NOC Technician (Tier 1 to 2) Salary
This is the Data Center Headhunters salary guide.
BLS does not measure NOC Technician (Tier 1 to 2) as its own occupation, so this page uses Computer Network Support Specialists (SOC 15-1231, closest proxy). The median annual wage in the United States was $76,220 (BLS, May 2025), and the middle half earned $58,240 to $98,750.
This is what we do all day: recruit data center professionals.
Closest proxy
Computer Network Support Specialists is the closest occupational proxy based on the work described, not a separate data center wage series. BLS does not distinguish this title, experience level, shift, credentials or data center employers. Confirm the actual duties before using this comparison.
National pay range
| Point | Annual wage | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $47,120 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $58,240 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median | $76,220 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $98,750 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $127,780 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $81,870 | Average wage. |
| Point | Hourly wage | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $22.65 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $28 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median | $36.64 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $47.48 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $61.43 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $39.36 | Average wage. |
What BLS wages cover: OEWS includes base rates, guaranteed pay, commissions and production incentives. It excludes on-call waiting or availability pay, overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits. The on-call exclusion covers time awaiting a call to work, not ordinary wages for hours actually worked. These are straight-time gross wages, not pure base salary or total compensation. Discuss per diem, travel and relocation separately. BLS pay-term definitions.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 15-1231 Computer Network Support Specialists, United States. Download national data (ZIP).
Pay relative to all occupations
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| This occupation, median | $76,220 |
| All occupations (SOC 00-0000), median | $50,980 |
| Relative wage | 1.50 times |
A ratio of 1.00 means the same median as all workers in the area. It is arithmetic on two BLS medians, not a BLS statistic.
Pay in industries that hire this occupation
| Industry (BLS name) | NAICS | Employment | Share of occupation | Median | P25 to P75 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | 541500 | 31,540 | 21.6% | $74,320 | $51,350 to $96,830 |
| Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services | 518200 | 7,380 | 5.0% | $76,310 | $57,220 to $104,570 |
| Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | 423400 | 3,210 | 2.2% | $67,230 | $57,450 to $96,070 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 541300 | 2,010 | 1.4% | $81,780 | $63,740 to $99,490 |
| Engineering Services | 541330 | 1,730 | 1.2% | $81,780 | $63,150 to $98,770 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | 221100 | 770 | 0.5% | $85,700 | $72,400 to $104,770 |
| Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | 334100 | 510 | 0.3% | $95,760 | $66,040 to $133,340 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction | 236200 | 290 | 0.2% | $84,920 | $63,230 to $106,560 |
| Facilities Support Services | 561200 | 280 | 0.2% | $71,130 | $58,820 to $100,420 |
| Testing Laboratories and Services | 541380 | 160 | 0.1% | $92,520 | $73,370 to $111,290 |
| Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 335900 | 130 | 0.1% | $71,980 | $60,940 to $82,640 |
| Utility System Construction | 237100 | 120 | 0.1% | $64,360 | $58,930 to $81,610 |
| Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction | 237130 | 110 | 0.1% | $61,640 | $57,660 to $82,480 |
| Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance | 811300 | 100 | 0.1% | $109,360 | $93,030 to $112,990 |
| Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors | 238220 | 90 | 0.1% | $73,620 | $62,520 to $87,870 |
These national industry rows cover privately owned establishments. Industry names are exact BLS NAICS titles. Industries overlap, so shares do not sum to 100%. An industry row does not mean the employer runs data centers.
Pay in target metros
| Metro area | Median | P25 to P75 | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $92,400 | $77,520 to $116,020 | 5,100 | 1.73 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $75,930 | $56,200 to $103,390 | 3,340 | 0.88 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $72,600 | $57,590 to $93,670 | 1,070 | 0.48 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $81,720 | $62,700 to $113,780 | 3,110 | 1.14 |
| Columbus, OH | $81,220 | $62,470 to $115,170 | 1,710 | 1.65 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $73,340 | $60,880 to $88,550 | 4,740 | 1.12 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $124,130 | $93,280 to $199,870 | 1,080 | 1.01 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $69,010 | $57,880 to $85,690 | 1,400 | 1.23 |
Location quotient measures job concentration, not pay. A value above 1 means the occupation makes up a larger share of local jobs than it does nationally. It says nothing about wages.
Highest and lowest paying metros
Ranked by published median annual wage among 290 metro areas with an exact median.
| Rank | Metro area | Median | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $124,130 | 1,080 | 1.01 |
| 2 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $104,690 | 130 | 0.35 |
| 3 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $104,610 | 2,320 | 1.19 |
| 4 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $102,980 | 4,910 | 3.85 |
| 5 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $102,980 | 50 | 0.54 |
| 6 | Anchorage, AK | $102,330 | 180 | 1.11 |
| 7 | Asheville, NC | $101,650 | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS |
| 8 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $101,600 | 2,370 | 1.06 |
| 9 | Lexington Park, MD | $100,750 | 120 | 1.85 |
| 10 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $98,210 | 240 | 0.94 |
| Rank | Metro area | Median | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 281 | Lawrence, KS | $49,570 | 30 | 0.7 |
| 282 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $49,570 | 60 | 0.81 |
| 283 | Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $48,950 | 50 | 1.35 |
| 284 | Decatur, IL | $48,510 | 40 | 0.99 |
| 285 | Lubbock, TX | $48,310 | 120 | 0.74 |
| 286 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $47,970 | 110 | 0.86 |
| 287 | Monroe, LA | $47,360 | 90 | 1.06 |
| 288 | Alexandria, LA | $46,920 | 30 | 0.54 |
| 289 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $39,570 | 580 | 0.9 |
| 290 | Wheeling, WV-OH | $35,740 | 50 | 0.98 |
Location quotient measures job concentration, not pay. A value above 1 means the occupation makes up a larger share of local jobs than it does nationally. It says nothing about wages.
Where pay is highest relative to local wages
This compares the occupation's median with the all-occupations median in the same metro and on the same annual basis. It does not adjust for living costs. Only exact published medians are ranked. A top-coded lower bound cannot establish an exact rank.
| Metro | Occupation median | All-occupations median | Ratio | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asheville, NC | $101,650 | $46,870 | 2.17 times | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $98,210 | $50,990 | 1.93 times | 240 | 0.94 |
| Tulsa, OK | $88,540 | $46,670 | 1.90 times | 580 | 1.34 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $85,780 | $45,220 | 1.90 times | 170 | 1.15 |
| Enid, OK | $76,690 | $40,500 | 1.89 times | 50 | 2.34 |
| Fayetteville, NC | $86,370 | $45,620 | 1.89 times | 220 | 1.81 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $102,980 | $54,730 | 1.88 times | 50 | 0.54 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $85,790 | $46,670 | 1.84 times | 2,010 | 1.88 |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | $75,550 | $41,220 | 1.83 times | 70 | 0.79 |
| Jacksonville, NC | $73,710 | $40,230 | 1.83 times | 40 | 0.87 |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $94,230 | $51,440 | 1.83 times | 50 | 0.3 |
| Merced, CA | $84,870 | $47,220 | 1.80 times | 40 | 0.55 |
| Yakima, WA | $84,080 | $47,810 | 1.76 times | 40 | 0.44 |
| York-Hanover, PA | $84,310 | $48,170 | 1.75 times | 70 | 0.42 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $102,980 | $59,070 | 1.74 times | 4,910 | 3.85 |
| Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $78,300 | $45,030 | 1.74 times | 80 | 0.91 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $75,420 | $43,710 | 1.73 times | 70 | 0.78 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $81,780 | $47,510 | 1.72 times | 250 | 2.11 |
| Santa Fe, NM | $83,650 | $48,710 | 1.72 times | 60 | 1 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $88,670 | $51,690 | 1.72 times | 100 | 0.55 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $104,690 | $61,470 | 1.70 times | 130 | 0.35 |
| Anchorage, AK | $102,330 | $60,200 | 1.70 times | 180 | 1.11 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $78,140 | $45,990 | 1.70 times | 190 | 0.85 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $74,180 | $43,850 | 1.69 times | 80 | 1.1 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $79,870 | $47,230 | 1.69 times | 910 | 1.44 |
Location quotient measures job concentration, not pay. A value above 1 means the occupation makes up a larger share of local jobs than it does nationally. It says nothing about wages.
Source: BLS OEWS BLS, May 2025, SOC 15-1231 and SOC 00-0000, matching metro areas. The ratio is our arithmetic on those published medians, not a BLS statistic.
Change since the prior BLS release
| Reference period | Median |
|---|---|
| May 2024 | $73,340 |
| May 2025 | $76,220 |
| Difference | +$2,880 (+3.9%) |
Two published BLS values, shown as released. Not annualized, not adjusted for inflation, and BLS metro boundaries and survey panels can differ between releases.
Levels above and below this title
These are different jobs, not experience bands within one occupation. The figures are not a promised raise.
| Title | Relationship | BLS occupation | Median | Against NOC Technician (Tier 1 to 2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOC Engineer / NOC Manager | Higher-scope title | 15-1244 Network and Computer Systems Administrators | $99,130 | Higher by $22,910 |
| NOC Manager | Higher-scope title | 11-3021 Computer and Information Systems Managers | $175,140 | Higher by $98,920 |
What is inside the BLS pay figure
For an operations offer, separate standby availability payments from wages for hours actually worked. BLS excludes on-call waiting pay and shift differentials. Ordinary straight-time wages for work performed are not excluded by the on-call rule.
| Component | In the BLS figure? | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Base rate and guaranteed pay | Included | BLS counts the "base rate" and "guaranteed pay". |
| Production and incentive pay | Included | BLS counts "incentive pay including commissions and production bonuses". |
| On-call waiting or availability pay matters here | Left out | BLS excludes payment for time spent awaiting a call to work, not ordinary wages for hours actually worked. BLS on-call pay definition. |
| Overtime pay | Left out | BLS excludes "overtime pay". Straight-time pay only. |
| Shift differentials matters here | Left out | BLS excludes "shift differentials", so night and weekend premiums are not in the figure. |
| Project-completion and discretionary bonuses | Depends on the terms | Guaranteed pay and production incentives are included. Discretionary nonproduction bonuses are excluded. Check how the payment is defined. |
| Per diem, travel and relocation | Left out | BLS does not name these as wages. They are expense reimbursements and are not in the figure. |
| Benefits and employer costs | Left out | BLS excludes "employer costs for supplementary benefits". |
Recruiter's read
Qualitative, not from BLS data.
