West Virginia·Computer and Mathematical Occupations·SOC 15-1231

Best Computer Network Support Specialist programs in West Virginia, ranked by enrollment

Analyze, test, troubleshoot, and evaluate existing network systems, such as local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN), cloud networks, servers, and other data communications networks.

19 schools in West Virginia run programs that feed this job, graduating 1,433 people a year. The job pays a median of $46,840 in West Virginia across about 600 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).

Also calledNetwork SpecialistNetwork TechnicianSystems SpecialistNetwork Technical AnalystCloud EngineerNetwork AnalystSupport EngineerCustomer Engineer
Graduates / yr
1,433
in West Virginia
Median pay · West Virginia
$46,840
BLS OEWS May 2025
Jobs in state
600
people employed
Schools
19
with a feeder program
Avg graduation rate
42%
across those schools
Median net price
$16,943
per year, IPEDS

Fields of study in West Virginia that lead to this job

Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.

8 programs in West Virginia that lead to this job

Ranked by graduates per year in West Virginia (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own West Virginia page.

Degree programs that lead to this occupation, ranked by graduates per year
#ProgramGraduates / yrShare of pipelineSchoolsGrad earnings (1 yr)Median debt
1861
60.1%
11$48,185$25,250
2333
23.2%
4$48,185$25,250
3148
10.3%
6$70,374$23,250
431
2.2%
4$48,185$25,250
528
2.0%
4$43,901$22,822
615
1.0%
2$46,719$20,729
710
0.7%
2$48,185$25,250
87
0.5%
1$51,805$46,000

Top 19 schools in West Virginia

Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 6 of the 19 schools in this state.

Schools ranked by graduates per year into this occupation
#SchoolGraduates / yrTop feeder programGrad earnings (1 yr)Grad rateNet priceAcceptance
1American Public University System
Charles Town, WV Private for-profit · 3 feeder programs
1,008Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance$66,58857%$10,199
2West Virginia University
Morgantown, WV Public · 2 feeder programs
137Computer Science$74,15965%89%
3Blue Ridge Community and Technical College
Martinsburg, WV Public · 4 feeder programs
50Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance32%
4Valley College - Martinsburg
Martinsburg, WV Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs
36Computer Support Specialist$32,52266%$25,386
5Marshall University
Huntington, WV Public · 1 feeder programs
33Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance51%96%
6New River Community and Technical College
Beaver, WV Public · 3 feeder programs
26Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance36%
7Pierpont Community and Technical College
Fairmont, WV Public · 2 feeder programs
21Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications$33,59042%
8BridgeValley Community & Technical College
South Charleston, WV Public · 3 feeder programs
18Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance34%
9West Virginia Junior College - Morgantown
Morgantown, WV Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs
18Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance$40,08771%$19,134
10West Virginia State University
Institute, WV Public · 1 feeder programs
17Computer Science39%96%
11Concord University
Athens, WV Public · 2 feeder programs
10Computer Science39%93%
12West Virginia Northern Community College
Wheeling, WV Public · 1 feeder programs
10Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance33%
13West Virginia Wesleyan College
Buckhannon, WV Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs
10Computer Science57%$17,32593%
14Mountwest Community and Technical College
Huntington, WV Public · 1 feeder programs
9Network and System Administration/Administrator19%
15West Virginia Junior College - Charleston
Cross Lanes, WV Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
8Network and System Administration/Administrator60%$15,408
16West Virginia University Institute of Technology
Beckley, WV Public · 1 feeder programs
7Computer Systems Analysis/Analyst33%37%
17Strayer University - West Virginia
Scott Depot, WV Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs
6Computer Support Specialist$61,8100%$16,943
18West Virginia University at Parkersburg
Parkersburg, WV Public · 1 feeder programs
5Computer Science9%
19Bethany College
Bethany, WV Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs
4Computer Science47%$15,78359%

All 19 schools in West Virginia

Every school in West Virginia with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.

All schools in West Virginia that feed this occupation
SchoolCityControlGraduates / yrFeeder programs
American Public University SystemCharles TownPrivate for-profit1,0083
West Virginia UniversityMorgantownPublic1372
Blue Ridge Community and Technical CollegeMartinsburgPublic504
Valley College - MartinsburgMartinsburgPrivate not-for-profit362
Marshall UniversityHuntingtonPublic331
New River Community and Technical CollegeBeaverPublic263
Pierpont Community and Technical CollegeFairmontPublic212
BridgeValley Community & Technical CollegeSouth CharlestonPublic183
West Virginia Junior College - MorgantownMorgantownPrivate for-profit182
West Virginia State UniversityInstitutePublic171
Concord UniversityAthensPublic102
West Virginia Northern Community CollegeWheelingPublic101
West Virginia Wesleyan CollegeBuckhannonPrivate not-for-profit101
Mountwest Community and Technical CollegeHuntingtonPublic91
West Virginia Junior College - CharlestonCross LanesPrivate for-profit81

What computer network support specialists earn in West Virginia

What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.

Median annual in West Virginia
$46,840
Mean annual
$51,050
Jobs in state
600
What the range looks like
10th pct$30,260Median$46,84090th pct$75,150
Versus the national median
-38.5%

U.S. median $76,220. West Virginia pays below the national figure.

Job concentration
0.90×

1.00× means the state has its expected share of these jobs.

Metro areas in West Virginia

Charleston, WV
$52,670median
70 jobs
Morgantown, WV
$52,130median
50 jobs
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH
$47,970median
110 jobs
Wheeling, WV-OH
$35,740median
50 jobs

Job outlook

Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.

Projected growth 2024–34
+1.8%
Little or no change
Openings per year
9,600
new jobs plus replacements
Employment change
2,800
152,700 → 155,500
Typical entry education
Associate's degree
Plus moderate-term on-the-job training

Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.

How to get in

The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Computer Network Support Specialists page.

How to become a Computer Network Support Specialist

Job zone 4 of 5 · SVP 7.0 to < 8.0
Typical entry education
Associate's degree
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training

Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Top skills

Critical ThinkingActive ListeningReading ComprehensionActive LearningMonitoringSpeaking

The same job in other states

Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.

Related careers in West Virginia

Every major mapped to this job

The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.

All 9 majors mapped to Computer Network Support Specialists9 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
  • 11.0201Computer Programming/Programmer, General
  • 11.0501Computer Systems Analysis/Analyst
  • 11.0701Computer Science
  • 11.0901Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
  • 11.0902Cloud Computing
  • 11.1001Network and System Administration/Administrator
  • 11.1002System, Networking, and LAN/WAN Management/Manager
  • 11.1003Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance
  • 11.1006Computer Support Specialist

Common questions

Answers for people weighing computer network support specialists programs in West Virginia.

What degree do you need to become a Computer Network Support Specialist?+

Associate's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance, which awarded 861 degrees in West Virginia in 2024-25, 60.1% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.

Which college majors lead to becoming a Computer Network Support Specialist?+

The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 8 programs to this occupation. The largest are Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management, Computer Science, Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications, Computer Programming, plus 1 more. Together they graduate about 1,433 people a year in West Virginia.

How much do computer network support specialists earn in West Virginia?+

The median is $46,840 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 38.5% below the U.S. median of $76,220. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.

Is demand for computer network support specialists growing?+

BLS projects a +1.8% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, little or no change, with roughly 9,600 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.

How many schools offer programs for this career in West Virginia?+

19 institutions in West Virginia reported graduates from at least one of the 8 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.

What other job titles do computer network support specialists work under?+

Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Network Specialist, Network Technician, Systems Specialist, Network Technical Analyst among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 15-1231.

Computer Network Support Specialists in other statesCaliforniaTexasUtahNew YorkIllinoisFloridaMarylandIndiana

About the data on this page

Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).

  • BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics

    May 2025

    Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.

  • BLS Employment Projections

    2024–34

    Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.

  • IPEDS Completions

    2024-25 (provisional)

    Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.

  • College Scorecard, Field of Study

    2020-21 cohorts

    Median graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.

  • Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes

    latest available

    Graduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.

  • NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk

    CIP 2020 / SOC 2018

    Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.

  • O*NET Database 30.3

    30.3

    Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.

    Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA

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