What really is IT?
Technology has grown so dramatically in the last 40 years, there is now a wide variety of careers that relate to IT. They range from the highly tech, hardware oriented jobs to the very high touch, software and user assistance jobs, over to art and design. If you have an interest in working with computers, you can select from a range of college majors.
How many and what kinds of jobs are in IT and how much do they pay?
U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics explains the job
titles and preparation needed. Looks under "Computer" "Information" and "Technology" to find a wide variety of computer-related careers.
Princeton Review Careers Search gives a "Day in the Life of ...." narratives. Look up
the careers below from their alphabetic list.
Labor Market Information for the State of Michigan shows growth in IT fields.
Of the top jobs listed in Michigan's Hot 50, six are in the IT field with growth rates of 28-45%. The table below shows forecasted IT job openings in Michigan. (Table source: State of Michigan Occupational Employment Forecasts )
Michigan Occupation Explorer site lists job descriptions, shows career videos, and personality and job skills for various occupations. Type "computer" or "technology" or "Internet" in the occupation title search box to see a list of related careers.
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News reports from the early 2000s led many to believe IT jobs were hard to get. Things have changed. Check out the article, "Firms go Begging for High-tech Talent" from March 2008. While it's true that not all IT jobs are in equal demand, but too few students have entered IT programs at universities and colleges across the nation for too many years. New technology needs new grads -- Information Security, Wireless and Mobile Technologies. Sometimes, it's in the title (software engineer instead of programmer) and sometimes it's in the technology (networking or web instead of data processing). Many IT jobs are listed as being "a bright spot in the economy" - Detroit is the #2 city in the US for IT jobs growth. Where the Jobs Are." Tech jobs are needed in all industries - read the article "These Jobs Are Totally Cool" in CIO Magazine. Another Business Week article from August 2011 is Hiring Like it's 1999.
Starting salaries vary greatly with location, specific job, and prior experience. As a national average, entry level IT jobs ranged from $41,000 to $53,000 in a 2004 survey (Source CNNMoney)
| 15-0000 Computer & Mathematical Occupations | % Growth in MI jobs from 2004 to 2014 |
Average annual MI job openings |
Average annual salary in MI |
| 15-1031 Computer Software Engineers-Applications | 33.6% | 435 | $76,100 |
| 15-1032 Computer Software Engineers-Systems Software | 29.3% | 178 | $74,640 |
| 15-1041 Computer Support Specialists | 15.5% | 394 | $43,460 |
| 15-1051 Computer Systems Analysts | 21.1% | 530 | $74,400 |
| 15-106 Database Administrators | 30.9% | 108 | $62,510 |
| 15-1071 Network & Computer Systems Administrators | 30.2% | 286 | $58,500 |
| 15-1081 Network Systems & Data Communications Analysts | 43.8% | 299 | $68,160 |
| 15-1099 Computer Specialists, All Other | 12.0% | 222 | $60,310 |
