A career in Information Technology (IT) Management can be a rewarding pursuit for the manager interested in the growing world of technology and how it affects the life of an organization. Like most technical positions, the role of IT Manager requires a high level of education as the IT Manager's responsibilities span from oversight on all software, systems, and communications, to managing a staff of IT specialists, to being able to communicate and even train non-technical employees of systems put in place to assist the organization in being efficient.
How Much an IT Manager Can Expect to Earn
An IT Manager will often begin their education while pursuing an undergraduate degree in a computer or information science field of study. This degree will offer foundational courses in mathematics, programming, coding, and internet security. The next step may be to pursue a Master's in Information Systems or an MBA in IT Management. With a combination of high demand from employers and higher level of education for many management positions, the expected salary for the role of IT Manager is a promising one. While the median annual wage for Computer and Information Systems Manager was more than $135,000 in 2016, positions of similar roles faired between $150,000 and $37,000 depending on certain variables. One of the nation's best online Master's in IT Management is delivered at the College of Computer and Information Sciences at Regis University. This 100% online MS in IT Management program has been designed to take "technology out of the classroom and into the real world, assessing the impact of technology, defining the role of information literacy in decision-making, and making the most of information technologies for productivity and the improvement of local and global societies. The ITM program is ideal for organizations that employ IT leaders, and individuals who want to expand their information technology knowledge and move into IT leadership positions within an organization."
How Education Affects Salary
Some positions that future IT Managers began their career with include computer support specialists, security analysts, or network analysts and architects. The natural flow for many IT Managers involves understanding the technical components of systems within an organization before moving on to seek a higher education in management. While some computer support specialist's duties include working with individuals and businesses to troubleshoot and advise over how to properly utilize a software for personal or commercial use, the salary for such a position is just over $50,000 but does not require a graduate's degree. When getting into positions like Information Security Analysts and Database Administrator, there is a definite increase in pay due to the additional training required of these positions. These positions usually include annual salaries of over $80,000.
Further Advancement for IT Managers
As IT Management will continue to grow, threats to IT security will unfortunately be a determent to the usage and storage of data that many of the world's corporations are responsible for. With a growing industry will come the need for mangers with growing responsibilities. This will result in IT Managers who will promote into general management over full teams and divisions within an organization. These divisions could include both technical and non-technical teams alike. With these developments, an IT Manager may want to consider a an education beyond even a Master's of Business Administration and into executive training that can result in a position as Chief Technology Officer.