Working in information technologies can be a lucrative and rewarding career, especially as society continues to advance in computer development. As more companies move towards virtual interfaces for customers, improved computer systems in the workplace, and more sophisticated data storage, IT jobs in higher demand.
If you are considering a career in IT management, IT support, or other computer and information technologies positions, you may be wondering what is required and the average salary of a computer job in your area. Below, you’ll find information about IT careers, IT requirements, wages, work environment, and more.
Top 5 Tasks Performed
- Install, configure, and monitor computer hardware, software, and networks
- Perform system maintenance
- Provide technical support for users
- Solve technical problems involving hardware, software, network, and cloud-based issues
- Upgrading outdated systems to improve performance and providing training on new systems
Work Environment
IT specialists and IT support are a necessary part of almost any company today. Information technology jobs are needed across industries, which means that the work environment you can expect will vary greatly. You may find positions available in large manufacturing facilities, doctor’s offices, universities, among other businesses. Some key characteristics that many employers will look for in an IT specialist include attention to detail, organization, problem-solving abilities, and creativity, to name a few.
Job Outlook
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the computer and information technologies industry is growing faster than any other industry average. It is expected to see a growth of 11% by the year 2029. According to the BLS, the increasing need for cloud-information storage and IT support will see an estimated 513,200 jobs added.
How to Become an IT Specialist
In order to get an IT job, you will need an Associate’s Degree or a Bachelor’s Degree or certificate in Information Technologies or Computer Sciences. As the industry grows, employers may be more inclined to require higher levels of training than they have in the past to stay competitive. Although some employers may make exceptions to this, it is best to obtain an information technology degree to ensure your position.
You will also need a variety of certifications. Although not all employers will require these, certifications are a great way to communicate your expertise to employers. Some beneficial certifications include CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional), SSCP (Systems Security Certified Practitioner), CCSP (Certified Cloud Security Professional), and CAP (Certified Authorization Professional). Find more possible certifications for computer jobs at ISC2.org.
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Software Engineer
- IT Technician
- Information Systems Technician
- Systems Coordinator
- Technical Services Coordinator
- Information Security Analyst
- IT Manager
- Network Manager
- Database Analyst
- Technical Support Specialist
- Computer Technician
- Technical Service Engineer
- IT Auditor
- Network Coordinator
- IT Coordinator
- Information Systems Coordinator
- Chief Information Officer (CIO)
- Chief Information Security Officer
- Cloud Software and Network Engineer
- Computer and Information Systems Manager
- Telecommunications Specialist
Salary Trend
This chart demonstrates the continual increase in annual wages for computer jobs across April 2018 through April 2020. Since the year 2006, IT salaries have increased by almost 21%.
Chart from: https://www.payscale.com/payscale-index/job-categories/information-technology-jobs
Average Salaries Across the Country
- Alabama
- Ranking: 22
- Hourly Wage: $39.36
- Annual Salary: $81,870
- Alaska
- Ranking: 23
- Hourly Wage: $39.34
- Annual Salary: $81,820
- Arizona
- Ranking: 21
- Hourly Wage: $39.87
- Annual Salary: $82,940
- Arkansas
- Ranking: 45
- Hourly Wage: $32.87
- Annual Salary: $68,360
- California
- Ranking: 3
- Hourly Wage: $50.66
- Annual Salary: $105,380
- Colorado
- Ranking: 9
- Hourly Wage: $45.79
- Annual Salary: $95,240
- Connecticut
- Ranking: 11
- Hourly Wage: $44.11
- Annual Salary: $91,740
- Delaware
- Ranking: 10
- Hourly Wage: $44.54
- Annual Salary: $92,630
- District of Columbia
- Ranking: 2
- Hourly Wage: $51.34
- Annual Salary: $106,790
- Florida
- Ranking: 32
- Hourly Wage: $36.74
- Annual Salary: $76,420
- Georgia
- Ranking: 17
- Hourly Wage: $41.29
- Annual Salary: $85,890
- Hawaii
- Ranking: 26
- Hourly Wage: $38.36
- Annual Salary: $79,790
- Idaho
- Ranking: 41
- Hourly Wage: $33.76
- Annual Salary: $70,210
- Illinois
- Ranking: 14
- Hourly Wage: $41.74
- Annual Salary: $86,820
- Indiana
- Ranking: 40
- Hourly Wage: $34.93
- Annual Salary: $72,660
- Iowa
- Ranking: 31
- Hourly Wage: $36.87
- Annual Salary: $76,700
- Kansas
- Ranking: 37
- Hourly Wage: $35.59
- Annual Salary: $74,020
- Kentucky
- Ranking: 44
- Hourly Wage: $33.07
- Annual Salary: $68,790
- Louisiana
- Ranking: 51
- Hourly Wage: $30.63
- Annual Salary: $63,700
- Maine
- Ranking: 34
- Hourly Wage: $35.98
- Annual Salary:$74,830
- Maryland
- Ranking: 6
- Hourly Wage: $47.60
- Annual Salary: $99,010
- Massachusetts
- Ranking: 7
- Hourly Wage: $46.83
- Annual Salary: $96,470
- Michigan
- Ranking: 27
- Hourly Wage: $37.89
- Annual Salary: $78,810
- Minnesota
- Ranking: 15
- Hourly Wage: $41.69
- Annual Salary: $86,710
- Mississippi
- Ranking: 46
- Hourly Wage: $32.61
- Annual Salary: $67,820
- Missouri
- Ranking: 28
