Computer and Mathematical Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Wide pay band SOC 15-1232

Computer User Support Specialists

The published band from $40,980 to $100,540 is the distinctive signal for this role, not a twin of Computer and Information Research Scientists.

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Computer User Support Specialists: Computer and Information Research Scientists ($140K) , Network and Computer Systems Administrators ($99K) , Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers ($104K) , Actuaries ($130K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Computer User Support Specialists publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 15-1232 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Oversee the daily performance of computer systems
  2. 2. Set up equipment for employee use, performing or ensuring proper installation of cables, operating systems, or appropriate software
  3. 3. Read technical manuals, confer with users, or conduct computer diagnostics to investigate and resolve problems or to provide technical as…
  4. 4. Answer user inquiries regarding computer software or hardware operation to resolve problems
  5. 5. Install and perform minor repairs to hardware, software, or peripheral equipment, following design or installation specifications
  6. 6. Confer with staff, users, and management to establish requirements for new systems or modifications
  7. 7. Enter commands and observe system functioning to verify correct operations and detect errors
  8. 8. Maintain records of daily data communication transactions, problems and remedial actions taken, or installation activities
  9. 9. Refer major hardware or software problems or defective products to vendors or technicians for service
  10. 10. Prepare evaluations of software or hardware, and recommend improvements or upgrades
  11. 11. Develop training materials and procedures, or train users in the proper use of hardware or software
  12. 12. Inspect equipment and read order sheets to prepare for delivery to users

Computer User Support Specialists: O*NET ranks Reading Comprehension first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 15-1232 - lead skill Reading Comprehension at 4.0 ; lead knowledge Computers and Electronics. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Reading Comprehension 4.0
  2. 2. Active Listening 4.0
  3. 3. Speaking 4.0
  4. 4. Critical Thinking 3.8
  5. 5. Complex Problem Solving 3.6
  6. 6. Writing 3.5
  7. 7. Judgment and Decision Making 3.3
  8. 8. Active Learning 3.1

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Computers and Electronics 4.9
  2. 2. Customer and Personal Service 4.1
  3. 3. Telecommunications 3.9
  4. 4. English Language 3.8
  5. 5. Education and Training 3.7
  6. 6. Mechanical 3.7
Published pay band (10th to 90th)
$40,980 to $100,540
median $61,860 · ~2.5× spread
$62K
National median
↓ -4%
Growth 2024-2034
40,800
Annual openings
717,190
Estimated US jobs
Computer and Information Research Scientists
Highest-pay peer · $140K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education Some college, no degree

Top Paying States for Computer User Support Specialists

1. California $79,570
2. District of Columbia $80,950
3. Maryland $64,750
4. Virginia $65,040
5. Washington $75,220
6. Connecticut $70,210
7. Colorado $71,900
8. Wyoming $65,100
9. New York $72,560
10. Massachusetts $75,070

Other Computer and Mathematical Occupations titles

  1. 1. Network and Computer Systems Administrators $99,130
  2. 2. Computer and Information Research Scientists $140,300
  3. 3. Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers $104,300
  4. 4. Actuaries $130,000
  5. 5. Computer Network Architects $134,050
  6. 6. Statisticians $105,650

The OEWS band for Computer User Support Specialists runs from $40,980 (10th) to $100,540 (90th), about 2.5× wide, with median $61,860. That spread, not the midpoint alone, is the distinctive published fact.

Employment Projections expect -4% change between 2024 and 2034 (declining vs baseline 3.1%). About 40,800 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns Some college, no degree as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: California at $79,570. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Computer and Information Research Scientists at $140,300. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Computer User Support Specialists pay-rank #21 in Computer and Mathematical Occupations

On the Computer and Mathematical Occupations median table (21 detailed occupations with OEWS medians), Computer User Support Specialists lands at #21, in the lower third. That rank is a table position, not a statement about individual workers.

Other lower-third titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

SOC 15-1232 · national median $61,860 · lower third of Computer and Mathematical Occupations (#21/21). Open the full OEWS map or a named state before treating the card median as a local ask.

Computer User Support Specialists salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 15-1232

California · top state for Computer User Support Specialists

$80K published median

District of Columbia · #2 state pay

$81K · behind California

Computer and Information Research Scientists

Highest-pay peer vs Computer User Support Specialists · $140K

Network and Computer Systems Administrators

Lower-pay peer beside Computer User Support Specialists · $99K

Compare Computer User Support Specialists

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Computer User Support Specialists with another occupation →

Pay-band next reads

Entry-Level vs Experienced Pay

What percentile bands reveal

Using Salary Data for Negotiation

Leverage BLS percentiles

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does Computer User Support Specialists land on the Computer and Mathematical Occupations median table? ▼
Computer User Support Specialists is pay-rank #21 of 21 in this major group, lower third of the median table. Closest lower-third titles: Computer Network Support Specialists ($76K), Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other ($81K), Operations Research Analysts ($89K), Web Developers ($93K). That position is a table rank, not a worker percentile.
What do computer user support specialists do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Computer User Support Specialists. Leading ones include: Oversee the daily performance of computer systems; Set up equipment for employee use, performing or ensuring proper installation of cables, operating systems, or appropriate software; Read technical manuals, confer with users, or conduct computer diagnostics to investigate and resolve problems or to provide technical as…; Answer user inquiries regarding computer software or hardware operation to resolve problems. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for computer user support specialists? ▼
For SOC 15-1232, O*NET importance scores lead with Reading Comprehension (4.0), Active Listening (4.0), Speaking (4.0), Critical Thinking (3.8). Knowledge areas emphasize Computers and Electronics, Customer and Personal Service, Telecommunications. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
How wide is the published pay band for Computer User Support Specialists? ▼
OEWS places the 10th percentile at $40,980 and the 90th at $100,540 for Computer User Support Specialists (2.5× spread). The national median is $61,860. OEWS does not isolate experience, employer, or geography as the cause of that spread.
What employment change does BLS publish for Computer User Support Specialists? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Computer User Support Specialists is -4%. Projected annual openings: about 40,800. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: declining.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Computer User Support Specialists? ▼
BLS assigns Some college, no degree as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Computer User Support Specialists. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Computer User Support Specialists? ▼
California ($79,570), District of Columbia ($80,950), Maryland ($64,750) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Computer User Support Specialists card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 15-1232. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Computer User Support Specialists. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics