Managed IT · compared
Managed IT vs. In-House IT vs. Break-Fix: What Each Really Costs
Three ways to handle a business’s technology: hire someone, pay per problem or hand it to a managed IT team. Here’s what each costs and covers, with U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics pay data, as of October 2026.
Also searched as: in-house IT cost · IT employee cost · break-fix vs managed IT · outsourced vs in-house IT
The short answer
One in-house IT support specialist costs about $88,400 a year with benefits and brings one person’s skills during one person’s hours. Break-fix costs nothing until something breaks, then costs downtime plus the bill. Managed IT costs $750 to $10,000 a month depending on your size, and brings a whole team’s skills with someone always in charge.
Yearly cost compared
Plans: starting monthly price × 12. Employees: U.S. median pay (May 2025) plus benefits, which make up about 30% of an employee’s total cost, before recruiting, training, tools and turnover. As of October 2026.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: computer user support specialists, median pay, May 2025, $61,860; computer network support specialists, median pay, May 2025, $76,220; network and computer systems administrators, median pay, May 2025, $99,130. Benefits: Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, June 2026, 30% of private-industry compensation.
Side by side
| Managed IT with us | One in-house IT person | Break-fix (pay per problem) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Predictable monthly cost | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Covered during vacations and sick days | ✓ | — | Partly |
| Website, CRM and software skills | ✓ | Partly | Partly |
| Security and backups kept up before problems happen | ✓ | Partly | — |
| AI and automation | ✓ | Partly | — |
| Someone on site every day | — | ✓ | — |
| Documentation if someone leaves | ✓ | Partly | — |
| Hiring, training and turnover | Our job | Yours | Not needed |
| Typical yearly cost | $9,000 to $120,000 | About $88,400 and up | Varies with every problem |
When hiring in-house makes sense
- You need someone physically present every day
- You run specialized systems that need constant hands-on care
- You’re large enough for a full IT team, and even then co-managed IT can cover the gaps
When break-fix is enough
- A very small team with simple needs and few accounts
- You’re comfortable paying when things break
- You already know where every login and account lives
For one-off problems, see fast fixes and Remote Help.
Questions
How much does an in-house IT person cost?
In the U.S., the median pay for computer user support specialists was $61,860 in May 2025, and network and computer systems administrators earned a median of $99,130. Benefits add about 43% on top of pay, so one support specialist costs a business about $88,400 a year before recruiting, training and tools.
Is managed IT cheaper than hiring?
For most small and mid-sized businesses, yes. Our largest plan starts at $90,000 a year, close to what one IT support specialist costs with benefits, and even at its top it costs less than one systems administrator, while covering a whole team’s skills.
When is break-fix enough?
For a very small team with simple needs, paying per problem can be fine. The catch is that nobody looks after things in between, so problems are found when they break. If that’s you, our fast fixes and Remote Help are there when you need them.
Can managed IT work alongside our IT staff?
Yes. Co-managed IT keeps your staff focused on the work only they can do, while we handle the rest and cover vacations and sick days.
Get a free tech audit
Tell us about your team and your tech. We reply within one business day to set up a free tech audit, then send a plan and a fixed monthly price.
- A plain-English report on what you have and what needs attention
- A fixed monthly price, with no hourly bills for everyday help
- Every account stays in your company’s name
- Remote first, with on-site visits across much of Wisconsin
Rather talk it through? Call us