Masters in Information Technology Careers

Information Technology is a rapidly changing area of industry and career opportunities abound for the individual with the right credentials and experience. One of the most important credentials you can have is an advanced degree. A Masters degree in IT will give you an edge in the job market, because potential employers know that you come with the skills and specific knowledge necessary to succeed. Information Technology also covers a much broader field than it once did, back in the days when all “IT” meant was the lonely guy you called up to complain about your email server being down!

Many exciting careers await the graduate with a Masters or MBA in Information Technology. One thing all IT professionals have in common, no matter what their job description, is that they are there to improve the efficiency of the technology systems in place and to keep things running smoothly so that workflow is effective and productive. Under the umbrella of Information Technology are the specialty areas you might choose based on which career path you wish to take.

Let’s take a look at some of the careers available in the IT field. A Software Engineer is someone who specialized in computer science as part of his or her Masters program. In the business world, the Software Engineer works on debugging and streamlining current applications and eventually works with end users in recommending and implementing new products. A Senior Software Engineer will be overseeing a team of engineers and determining the direction they go. Software engineers can earn starting salaries of $45,000 a year!

Another career option is a Senior Network Administrator. The Network Administrator is responsible for the maintenance of the things that make up the computer network in an organization: the hardware and the software. This is the highest tier of support personnel in IT (Tier 3), and a person in this position will mostly focus on the wellbeing of the network, including server health, security, and connectivity. In some companies the Network Administrator will also be designing and deploying networks, but more often than not, would be delegating new ideas to a Network Engineer. Salaries for a Senior Network Administrator range from $43,000 to $85,000 a year.

The career choices are many and the rewards are enticing. A Database Administrator is the person who is responsible for the data’s integrity and maintains the database system. Or perhaps you are more of a Chief Information Officer (CIO) kind of personality? The CIO will generally only report to the chief financial officer or the CEO. A CIO in an organization can earn a starting salary of $50,000 and after many years of experience, bring that number up to $200,000. All these exciting careers and more are waiting for you if you prepare yourself with a Masters in Information Technology!