Data Center Technician: Salary, Duties and Certifications
Data center technicians keep servers, networks, power and cooling running around the clock. This guide uses employer postings and federal wage data. Every figure names its source.
*Computer network support specialists in the data center industry (NAICS 518200), BLS OEWS May 2025.
What does a data center technician do?
The title covers two kinds of work. Employers often name them differently.
- IT track. Install server racks, fix failed hardware, and troubleshoot network issues. This is how AWS describes its Data Center Technician role.
- Facilities track. Keep power and cooling systems running: UPS, generators, switchgear and chillers. Microsoft lists a Critical Environment Technician role next to its Datacenter Technician role.
Both tracks work shifts. AWS postings state shifts longer than 8 hours, including nights, weekends and holidays, to support 24/7 operations. Our data center technician jobs page lists facilities-track roles: electrical, mechanical, controls and operations technicians.
Data center technician salary
Large employers publish pay ranges. These are base pay ranges from current AWS Data Center Technician postings (retrieved 2026-10-08):
| Location | Base pay range |
|---|---|
| Canton and Vicksburg, MS | $27.83 to $48.75 per hour |
| Wink, TX | $30.91 to $54.18 per hour |
| Hamlet, NC | $30.91 to $54.18 per hour |
BLS does not track data center technician as its own occupation. The closest data is the pay of related occupations inside the data center industry (NAICS 518200: computing infrastructure providers, data processing and web hosting):
| Occupation | Median, data center industry | Median, all industries | Jobs in industry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer user support specialists | $66,400 | $61,860 | 24,940 |
| Computer network support specialists | $76,310 | $76,220 | 7,380 |
| Network and computer systems administrators | $100,220 | $99,130 | 7,420 |
| Maintenance and repair workers, general | $68,760 | $49,590 | 1,210 |
Facilities technicians usually come from the trades. For comparison, BLS reports all-industry medians of $63,190 for electricians and $61,010 for heating, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics and installers in May 2025.
How to become a data center technician
- 1
Choose a track
Pick the IT track (servers, cabling, network hardware) or the facilities track (power and cooling). The IT track starts from help desk or hardware repair. The facilities track starts from the electrical or HVAC trades.
- 2
Learn the core skills
IT track: hardware troubleshooting, Linux basics, and layer 1 and 2 networking. Facilities track: electrical and mechanical systems, plus EPA 608 for refrigerant work.
- 3
Earn an entry certification
AWS lists CompTIA certifications, CCENT and Network+ as preferred qualifications for its data center technician roles. CompTIA A+ is the usual first step.
- 4
Get hands-on experience
AWS postings ask for 18 months to 2 years of server hardware troubleshooting and layer 1 and 2 networking experience. Microsoft Datacenter Academy partner colleges run datacenter labs, and eligible students can apply for internships or apprenticeships at Microsoft datacenters.
- 5
Apply for shift roles
Data centers run 24/7. Expect shift work with nights, weekends and holidays, and shifts longer than 8 hours.
Degree requirements vary by posting. One AWS posting lists a bachelor's degree in IT or computer science as a basic qualification. Another lists it as preferred and asks for 2 years of related experience.
Data center technician certifications
| Certification | Track | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| CompTIA A+ | IT track | Two exams: Core 1 (hardware, networking) and Core 2 (operating systems, security) |
| CompTIA Network+ | IT track | Exam N10-009. CompTIA recommends A+ and 9 to 12 months of network support work |
| CompTIA Server+ | IT track | Exam SK0-005, up to 90 questions in 90 minutes. CompTIA recommends A+ and two years in a server environment |
| EPA Section 608 | Facilities track | Required by law to maintain, service, repair or dispose of equipment that could release ozone-depleting refrigerants |
| OSHA 10 or 30 hour | Both tracks | Safety awareness course with a completion card. OSHA states it is voluntary and not a certification |
Data Center Technician FAQ
Sources
Employer pay ranges change as postings close. BLS data is May 2025. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
- Amazon: Data Center Technician, Wink TX, Canton and Vicksburg MS (job 10571637)
- Amazon: Data Center Technician, Hamlet NC (job 10505023)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national and NAICS 518200)
- Microsoft Datacenter Academy
- CompTIA A+
- CompTIA Network+
- CompTIA Server+
- U.S. EPA: Section 608 Technician Certification
- OSHA Outreach Training Program
Find data center technician jobs
See open technician roles at data center operators and their contractors, with pay where the employer lists it.