Desktop Support Specialist Salary in the United States

How much does a Desktop Support Specialist make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Desktop Support Specialist in the United States is $61,207 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $29.

However, a Desktop Support Specialist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $75,643
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $55,536 to $68,764
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $50,372
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View as table View as graph 25% $55,536 10% $50,372 90% $75,643 75% $68,764 $61,207 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Desktop Support Specialist Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $68,764 $5,730 $1,322 $33
Average $61,207 $5,101 $1,177 $29
25th Percentile $55,536 $4,628 $1,068 $27
Check out Desktop Support Specialist Job Openings in the United States
Desktop Support JOB Training Program

Year Up United - BOSTON, MA

Peer Support Specialist

Winds of Change - MISSOULA, MT

Customer Technical Support Specialist (NEN)

Bowhead / UIC Technical Services - DAHLGREN, VA

Desktop Support Technician with Security Clearance

NuAxis Innovations LLC - WASHINGTON, DC

Search More Desktop Support Specialist Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Desktop Support Specialist Salaries

A Desktop Support Specialist'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 Desktop Support Specialist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Desktop Support Specialist'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:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $52,275
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $60,652
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $68,628
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $75,686
  • Expert (over 8 years): $85,054
Levels Salary
Help Desk... Level Desktop Support Specialist$52,275
Desktop S... Level Desktop Support Specialist$60,652
Help Desk... Level Desktop Support Specialist$68,628
Help Desk... Level Desktop Support Specialist$75,686
Help Desk... Level Desktop Support Specialist$85,054
$52,275 0 yr
$60,652 < 2 yrs
$68,628 2-4 yrs
$75,686 5-8 yrs
$85,054 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Desktop Support Specialists

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: $77,201
  • San Francisco: $76,442
  • Oakland: $74,746

What Skills Can Increase a Desktop Support Specialist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Troubleshooting (Mentioned in 10.42% 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.
  • Operating System (Mentioned in 3.31% Job Postings): Maintaining software that runs on a computer that serves as an interface between computer hardware components and the user.
  • Computer Systems (Mentioned in 1.99% 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.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Troubleshooting 10.42%
Operating System 3.31%
Computer Systems 1.99%
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 Desktop Support Specialist's salary.
  • Insight: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
  • Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Insight
$66,104
8%
Leadership
$64,268
5%
Collaboration
$63,656
4%
Presentation
$63,656
4%
Flexibility
$63,044
3%
Analysis
$63,044
3%
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How Education impacts a Desktop Support Specialist's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Desktop Support Specialists enter the field with a No Diploma degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Desktop Support Specialist with a No Diploma is between $55,233 and $58,558).

Desktop Support Specialist Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Desktop Support Specialist
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.0%
High School 28.8%
Associates 27.6%
Bachelors 39.3%
Masters 3.2%
Doctorate 0.1%
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Desktop Support Specialist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Desktop Support Specialist'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 January 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Desktop Support Specialist

Salaries for a Desktop Support Specialist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $58,495 in 2023 to around $58,038 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Desktop Support Specialist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Desktop Support Specialist Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$58,495
2024
$58,380
2025
$58,038
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $58,495
2024 $58,380
2025 $58,038
2026
View More
2027
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Most common benefits for Desktop Support Specialist

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Desktop Support Specialist

Here are companies hiring for Desktop Support Specialist and their salaries, click below for more details.

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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