IT Careers Explained
For each IT field, we’ll tell you what it takes to get in and what it pays.
Before the computer age, the field of Information Technology was pretty much limited to what was inside books – to what could be written down and published.
Today we take information and process it, convert it, transmit it, store it, retrieve it, secure it, and interact with it – all from the comfort of our desktops.
With the proliferation of computers and the Internet, just about every company you can think of needs I.T. professionals.
Have you ever asked yourself, “How can I turn my computer skills into a career?”
Consider the amazing number of possibilities in the world of Information Technology.
Web Developer
Web Developer is a fancy title for someone who creates and designs websites. As Web professionals refine their technical skills, they may also administer, manage, and protect these sites.
The U.S. Department of Labor expects that, by 2016, the 30,000+ Web development companies already doing business in the U.S. will grow by another 37%. That makes it an industry with an urgent need for more people to build, program, administer, and service all these sites.
Training
You’d do well to nurture your art and design skills for this career. There are plenty of graphic design and website software solutions to be found on store shelves. But to really improve your chances, look for certificate courses and associate’s degree programs. Web jobs in the corporate world may demand a computer-related bachelor’s degree.
Pay
Robert Half International, a firm providing specialized staffing services revealed some salary ranges for careers focused on Web development. Here’s a sample:
Web Designer: $47,000-$71,500
Web Administrator: $49,750-$74,750
Web Developer: $54,750-$81,500
Senior Web Developer: $71,000-$102,000
Who’s Hiring?
Web development companies, advertising agencies, graphic design firms.
Programming and Applications
Programmers write and maintain the software that keeps our machines humming, and they do it in all kinds of settings. From corporate information technology departments to consulting companies to banks to governments, there continues to be a demand for people who know how to make our computers obey our commands.
Programmers usually work in offices but, if doing the job from home is your idea of great working conditions, telecommuting is becoming increasingly common in this field.
Training
Bachelor’s degrees are common among most programmers but, for some positions, a two-year degree or certificate is all that’s required.
Pay
As of May 2006, the U.S. Department of Labor pegged median annual earnings for computer programmers at $65,510.
Who’s Hiring?
Mid-size and large corporations, management companies, insurance companies, consulting companies, software companies, software service firms, multimedia companies, client/server companies.
Networking
In this world, you design, test, and evaluate network systems. Some systems, like the Internet and data communications systems, are already familiar to you. But there are plenty of others – local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), and intranets – and they’ll all be looking to staff up.
Training
Most employers want applicants to have bachelor’s degrees in computer science, information science, or management information systems.
Pay
According to 2006 U.S. Department of Labor figures, median annual earnings for network systems and data communication analysts were $64,600. Robert Half International firm supplements that figure with salary ranges for some Network System positions:
Network Architect: $78,000-$112,250
Network Manager: $68,750-$93,000
LAN/WAN Administrator: $51,000-$71,500
Who’s Hiring?
Telecommunications companies, internet service providers; Web search portals, data processing departments, Webhosting firms, governments at all levels, manufacturers of computer and electronic products, insurance companies, financial institutions, and universities.
Information Sciences and Systems
This field is all about collecting, analyzing, and disseminating knowledge. The goal is to improve the way people use information. It also focuses on the interaction between human beings and computers.
Training
Courses in computer science or systems design offer good preparation for a job in these occupations. Most community colleges and many independent technical institutes offer an associate’s degree in computer science or a related information technology field.
Pay
The U.S. Department of Labor found that median annual earnings for computer and information research scientists were $93,950 in May 2006.
Who’s Hiring?
Fortune 500 companies, educational institutions, research libraries, financial services companies, purchasing and supply firms, computer services firms.
Health Information
If you’ve been listening to the health care debate, you might have heard health information identified as a field that’s vital not only for controlling costs but for improving health care. Here, the job is to collect, maintain, and safeguard the data that doctors collect about patients.
And, as the health care field has expanded, the health information specialty has also experienced explosive growth.
This field is not just about statistics. It’s got a vital purpose: to safeguard the health and privacy of patients.
Training
Professionals in this field need certification. There are two. A Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) needs an associate’s degree. A Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) requires a bachelor’s degree.
Pay
Salaries for health information administrators range from $69,848-$117,987.
Who’s Hiring?
Doctors’ offices, hospitals, clinics, HMOs, health insurance companies, health research organizations.
Database
This field is, predictably enough, all about managing data. Information gets stored in gigantic computerized file cabinets called databases. The job of a database administrator is not only to bring more data into the system, but to improve the way it gets stored and to troubleshoot problems.
Training
Most employers want database administrators to have bachelor’s degrees in computer science, information science, or management information systems (MIS).
But, job seekers can enhance their employment prospects by earning certifications in database management.
Pay
Salary ranges according to Robert Half International:
Database Manager: $84,750-$116,000
Database Developer: $73,500-$103,000
Database Administrator: $70,250-$102,000
Who’s Hiring?
Insurance companies, corporations, colleges and universities, local governments, hospitals.