Help Desk Associate I Salary in the United States

How much does a Help Desk Associate I make in the United States?

As of February 01, 2026, the average salary for a Help Desk Associate I in the United States is $66,911 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $32.

However, a Help Desk Associate I's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $88,576
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $61,572 to $78,251
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $56,711
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View as table View as graph 25% $61,572 10% $56,711 90% $88,576 75% $78,251 $66,911 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Help Desk Associate I Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $78,251 $6,521 $1,505 $38
Average $66,911 $5,576 $1,287 $32
25th Percentile $61,572 $5,131 $1,184 $30
Check out Help Desk Associate I Job Openings in the United States
Help Desk Manager with Security Clearance

TekSynap - WASHINGTON, DC

Help Desk Specialist with Security Clearance

Koniag Government Services - WASHINGTON, DC

Help Desk Manager with Security Clearance

Integral Federal - WASHINGTON, DC

Help Desk Manager with Security Clearance

ORBIS INC. - WASHINGTON, DC

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Key Factors That Influence Help Desk Associate I Salaries

A Help Desk Associate 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 Help Desk Associate I Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Help Desk Associate 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:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $50,327
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $58,395
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $66,078
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $72,870
  • Expert (over 8 years): $81,887
Levels Salary
Help Desk... Level Help Desk Associate I$50,327
Help Desk... Level Help Desk Associate I$58,395
Help Desk... Level Help Desk Associate I$66,078
Help Desk... Level Help Desk Associate I$72,870
Help Desk... Level Help Desk Associate I$81,887
$50,327 0 yr
$58,395 < 2 yrs
$66,078 2-4 yrs
$72,870 5-8 yrs
$81,887 > 8 yrs
View as Table
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What Am I Worth?

How Do Help Desk Associate I Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Help Desk Associate Is. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $74,084.
  • California: $73,803.
  • Massachusetts: $72,820.

Top Paying Cities for Help Desk Associate Is

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: $84,395
  • San Francisco: $83,566
  • Oakland: $81,712

What Skills Can Increase a Help Desk Associate I's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Troubleshooting (Mentioned in 10.49% 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.
  • Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 2.79% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.
  • Computer Hardware (Mentioned in 1.81% Job Postings): Maintaining, configuring, and setting up computer hardware to increase business efficiency and staff productivity.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Troubleshooting 10.49%
Microsoft Office 2.79%
Computer Hardware 1.81%
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 Help Desk Associate I's salary.
  • Project Management: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
  • Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Project Management
 $73,602
10%
Leadership
 $71,595
7%
Analysis
 $71,595
7%
Collaboration
 $70,257
5%
Innovation
 $70,257
5%
Integrity
 $69,588
4%
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How Education impacts a Help Desk Associate I's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Help Desk Associate Is enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate 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 Help Desk Associate I with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $65,057 and $68,880).

Help Desk Associate I Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Help Desk Associate I
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.1%
High School 29.1%
Associates 24.0%
Bachelors 40.5%
Masters 5.0%
Doctorate 0.2%
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Help Desk Associate I Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Help Desk Associate 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.

  • Hourly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Yearly
  • Table View
Last Updated on February 01, 2026
$61,572
Average $66,911/year
$78,251
$5,131
Average $5,576/month
$6,521
$1,184
Average $1,287/week
$1,505
$30
Average $32/hour
$38
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $78,251 $6,521 $1,505 $38
Average $66,911 $5,576 $1,287 $32
25th Percentile $61,572 $5,131 $1,184 $30

Salaries of jobs related to Help Desk Associate I

Salary Trends for Help Desk Associate I

Salaries for a Help Desk Associate I can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $61,920 in 2023 to around $61,856 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Help Desk Associate I salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Help Desk Associate I Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$61,920
2024
$62,097
2025
$61,856
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $61,920
2024 $62,097
2025 $61,856
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Help Desk Associate I

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Help Desk Associate I

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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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