By Sarah Stewart, President, MSP Hire · Updated November 2026
L1, L2, and L3 are the three escalation tiers of an MSP's support team. L1 technicians are the front line who take in and resolve common issues. L2 technicians troubleshoot the problems L1 escalates. L3 engineers own critical escalations, infrastructure design, and major projects. There's no industry-wide standard for where each tier starts and stops, so every MSP draws the lines a little differently. That's exactly why writing them down matters before you hire.
We run searches for MSPs across North America every month, and one of the most common reasons a technical hire doesn't work out is a mismatch between the level the MSP needed and the level the job ad described, not a lack of skill. This guide sets out how we define each tier, the skills to look for, what each level typically earns, and how to hire for it.
L1, L2, and L3 at a glance
| L1: The Front Line | L2: The Problem Solver | L3: The Engineer & Strategist | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary focus | Intake, triage, and basic issue resolution | Deeper troubleshooting and resolution | Architecture, critical escalations, and long-term solutions |
| Typical work | Calls, emails, and tickets; first troubleshooting; documented fixes; clean escalations | Escalated tickets; complex desktop, application, and network issues; smaller projects | Outages; infrastructure and network design; migrations; technical standards; mentoring |
| Not their job | Deep infrastructure work, advanced server or network troubleshooting, projects | Constant firefighting of basic issues; sole ownership of critical infrastructure decisions | Password resets, routine workstation issues, undocumented escalations |
| Success metric | Speed, accuracy, and client communication | Quality of resolution and fewer repeat issues | Stability, scalability, and strategic impact |
| Closest BLS occupation | Computer user support specialists | Computer network support specialists | Network and computer systems administrators |
| US median pay (BLS, May 2025) | $61,860 | $76,220 | $99,130 |
BLS doesn't classify jobs by MSP tier, so the occupation match is an approximation. See the pay section for details.
Level 1 (L1): The Front Line
L1 technicians are the client's first point of contact. Their job is to stabilize issues quickly, resolve the common problems, and make sure the client has a smooth experience, even when the fix belongs to someone else.
Typical responsibilities
- Answer incoming calls, emails, and tickets
- Perform initial troubleshooting and identify the issue
- Resolve common, well-documented issues using SOPs and the knowledge base
- Escalate with clear documentation, so L2 doesn't start from zero
Skills to look for
- Clear, calm communication with frustrated users. This matters more at L1 than at any other tier.
- Comfort with a ticketing or PSA system and remote support tools
- Windows and Microsoft 365 user support: accounts, passwords, email, basic device issues
- The discipline to follow a process and document every ticket
Certifications commonly seen (not required): CompTIA A+.
What success looks like: a strong L1 reduces noise for the rest of the team and sets the tone for client satisfaction.
Level 2 (L2): The Problem Solver
L2 technicians handle issues that need experience, analysis, and a broader understanding of each client's environment. They bridge day-to-day support and advanced engineering.
Typical responsibilities
- Troubleshoot tickets escalated from L1
- Resolve complex desktop, application, and network issues
- Spot recurring problems and propose permanent fixes
- Update documentation and SOPs
- Assist with smaller projects and implementations
Skills to look for
- Structured troubleshooting across devices, applications, and networks
- Active Directory or Entra ID, Group Policy, and Microsoft 365 administration
- Networking fundamentals: DNS, DHCP, VLANs, VPNs, and firewall basics
- The habit of fixing root causes, not just symptoms
Certifications commonly seen (not required): CompTIA Network+ and Security+, Microsoft 365 administrator credentials.
What success looks like: better resolutions, efficient ticket handling, and fewer repeat issues.
Level 3 (L3): The Engineer & Strategist
L3 engineers are an MSP's most senior technical resource. Their time should be protected and spent deliberately.
Typical responsibilities
- Handle critical escalations and complex outages
- Design and maintain infrastructure and network architecture
- Lead major projects and migrations
- Make technical decisions and set standards
- Mentor L1 and L2 technicians
Skills to look for
- Server, virtualization, and cloud infrastructure (for example Azure and Microsoft 365 tenants at scale)
- Network design and security: firewalls, routing, switching, and site-to-site connectivity
- Project ownership, from scoping through cutover
- The ability to explain technical trade-offs to clients and to junior technicians
Certifications commonly seen (not required): Cisco CCNA or CCNP, Microsoft Azure Administrator or Solutions Architect.
