or outputs. (For example, selecting the "print" option from various computer applications is intended to result in a hardcopy emerging from some specific device). Any unexpected or undesirable behavior is a symptom. Troubleshooting is the process of isolating the specific cause or causes of the symptom. Frequently the symptom is a failure of the product or process to produce any results. (Nothing was printed, for example). Corrective action can then be taken to prevent further failures of a similar kind.
  • IT Support (Mentioned in 2.56% Job Postings): Assisting with managing, maintaining, and repairing business technology to ensure all IT functions work seamlessly.
  • Computer Systems (Mentioned in 1.83% Job Postings): A computer system is a set of integrated devices that input, output, process, and store data and information. Computer systems are currently built around at least one digital processing device.
Skills Demand Percentage
Troubleshooting 9.41%
IT Support 2.56%
Computer Systems 1.83%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Technical Support Engineer I's salary.

  • API: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Agile: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Project Management: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
API $71,742
8%
Agile $71,742
8%
Project Management $71,742
8%

Technical Support Engineer I Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Technical Support Engineer I salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $74,362. While startup companies pay approximate $62,909.

Technical Support Engineer I Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $62,909
Growth Stage 51~500 $66,533
Established 501~5000 $71,810
Enterprise 5000+ $74,362

Technical Support Engineer I Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Technical Support Engineer I roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 120% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 50% above the average. In contrast, Technical Support Engineer positions in Transportation or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Technical Support Engineer I as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Technical Support Engineer I

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Pharmaceuticals$99,642$48.050%
Biotechnology$89,678$43.035%
Financial Services$86,356$42.030%
Aerospace & Defense$83,035$40.025%
Software & Networking$83,035$40.025%

How Education impacts an Technical Support Engineer I's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Technical Support Engineer I enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Technical Support Engineer I with a Bachelor's Degree is between $65,370 and $69,893.

Technical Support Engineer I Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Technical Support Engineer I
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.0%
High School 20.7%
Associates 20.5%
Bachelors 51.1%
Masters 6.2%
Doctorate 0.5%

Technical Support Engineer I Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Technical Support Engineer I's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026
$58,769
Average $66,428/year
$72,129
$4,897
Average $5,536/month
$6,011
$1,130
Average $1,277/week
$1,387
$28
Average $32/hour
$35
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $72,129 $6,011 $1,387 $35
Average $66,428 $5,536 $1,277 $32
25th Percentile $58,769 $4,897 $1,130 $28

Most common benefits for Technical Support Engineer I

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Technical Support Engineer I

Here are companies hiring for Technical Support Engineer I and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Technical Support Engineer I

1. What are the responsibilities of Technical Support Engineer I?

Provides technical support to troubleshoot issues and engineer solutions for an organization's products or systems. Communicates with system users and stakeholders to define and isolate the issue and deliver technical solutions. Maintains IT infrastructure to ensure optimal function of software, hardware, and network systems. Documents bugs, fixes, and changes or updates to technical documentation for future reference. Creates diagnostic tools and performs regular testing to maintain and enhance overall system performance. Requires a bachelor's degree. Typically reports to a manager. Work is closely managed. Works on projects/matters of limited complexity in a support role. Typically requires 0-2 years of related experience.

2. What are the skills of Technical Support Engineer I

Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.

1.)

Troubleshooting: Troubleshooting is a form of problem solving, often applied to repair failed products or processes on a machine or a system. It is a logical, systematic search for the source of a problem in order to solve it, and make the product or process operational again. Troubleshooting is needed to identify the symptoms. Determining the most likely cause is a process of elimination—eliminating potential causes of a problem. Finally, troubleshooting requires confirmation that the solution restores the product or process to its working state. In general, troubleshooting is the identification or diagnosis of "trouble" in the management flow of a system caused by a failure of some kind. The problem is initially described as symptoms of malfunction, and troubleshooting is the process of determining and remedying the causes of these symptoms. A system can be described in terms of its expected, desired or intended behavior (usually, for artificial systems, its purpose). Events or inputs to the system are expected to generate specific results or outputs. (For example, selecting the "print" option from various computer applications is intended to result in a hardcopy emerging from some specific device). Any unexpected or undesirable behavior is a symptom. Troubleshooting is the process of isolating the specific cause or causes of the symptom. Frequently the symptom is a failure of the product or process to produce any results. (Nothing was printed, for example). Corrective action can then be taken to prevent further failures of a similar kind.

2.)

IT Support: Assisting with managing, maintaining, and repairing business technology to ensure all IT functions work seamlessly.

3.)

Computer Systems: A computer system is a set of integrated devices that input, output, process, and store data and information. Computer systems are currently built around at least one digital processing device.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.

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