The Information Technology field is wide and varied, as are IT careers and what they pay.
And best of all, the field is expanding. According the federal government, the number of available jobs is rising every year, faster than most other fields.A new graduate of Bryant & Stratton College’s Networking Technology or Security Technology associate’s degree programs will likely begin their career manning the IT desk at a company. There, they keep the computer systems running and help other employees who do not have extended IT background, fix any problems they experience using the system.
These jobs often mean working odd hours, weekends and holidays since the computer systems need to be on and functioning 24 hours a day:
- IT Help Desk Technician
- Web Administrator
The great benefit to growing a career in information technology is that there is plenty of room in the IT career path to move upward.
More experience and more time in the classroom can quickly lead to more responsibility and better pay. IT techs can often move on to work with a company’s database, become responsible for protecting the company from cyberattacks as an information security analyst or write code to create software programs. Each of these positions comes with a substantial rise in pay. Some examples of these jobs include:
- Network Administrator
- Database Administrator
- Information Security Analyst
Experts in the IT field who earn a doctoral degree can earn coveted positions as computer and information research scientists, a field whose median pay is roughly $100,000 a year, according to the US. Department of Labor.
Each of the IT jobs researched by the Department of Labor is growing faster than other careers. The department also reports that employees who put in the time to master the field will do well. Many of the available jobs in IT go unfilled because employers have a hard time finding workers with the skills needed for the position.
Basic facts for Computer and Information Technology, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (for 2015, the last available data)
Job Title: Computer Support Specialist
Median Pay: $ 51,470 per year ($24.75 per hour)
Number of jobs: 766,900
Rate of job growth: 12 percent
What will you study: Education requirements for IT jobs differ depending on the job. Entry level positions may only require applicants to hold an associate’s degree. Large software companies and more technical positions may require a bachelor’s degree and several years of experience.
Growth Opportunities: The nature of the IT business is changing technology. Because of this, many computer support specialists continue their education through their entire career. Also, more experience, more exposure to different systems and the ability to master the technology means employees can advance through the rank, even without an advanced degree.
Professional Resources: To learn more about careers in information technology, check out these professional associations. Each of these organizations can help you find information, connect with mentors and research job opportunities.
