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You’re the go-to person in your family whenever someone has a question about their smartphone or trouble with their laptop. Growing up, you loved taking a peek inside your old desktop computer’s tower casing, staring in awe of the futuristic-looking internal components and wondering what each does. Computers have interested you since childhood, and that fascination has not faded as you’ve grown older. Now that you’re beginning to explore your potential career options, you might be strongly considering turning your interest in computers and technology into a viable career path. The good news is that there are a lot of options when it comes to information technology careers—the only challenge may be finding the right path for you. To help you get a better understanding of what’s out there, we’ll break down different types of IT job categories and then explore the details of nine common roles in IT. Types of IT jobs: Common focus areasInformation technology is a broad subject that houses a lot of specialized roles and expertise. These can be broken down into a few sub-groups:
It should be noted that the dividing lines between these focus areas aren’t always clear-cut, and many roles in IT may have significant overlap with multiple categories. For example, the programming skills used in software development can be applied to data analysis roles and knowledge of cyber security best practices is a key consideration for IT infrastructure planning. IT jobs: A closer look at 9 common IT rolesNow that we’ve covered some of the broader focus areas found under the domain of information technology, let’s dive into some of the specific job roles profiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics that you could potentially find yourself in as an IT professional. 1. Software developerSoftware developers (as well as the closely related quality assurance analysts and testers) are the tech professionals tasked with creating and modifying computer programs. They use a mix of programming and logical planning skills to write the code guiding how these programs work. Some may focus more on writing individual code components while others focus their time on the big picture work like mapping the needs of users and determining the core functionality needed to meet them. Additionally, they may spend time troubleshooting code and performing regular maintenance of a program. This career requires a mix of coding skills, logical planning ability, collaboration skills and creativity. Typical duties: 1
Projected employment growth (2020–2030): 22 percent.1 Median annual salary (2020): $110,140.1 2. Computer network architectsComputer network architects (sometimes called computer network engineers) design and build networks including local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs) and Intranets. These sorts of networks might be small connections between offices or large enterprise-scale networks. Someone in this role also works on any issues that arise within the network and anticipate future networking needs. Typical duties:1
Projected employment growth (2020–2030): 5 percent.1 Median annual salary (2020): $116,780.1 3. Computer support specialistsComputer support specialists are on the front lines of IT as they assist users with a wide variety of day-to-day issues—for example, trouble connecting to Wi-Fi, configuring a new workstation or troubleshooting issues connecting to the new printer. Additionally, they may assist network and systems administrators with larger-scale software or hardware rollouts. They are natural problem solvers and strong communicators who troubleshoot and evaluate computer problems promptly and efficiently, serving a critical role within any organization. Typical duties:1
Projected employment growth (2020–2030): 9 percent.1 Median annual salary (2020): $55,510.1 4. IT project managersIT project managers play a unique role in this field. They’re responsible for the planning, initiation and execution of complex IT projects and initiatives. To do this, they must serve as a bridge between the technical teams carrying out the work and the organizational stakeholders setting the overall vision and goals of a project. They help both sides understand the potential hurdles facing a project, create overall project plans for how this work will be completed and hold teams accountable for meeting deadlines and budgets. IT project managers have a strong blend of technical knowledge, organization ability and planning, problem-solving and communication skills. Typical duties: 2
Projected employment growth (2020–2030): 7–10 percent.2 Median annual salary (2020): $92,870.2 5. Web developersWeb developers and digital designers design, create and maintain websites. This role often falls into one of three categories: back-end developers, who work mainly with the technical construction of the website, front-end developers, who are responsible for the look and design of a website, and webmasters, who maintain and update websites—though many of these roles may blend together depending on the organization. This career calls on excellent coding, creativity and communication skills in order to create websites that meet the needs of users and organizations alike. Typical duties: 1
Projected employment growth (2020–2030): 13 percent.1 Median annual salary (2020): $77,200.1 6. Information security analystsA constantly evolving and critical position, an information security analyst protects an organization’s network and systems from security breaches and the potential fallout from them. These analysts work to create disaster recovery plans, conduct assessments of security threats, create plans remedying potential threats and keep a close eye on new and emerging threats in the industry. This role requires extensive knowledge of how hardware and software interface, their potential weaknesses and the ability to drive proactive change within an organization to address information security concerns. Typical duties:1
Projected employment growth (2020–2030): 33 percent.1 Median annual salary (2020): $103,590.1 7. Computer systems analystsComputer systems analysts, or systems architects, create new systems and procedures to optimize an organization’s computer needs. Computer systems analysts often have both a sophisticated understanding of IT and a strong background of industry-specific knowledge like healthcare, finance or marketing. For example, in a healthcare setting, a computer systems analyst may be tasked with modifying or designing a system used for storing and sharing patient medical records. That information may require special legal considerations, so analysts who understand the laws governing patient information and how this system will be used by providers are critically important. Typical duties:1
Projected employment growth (2020–2030): 7 percent.1 Median annual salary (2020): $93,730.1 8. Database administrators and architectsBusinesses and organizations generate and collect a massive amount of data in order to fuel their daily operations. Database administrators are the professionals who help store, secure and organize that data. They are tasked with building databases that logically store information in a way that works well with the systems that may access this information. They may also be responsible for data recovery efforts and creating data backups. Typical duties:1
Projected employment growth (2020–2030): 8 percent.1 Median annual salary (2020): $98,860.1 9. Network and computer systems administratorsNetwork and computer systems administrators are responsible for the upkeep of an organization’s networks. While a computer network architect’s work is typically more focused on designing an organization’s network, a network system administrator is more responsible for the day-to-day operation of those networks and ensuring they’re working as intended. Network systems administrators may provide direct user support or supervise computer support specialists. This role is often a logical next step in the career ladder for user support specialists, and their work typically focuses on a larger scale or more complex network issues. Typical duties:1
Projected employment growth (2020–2030): 5 percent.1 Median annual salary (2020): $84,810.1 Ready to take the next step toward an IT career?Launching a career in information technology might just be the perfect move for you. IT infrastructure and the professionals associated with it are a critical piece of the puzzle for a huge variety of businesses and organizations, and that’s unlikely to change any time soon. Now that you’ve learned more about some of the different types of IT jobs out there, are you ready to equip yourself with the education needed to get an IT career started? No matter your education or existing career experience, the Rasmussen University School of Technology offers a variety of online education programs that can help set you up for success. Visit the School of Technology programs page to learn more about these offerings. 1Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, [accessed February 2022] www.bls.gov/ooh/. Information represents national, averaged data for the occupations listed and includes workers at all levels of education and experience. This data does not represent starting salaries. Employment conditions in your area may vary. |