Online Technical Support & Repair Degrees: Curriculim & Program Info
The technical support & repair industry employs 152,900 workers. These individuals repair, maintain, and install computers, word processing systems, automated teller machines, and electronic office machines, like copy machines and fax machines.
Depending on the occupation, technical support & repair technicians may earn anywhere from $15.67 an hour, up to $19.87 an hour. Top earners make more than $28.41 an hour and entry-level workers earn $11.14 an hour. They work in all industries, but the industries employing the largest numbers of technicians include:
- Computer systems design and related services
- Professional and commercial equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers
- Office supplies
- Stationery
- Gift stores
Technical support & repair technicians also work in electronic and precision equipment repair and maintenance, and electronics and appliance stores.
Postsecondary vocational training is the minimum requirement for entry into this field. However, many employers prefer an associate degree or higher in computer and electronics technology, plus certification in your chosen field. Currently, 2.1% of all professionals in the technical support & repair industry hold a master’s degree, 22% hold a bachelor’s degree, 24% hold an associate degree, and 31% hold a certificate.
Technical support & repair certificate and degree programs are available through on-campus technical schools as well as vocational schools and specialty schools. Many on-campus schools have made these certificate and degree programs available online. In addition, there are hundreds of online technical, vocational, and specialty schools that offer certificates and degrees through innovative distance learning formats.
When searching for a suitable technical support & repair degree program, it is important to pay close attention to accreditation, admission requirements, and curriculum. Accredited schools will require test scores and transcripts to apply.
The information in the next section can be used as a valuable tool to compare accredited online and on-campus program curriculums to other schools' curriculums.
On-campus and Online Technical Support & Repair Degrees Curriculum
An accredited computer and electronics degree program will consist of general education courses such as English composition, physical education, humanities, fine arts, speech communication, and social/behavioral science along with a number of technical (major) courses.
Accredited major curriculums may include all or most of the following courses:
- Applied Technical Math
- Computer Electronics
- Data Communications Fundamentals
- Devices and Applications
- Electronic Communications
- Electronics Applications
- Elements of Physics
- Health or Physical Education
- Industrial Electronics
- Programming Methods for Electrical/Electronic Calculations
- Upgrading and Maintaining PC Hardware
Finding Online Technical Support & Repair Degree Programs
To locate top accredited technical support & repair programs students may explore offerings at on-campus technical, vocational and specialty schools. They may also search through comprehensive online directories such as Top Online Colleges or utilize well-known search engines such as Bing, Ask or Google. Each online degree program will offer information on accreditation. The accrediting agency must be recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Tip: Employers view professional certification as proof of competency in any given field. Obtaining certification through organizations such as the Electronics Technicians Association (ETA) or The International Society of Certified Electronics Technicians is a great way to help your resume stand out from the crowd.
