IT & help desk salary ranges in the US
What open IT & help desk postings in the US say they pay: the top and the low end of the range each one states, in yearly dollars.
By level
How far the posted top moves from one level to the next, for IT & help desk in the US.
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Junior275 postings$74,000$58k–$91k
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Mid-level12 postings$145,000$134k–$153k
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Senior869 postings$140,000$115k–$174k
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Staff and principal133 postings$171,000$145k–$196k
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Manager and above290 postings$170,000$132k–$211k
Best-paying companies in the US
Ranked by the median top of their open IT & help desk postings in the US, among companies with at least three that state pay.
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Wispr Flow3 with pay$350,000$220k–$350k
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ServiceNow3 with pay$301,000$228k–$344k
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T. Rowe Price3 with pay$272,000$218k–$272k
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OpenAI7 with pay$260,000$247k–$260k
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Airwallex3 with pay$250,000$210k–$250k
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Hewlett Packard Enterprise19 with pay$243,000$219k–$275k
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Novartis4 with pay$236,000$202k–$270k
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Anthropic5 with pay$230,000$230k–$250k
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Apple7 with pay$225,000$222k–$237k
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Everwatch6 with pay$220,000$171k–$230k
IT & help desk pay by place
The same work in every place with enough postings, highest median first.
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SF Bay Area280 postings$145,000$109k–$187k
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Miami29 postings$138,000$80k–$164k
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Boston95 postings$133,000$100k–$176k
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San Diego54 postings$130,000$92k–$155k
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New York277 postings$125,000$90k–$163k
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Washington DC210 postings$125,000$82k–$163k
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Seattle104 postings$120,000$73k–$166k
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Los Angeles106 postings$112,000$83k–$150k
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Chicago92 postings$110,000$79k–$132k
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Atlanta71 postings$108,000$77k–$144k
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All of the US5,725 postings$104,000$73k–$144k
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Dallas94 postings$104,000$62k–$154k
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Remote575 postings$100,000$72k–$146k
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Salt Lake City40 postings$87,000$59k–$138k
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Philadelphia22 postings$84,000$57k–$114k
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Denver72 postings$83,000$60k–$147k
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Austin54 postings$75,000$58k–$105k
Using these numbers
- Before you apply, check where the posting's own range sits against the middle half here. A range far below it is worth a question before you spend an afternoon on the application.
- When they ask what you expect, a figure inside the middle half for your level is one the market has already posted. Name the top of the posting's range if your experience matches what it asks for.
- Remember what a top is: the most a company says it may pay for the role. Offers land anywhere in the range, and equity and bonus are not in it.
Questions
How much do IT & help desk jobs pay in the US?
Open IT & help desk postings in the US that state pay post a median top of $104,000 a year; the middle half runs from $73,000 to $144,000, and the median low end of the ranges is $74,000. That is from 5,725 postings as of October 28, 2026.
How does the pay change with level?
For IT & help desk postings in the US, the median posted top is $74,000 for junior, $145,000 for mid-level, $140,000 for senior, $171,000 for staff and principal, $170,000 for manager and above.
Which companies post the most for IT & help desk in the US?
Among companies with at least three postings that state pay, Wispr Flow ($350,000), ServiceNow ($301,000), T. Rowe Price ($272,000) post the highest median tops.
Where do these numbers come from?
From the pay ranges employers state in their own open job postings, which DonutApply reads from company job boards and public job feeds every day. They are what a company says it may pay for the role, not salaries anyone reported.
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