The salary of a Help Desk Support Specialist I in the United States varies depending on several factors, including experience, location, education level, marketing trend and company sizes.
As of April 01, 2025, the average annual salary for a Help Desk Support Specialist I in the United States is $49,875. According to Salary.com, salaries can range from a low of $40,808 to a high of $59,206, with most professionals earning between $45,129 and $54,759.
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $54,759 | $4,563 | $1,053 | $26 |
| Average | $49,875 | $4,156 | $959 | $24 |
| 25th Percentile | $45,129 | $3,761 | $868 | $22 |
An entry-level Help Desk Support Specialist I with less than 1 year of experience earns about $50,750. With 1-2 years of experience, the average salary increases to $50,968. For 2-4 years of experience, the pay typically rises to $51,114. Senior-level professionals with 5-8 years of experience earn around $51,333, and those with over 8 years of experience can expect an average of $51,479.
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry Level Help Desk Support Specialist I | $50,750 |
| Intermediate Level Help Desk Support Specialist I | $50,968 |
| Senior Level Help Desk Support Specialist I | $51,114 |
| Specialist Level Help Desk Support Specialist I | $51,333 |
| Expert Level Help Desk Support Specialist I | $51,479 |
| Entry Level | 2% |
| Mid Level | 2% |
| Senior Level | 2% |
| Top Level | 3% |
| Experienced | 3% |
Salaries in the United States differ widely between states due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
What Am I Worth?
Salaries in the United States can vary greatly between cities due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
As of April 01, 2025, our research reveals a significant shift in Help Desk Support Specialist I compensation over the past six years. For example, the median salary increased from $50,738 in 2023 to approximately $50,347 in 2024. (For a detailed analysis of Help Desk Support Specialist I salary trends, click here.)
Key factors like location, experience, industry demand, and economic growth significantly influence salary variations, making them important to consider.
Salary.com job board provides millions of Help Desk Support Specialist I information for you to search for. Click on search button below to see Help Desk Support Specialist I job openings or enter a new job title here.
Here are companies hiring for Help Desk Support Specialist I and their salaries, click below for more details.
| Core Compensation | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Base Salary | $49,875 | 67.4% | ||
| Bonus | $0 | 0.0% | ||
| Value of Benefits | ||||
| Core Compensation | Median | % of Total | ||
| Social Security | $3,815 | 5.2% | ||
| 401K/403B | $2,095 | 2.8% | ||
| Disability | $998 | 1.3% | ||
| Healthcare | $8,352 | 11.3% | ||
| Pension | $2,693 | 3.6% | ||
| Time Off | $6,138 | 8.3% | ||
| Total Compensation | $73,967 | 100% | ||
| Degree Level | % of user with this level of education |
|---|---|
| No Diploma | 1.7% |
| High School | 32.4% |
| Associates | 26.4% |
| Bachelors | 35.1% |
| Masters | 4.3% |
What Am I Worth?
The average annual salary of Help Desk Support Specialist I is $49,875. In case you are finding an easy salary calculator, the average hourly pay of Help Desk Support Specialist I is $24; the average weekly pay of Help Desk Support Specialist I is $959; the average monthly pay of Help Desk Support Specialist I is $4,156.
A Help Desk Support Specialist I's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Help Desk Support Specialist I earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Help Desk Support Specialist I is $62,907.
The highest pay for Help Desk Support Specialist I is $59,206.
The lowest pay for Help Desk Support Specialist I is $40,808.
Responds to end-user requests for technical assistance by phone, email, or ticketing system. Troubleshoots and resolves basic computer, application, system, device, access, or performance issues. Uses established processes and procedures to document, track, and resolve reported problems and to meet operational service levels and standards. Utilizes product information or solution database to research, troubleshoot, and deliver solutions. Advises users on the methods, steps, and actions to resolve and avoid future issues and provides documentation as needed. Escalates problems to appropriate levels or teams to achieve issue resolution. May support installs or upgrades of software or devices, set up user profiles, or re-set passwords. Fulfills all service level standards for response time and quality. May require an associate degree. Typically reports to a supervisor. Works under the close direction of senior personnel in the functional area. Possesses a moderate understanding of general aspects of the job. May require 0-1 year of general work experience.
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.
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.
Installation: The action or process of installing someone or something, or of being installed. the act of installing the state of being installed, something that is installed for use.
Customer Support: Customer support is a range of customer services to assist customers in making cost effective and correct use of a product. It includes assistance in planning, installation, training, troubleshooting, maintenance, upgrading, and disposal of a product. Regarding technology products such as mobile phones, televisions, computers, software products or other electronic or mechanical goods, it is termed technical support. Customer support is considered as one of the main data channels for customer satisfaction research and a way to increase customer retention.
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.)
With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.