What success looks like: stable, scalable client environments, and projects that move the business forward.
What L1, L2, and L3 technicians earn
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) doesn't track MSP tiers. Its closest occupations line up well with the work each tier does, and these are the national medians as of May 2025:
| MSP tier | Closest BLS occupation | National median pay |
|---|---|---|
| L1 | Computer user support specialists | $61,860 |
| L2 | Computer network support specialists | $76,220 |
| L3 | Network and computer systems administrators | $99,130 |
| Senior / architect | Computer network architects | $134,050 |
Three things to keep in mind:
- These are national medians across all employers, including large enterprises and government. Pay varies with your local market, the client mix you support, and on-call expectations.
- Titles don't map one-to-one. An "L2" at a 10-person MSP may carry L3 responsibilities, and the pay should follow the responsibilities, not the label.
- Demand isn't easing. BLS projects about 280,000 openings a year across computer and IT occupations through 2035. Under-pricing a role usually costs more in a longer search than it saves in salary.
When a ticket should move up a tier
Clear escalation rules protect every tier. A practical baseline:
- L1 → L2 when the issue isn't covered by an SOP or knowledge base article, or it isn't resolved within your first-response target. The escalation should include what was tried, what was observed, and how to reach the user.
- L2 → L3 when the issue affects infrastructure, multiple users or sites, or security, or when the fix requires a design decision rather than a repair.
- Back down a tier when a fix becomes routine: L3 documents it, L2 owns it, and eventually it becomes an L1 SOP.
What happens when the lines blur
When roles aren't defined, the costs show up fast:
- L3s get pulled into password resets and printer jams, and their strategic projects stall.
- L1s and L2s get thrown into problems they aren't supported for, which drives stress and turnover.
- Tickets bounce between tiers and billable hours suffer.
- Career paths become a mystery, so technicians start looking elsewhere.
- Clients notice slower, inconsistent support.
We cover this in more detail in What Happens When You Ignore L1, L2, and L3 Role Definitions.
Hiring for each tier
The MSPs that hire best don't just ask for "someone with this or that experience." Before a search starts, they define three things:
- Where responsibility starts and stops for the role, using the "not their job" row in the table above.
- What success looks like, using the success metric for that tier.
- How the technician can grow, from L1 to L2 to L3.
Put those three things in the job ad and the right candidates self-select in, and the wrong ones self-select out. See How to Create a Job Description That Will Help Attract Top Talent for the rest of the ad.
At MSP Hire, every applicant at every tier goes through the same 5-point screen: resume review, a non-technical email interview, cognitive and psychometric assessments, and an in-depth video interview. What changes by tier is what we listen for. Communication and process discipline matter most for L1, troubleshooting depth for L2, and design judgment and leadership for L3.
Frequently asked questions
What does L1, L2, and L3 mean in IT support? They're escalation tiers. L1 is the front line that takes in and resolves common issues, L2 handles escalated and more complex troubleshooting, and L3 handles critical escalations, infrastructure design, and major projects.
Is there an official standard for L1, L2, and L3? No. Tiered support is common practice, but no industry standard defines exactly where each tier starts and stops. Every MSP draws the lines a little differently, so they should be written down for each role.
How much do L1, L2, and L3 technicians make? BLS doesn't track MSP tiers. The closest occupations had national median pay in May 2025 of $61,860 for computer user support specialists (L1), $76,220 for computer network support specialists (L2), and $99,130 for network and computer systems administrators (L3).
Can one technician cover more than one tier? At smaller MSPs, often yes, and that's fine as long as it's deliberate. Define which tier the role is primarily accountable for, and pay and evaluate the person for the highest tier of work they regularly own.
What's the difference between an L2 and an L3 technician? L2 resolves complex issues within existing systems. L3 owns the systems themselves: their design, their standards, and the projects that change them. L3 is also responsible for mentoring L1 and L2.
Related: Why Clear L1, L2, and L3 Definitions Matter More Than You Think · Open MSP roles