NOC Technician (Tier 1 to 2) candidates are usually screened on alarm triage in monitoring and ticketing tools; CompTIA Network+ (ITIL Foundation a plus); clean escalation and shift handoff.
We usually find them through service desk techs; ISP and telecom NOCs; military communications and network operations. We contact working people directly rather than relying on job applications.
Questions
What is the median pay for NOC Technician (Tier 1 to 2)?
The BLS median annual wage for Computer Network Support Specialists nationally is $76,220 (BLS, May 2025).
What range do most NOC Technician (Tier 1 to 2) earn?
Per BLS, the middle half earned $58,240 to $98,750, and 10% earned less than $47,120.
Is this the exact job title?
Computer Network Support Specialists is the closest occupational proxy based on the work described, not a separate data center wage series. BLS does not distinguish this title, experience level, shift, credentials or data center employers. Confirm the actual duties before using this comparison.
How many people are employed in this occupation?
BLS estimates 146,190 jobs nationally in Computer Network Support Specialists across all industries.
What do BLS wages leave out?
OEWS includes base rates, guaranteed pay, commissions and production incentives. It excludes on-call waiting or availability pay, overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits. The on-call exclusion covers time awaiting a call to work, not ordinary wages for hours actually worked. Discuss per diem, travel and relocation separately.
Hiring Market Brief
A one-page brief for NOC Technician (Tier 1 to 2): BLS pay, mapping and caveats.
Hiring NOC Technician (Tier 1 to 2)?
Pay is one input. Scope, license and travel decide whether the person says yes.
Related
What the published rows say about NOC Technician (Tier 1 to 2) pay in the United States
NOC Technician (Tier 1 to 2) maps to Computer Network Support Specialists, SOC 15-1231. For the United States, the May 2025 OEWS annual median is $76,220; the middle half runs from $58,240 to $98,750. This is a proxy, not a separate wage estimate for this exact job. BLS does not separate seniority titles that share this row. Tell candidates whether the job is ticket-led work, deployment or independent fault-finding. Titles can share a BLS row even when the floor responsibilities and shift expectations differ.
The middle-half spread is $40,510: $17,980 from the 25th percentile to the median and $22,530 from the median to the 75th. The upper interval is wider. Use these points to compare an offer, not to price a junior or senior hire. Percentiles are not experience bands, and this distribution alone does not explain why individual workers earn different amounts.
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ reports a annual median of $86,930 for this occupation in May 2025. This metro is selected by published occupation employment, not geographic proximity to a national point. That is $10,710 above the United States's median.
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA reports a annual median of $57,220 for this occupation in May 2025. This metro is selected by published occupation employment, not geographic proximity to a national point. That is $19,000 below the United States's median.
The highest exact national industry medians in the loaded SOC 15-1231 rows are Oil and Gas Extraction at $127,030 and Oil and Gas Extraction at $127,030. These are May 2025 national occupation estimates, not local data center pay. The loaded data has no local industry-by-occupation breakdown, so it cannot rank industries within the United States.
The matched median moved from $73,340 in May 2024 to $76,220 in May 2025: $2,880 higher. Both rows use SOC 15-1231, area 99 and the same annual basis. This is not adjusted for inflation or annualized, and it does not attribute the change to a particular employer.
OEWS includes base rates, guaranteed pay, commissions and production incentives. It excludes on-call waiting or availability pay, overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits. The on-call exclusion covers time awaiting a call to work, not ordinary wages for hours actually worked. This is neither pure base salary nor total compensation. Agree travel, per diem and relocation terms separately. No verified NOC Technician (Tier 1 to 2)-specific allowance is in this occupation row, so none is added to the figures.
Questions about NOC Technician (Tier 1 to 2) pay in the United States
Which BLS row supports NOC Technician (Tier 1 to 2) pay in the United States?
NOC Technician (Tier 1 to 2) maps to SOC 15-1231, Computer Network Support Specialists. The May 2025 annual median for the United States is $76,220. The proxy mapping is not a separate survey of this niche title.
Does the figure cover the whole offer for NOC Technician (Tier 1 to 2)?
OEWS includes base rates, guaranteed pay, commissions and production incentives. It excludes on-call waiting or availability pay, overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and benefits. The on-call exclusion covers time awaiting a call to work, not ordinary wages for hours actually worked. Travel and relocation terms still need their own discussion; this row supplies no separate allowance.
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- methodology
Nearest-area selection uses Census Gazetteer internal points, not road distance. Source: 2025 Census Gazetteer.