Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST)
UK
The table below provides summary statistics for contract job vacancies with a requirement for MCDST qualifications. It includes a benchmarking guide to the contractor rates offered over the 6 months leading up to 17 September 2025, comparing them to the same period in the previous two years.
| 6 months to 17 Sep 2025 |
Same period 2024 | Same period 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | 556 | 572 | 634 |
| Rank change year-on-year | +16 | +62 | +221 |
| Contract jobs citing MCDST | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| As % of all contract jobs advertised in the UK | 0.009% | 0.003% | 0.010% |
| As % of the Qualifications category | 0.029% | 0.009% | 0.036% |
| Number of daily rates quoted | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| 10th Percentile | £116 | - | £124 |
| 25th Percentile | £118 | - | £127 |
| Median daily rate (50th Percentile) | £140 | £225 | £138 |
| Median % change year-on-year | -37.78% | +63.64% | -31.25% |
| 75th Percentile | £161 | - | £150 |
| 90th Percentile | £162 | - | £152 |
| UK excluding London median daily rate | £140 | £225 | £138 |
| % change year-on-year | -37.78% | +63.64% | -31.25% |
| Number of hourly rates quoted | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Median hourly rate | - | - | £18.00 |
| UK excluding London median hourly rate | - | - | - |
All Academic and Professional Certifications
UK
MCDST falls under the Academic Qualifications and Professional Certifications category. For comparison with the information above, the following table provides summary statistics for all contract job vacancies requiring academic qualifications or professional certifications.
| Contract vacancies requiring academic qualifications or professional certifications | 10,344 | 11,188 | 13,953 |
| As % of all contract IT jobs advertised in the UK | 31.40% | 29.26% | 28.13% |
| Number of daily rates quoted | 6,455 | 6,894 | 9,010 |
| 10th Percentile | £300 | £313 | £325 |
| 25th Percentile | £413 | £425 | £440 |
| Median daily rate (50th Percentile) | £525 | £525 | £550 |
| Median % change year-on-year | - | -4.55% | - |
| 75th Percentile | £625 | £638 | £650 |
| 90th Percentile | £707 | £725 | £738 |
| UK excluding London median daily rate | £500 | £525 | £525 |
| % change year-on-year | -4.76% | - | +2.44% |
| Number of hourly rates quoted | 831 | 654 | 726 |
| 10th Percentile | £17.87 | £17.00 | £16.42 |
| 25th Percentile | £18.87 | £24.18 | £26.00 |
| Median hourly rate | £25.15 | £49.50 | £54.44 |
| Median % change year-on-year | -49.19% | -9.08% | +20.98% |
| 75th Percentile | £45.00 | £68.00 | £69.91 |
| 90th Percentile | £71.00 | £76.00 | £78.36 |
| UK excluding London median hourly rate | £25.15 | £52.50 | £51.90 |
| % change year-on-year | -52.10% | +1.16% | +16.21% |
MCDST
Job Vacancy Trend
Job postings citing MCDST as a proportion of all IT jobs advertised.
MCDST
Daily Rate Trend
Contractor daily rate distribution trend for jobs in the UK citing MCDST.
MCDST
Hourly Rate Trend
Contractor hourly rate distribution trend for jobs in the UK citing MCDST.
MCDST
Top 4 Contract Job Locations
The table below looks at the demand and provides a guide to the median contractor rates quoted in IT jobs citing MCDST within the UK over the 6 months to 17 September 2025. The 'Rank Change' column provides an indication of the change in demand within each location based on the same 6 month period last year.
| Location | Rank Change on Same Period Last Year |
Matching Contract IT Job Ads |
Median Daily Rate Past 6 Months |
Median Daily Rate % Change on Same Period Last Year |
Live Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| England | +34 | 3 | £140 | -37.78% | 8 |
| UK excluding London | +2 | 3 | £140 | -37.78% | 7 |
| Midlands | - | 3 | £140 | - | 1 |
| West Midlands | - | 3 | £140 | - | 1 |
MCDST
Co-occurring Skills and Capabilities by Category
The follow tables expand on the table above by listing co-occurrences grouped by category. The same employment type, locality and period is covered with up to 20 co-occurrences shown in each of the following categories: