Salaries for Information Technology Management
Learn how much you could make with your IT management training.
The demand for technology workers with information technology management training is at an all-time high, and shows no sign of letting up. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects occupational growth in the next decade of 18 percent for computer and information systems managers.
As businesses become ever more reliant on information technology to increase productivity, the role of information technology managers from mid-level project managers to top-level executives has become centrally important to a company's bottom line, and rising salaries reflect this.
The Front Lines
Education
A bachelor's degree is usually required for information technology management positions, although employers often prefer additional information technology management training, such as a master's degree in a computer-related field or an MBA with a technology component.
Salary
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2012-13 Occupational Outlook Handbook, the median national annual salary for computer and information systems managers is $115,780. Actual salaries may vary greatly based on specialization within the field, location, years of experience and a variety of other factors.
Promotions and Career Path
Companies often fill management positions from within their organizations by promoting their own experienced and ambitious IT workers. By doing this, businesses invest in the proven competency of their best employees, enhancing company loyalty and strengthening the organizational and team dynamics that these employees already understand.
The Top IT Management Executives
Education
Although a bachelor's degree is a minimum prerequisite for top management positions, more commonly executive IT managers have an MBA with a technology focus, giving them expertise in both information technology and business concepts. Others seeking senior information technology management positions have a degree in management information systems (MIS), which combines technology studies with business, accounting and communication.
Salary
Top executives such as the Chief Information Officer (CIO), Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) are among the highest paid US workers, which is not surprising given the central importance of their roles in company performance:
According to Salary.com's May 2012 salary survey, the median national annual salary for a chief information technology officer is is $230,909. Chief information security officers earned a median annual salary of $166,544. Actual salaries may vary greatly based on specialization within the field, location, years of experience and a variety of other factors.