- Hourly Wage: $37.83
- Annual Salary: $78,690
- Montana
- Ranking: 50
- Hourly Wage: $30.63
- Annual Salary:$63,720
- Nebraska
- Ranking: 33
- Hourly Wage: $36.33
- Annual Salary: $75,570
- Nevada
- Ranking: 30
- Hourly Wage: $36.93
- Annual Salary: $76,820
- New Hampshire
- Ranking: 13
- Hourly Wage: $42.43
- Annual Salary: $88,260
- New Jersey
- Ranking: 5
- Hourly Wage: $48.43
- Annual Salary: $100,540
- New Mexico
- Ranking: 29
- Hourly Wage: $37.62
- Annual Salary: $78,240
- New York
- Ranking: 8
- Hourly Wage: $45.85
- Annual Salary: $95,370
- North Carolina
- Ranking: 16
- Hourly Wage: $41.53
- Annual Salary: $86,380
- North Dakota
- Ranking: 47
- Hourly Wage: $31.92
- Annual Salary: $66,390
- Ohio
- Ranking: 24
- Hourly Wage: $38.79
- Annual Salary: $80,690
- Oklahoma
- Ranking: 43
- Hourly Wage: $33.44
- Annual Salary: $69,560
- Oregon
- Ranking: 18
- Hourly Wage: $41.23
- Annual Salary: $85,750
- Pennsylvania
- Ranking: 20
- Hourly Wage: $39.93
- Annual Salary: $83,060
- Rhode Island
- Ranking: 19
- Hourly Wage: $41.08
- Annual Salary: $85,450
- South Carolina
- Ranking: 39
- Hourly Wage: $34.94
- Annual Salary: $72,680
- South Dakota
- Ranking: 49
- Hourly Wage: $30.78
- Annual Salary: $64,020
- Tennessee
- Ranking: 36
- Hourly Wage: $35.60
- Annual Salary: $74,050
- Texas
- Ranking: 12
- Hourly Wage: $43.00
- Annual Salary: $89,450
- Utah
- Ranking: 25
- Hourly Wage: $38.77
- Annual Salary: $80,650
- Vermont
- Ranking: 38
- Hourly Wage: $35.25
- Annual Salary: $73,330
- Virginia
- Ranking: 4
- Hourly Wage: $48.47
- Annual Salary: $100,830
- Washington
- Ranking: 1
- Hourly Wage: $51.45
- Annual Salary: $107,020
- West Virginia
- Ranking: 42
- Hourly Wage: $33.53
- Annual Salary: $69,750
- Wisconsin
- Ranking: 35
- Hourly Wage: $35.82
- Annual Salary: $74,520
- Wyoming
- Ranking: 48
- Hourly Wage: $30.79
- Annual Salary: $64,030
Factors that can influence salary
Although the numbers listed for each state represent many IT jobs as of May 2019, many factors can individually influence salary for information technology jobs.
- Experience
- Entry-level IT jobs start at approximately $47-50k for the first five years.
- Mid-level IT specialists with 5-10 years of experience often have an annual salary of $60-$70k.
- Experienced IT professionals with 10+ years of experience can earn salaries ranging from $70k to $100k plus benefits.
- Industry
- Another influence on the projected salary is the industry. Major corporations will pay differently than healthcare organizations.
- Location
- Washington State, DC, and California have the highest mean income for IT jobs in the country with average salaries over $100,000. Meanwhile, more rural states like Louisiana and Montana see average; IT careers salaries closer to $60,000.
- Education
- As with many careers, the more qualifications a person has, the higher pay they can receive in their position. IT Jobs often pay more for certified IT specialists with degrees in computer science or information technologies.
Average Salary of Jobs with Related Titles
Before you decide which information technology jobs are best for you, it may be wise to assess the salaries of similar fields of work. Below is a list of ten job titles in similar industries to demonstrate the wide range of specializations you can achieve when pursuing an IT career. This list is not exhaustive, as every industry has a variety of possible IT career opportunities in development.
- Software Engineer
- $107,380.00
- IT Support
- $43,865.00
- Information Technology Manager
- $101,049.00
- Data Engineer
- $166,500.00
- Mobile Applications Developer
- $135,750.00
- Data Architect
- $145,500.00
- Help Desk Analyst
- $42,357.00
- Technical Support
- $41,366.00
- Systems Administrator
- $84,348.00
- IT Manager
- $89,801.00
Learn More About IT Jobs
Deciding on a promising career can be challenging; however, the demand for IT careers is growing rapidly as companies continue to find ways to expand. Data gathering and analysis, custom software development, cloud management, and more are vital aspects in almost every major industry today. For more information on starting your IT job career, visit the following websites:
- www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/home.htm – The Bureau of Labor Statistics is full of information on any computer and information technology careers. Find details on including salary, education, requirements, and more.
- www.roberthalf.com – A staffing agency that operates in many countries across the globe. Robert Half can give you insight into what employers are looking for in an IT specialist and help you find the right computer job for your talents.
- www.isc2.org/Certifications# – ISC2 is an excellent place to start looking for ways to bolster your skills and make yourself a better candidate for the IT career you want. This website provides a comprehensive list of valuable IT certifications to attain.
- www.Indeed.com – Indeed is an excellent tool for learning more about your career path. This website can help narrow IT job salary information down by region and match you with employers in your area. Additionally, Indeed.com has ample resources for learning what employers are looking for in information technology hires.
The more you know about your industry and the job market you’re going into, the more you can equip yourself with the tools you need to succeed. Get your IT career started on the right path by building a solid resume and knowing your area’s average salaries and across the U.S.