Home Majors IT Management
Academic Field / Computer & Information Sciences

IT Management

Students study IT project management, systems administration, technology strategy, cybersecurity governance, and how to lead technology teams within organizations. Graduates typically pursue careers as IT managers, systems administrators, chief technology officers, and technology consultants. This major prepares students for leadership roles that bridge technical expertise and business management.

Schools
102
Programs analyzed
Earnings
$59,803
Avg 1-yr grad earnings
Range $27,341–$92,416
AI Risk
Very High
58% task exposure
Field Overview

What IT Management graduates do

Your career in IT administration often begins on the front lines. You might start by troubleshooting software glitches for colleagues or keeping an organization’s servers and routers running smoothly as a network administrator. However, be aware that these foundational roles face headwinds as automation handles more routine work.

The goal is to quickly advance into more strategic positions. You could become an information security analyst, a digital detective hunting for vulnerabilities and defending against cyberattacks in a rapidly growing field. Or you might pivot to project management, orchestrating teams to launch new software or upgrade infrastructure. With experience, you can lead entire departments as a computer and information systems manager, setting IT strategy and controlling budgets.

AI is fundamentally reshaping this path. With many roles having high AI exposure, routine monitoring and support tasks are being automated, shrinking traditional entry-level positions. Your value will shift from executing tasks to architecting systems, evaluating AI-driven security alerts, and making complex judgment calls. Success will depend on your ability to manage and leverage these powerful new tools.

Closely-related majors include Computer Networking, Information Sciences, and Computer Science, which share overlapping career paths and skill sets.

Career Trajectories

Where IT Management graduates work

Common career paths for IT Management graduates, with median salaries, projected growth, and AI exposure per role. Roughly 386,000 combined openings per year across these roles.

Role Median Pay Annual Openings 10-yr Growth AI Exposure
Computer and information systems managers
$171,200
$134K–$216K
55,600 +15.2% High · 53%
Managers, all other
$136,550
$100K–$179K
106,700 +4.5% Moderate · 47%
Database architects
$135,980
$108K–$169K
4,000 +8.7% Very High · 94%
Computer network architects
$130,390
$102K–$164K
11,200 +11.9% High · 61%
Information security analysts
$124,910
$92K–$160K
16,000 +28.5% High · 65%
Computer occupations, all other
$108,970
$76K–$148K
31,300 +8.2% High · 57%
Database administrators
$104,620
$76K–$133K
3,800 -0.7% Very High · 94%
Project management specialists
$100,750
$77K–$132K
78,200 +5.6% High · 55%
Web and digital interface designers
$98,090
$65K–$142K
9,100 +7.0% High · 67%
Network and computer systems administrators
$96,800
$76K–$123K
14,300 -4.2% Very High · 73%
Web developers
$90,930
$63K–$124K
5,400 +7.5% Very High · 93%
Computer network support specialists
$73,340
$57K–$96K
9,600 +1.8% High · 63%
Computer user support specialists
$60,340
$48K–$77K
40,800 -3.7% High · 61%
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. Salary range shows 25th–median–75th percentile (national).
Top Institutions

Best schools for IT Management

Schools ranked by DegreeOutlook Score (earnings × AI resilience × ROI × job-market size). Top 10 of 102.

Rank #1 · DegreeOutlook Score 87
Capella University
Minneapolis, MN · Private for-profit
$86,085 1-yr earnings
18.2x ROI multiple
Very High AI risk
# School DW Score 1-yr Earnings ROI
5 American Public University System
Charles Town, WV · Private for-profit
84 $66,588 27.1x
6 Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs, CO · Private for-profit
82 $58,911 20.1x
7 Bellevue University
Bellevue, NE · Private nonprofit
81 $67,678 20.6x
8 Florida State College at Jacksonville
Jacksonville, FL · Public
81 $59,503 61.0x
9 Wilmington University
New Castle, DE · Private nonprofit
81 $56,597 18.9x
10 University of California-Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, CA · Public
81 $55,773 17.7x
11 The University of Texas at San Antonio
San Antonio, TX · Public
81 $54,877 23.4x
12 Michigan Technological University
Houghton, MI · Public
80 $77,810 11.4x
13 Dakota State University
Madison, SD · Public
80 $58,166 20.5x
14 St Petersburg College
St. Petersburg, FL · Public
79 $54,560 60.4x
15 Metropolitan State University
Saint Paul, MN · Public
79 $54,025 19.7x
16 Palm Beach State College
Lake Worth, FL · Public
79 $51,368 61.9x
17 University of Phoenix-Arizona
Phoenix, AZ · Private for-profit
78 $60,401 17.2x
18 Rasmussen University-Minnesota
St. Cloud, MN · Private for-profit
78 $59,685 16.5x
19 Texas A & M University-College Station
College Station, TX · Public
78 $58,127 14.7x
20 SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Utica, NY · Public
78 $52,079 21.9x
Compare 102 IT Management programs side by side in our full ranking →

Related majors

Similar fields of study often offered alongside IT Management.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in IT Management offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare IT Management trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about IT Management

What do IT Management graduates make in their first year?

Across 102 schools, IT Management graduates earn an average of $59,803 per year in their first year after graduation. Earnings range from $27,341 to $92,416 depending on the school.

Will AI affect IT Management careers?

Our analysis classifies IT Management as "Very High" for AI risk — approximately 58% of typical job tasks overlap with current AI capabilities. That puts most of the daily work in the automation-sensitive category.

Which school has the best IT Management program?

Our data ranks Capella University first among 102 IT Management programs. Its score of 87/100 reflects strong outcomes across earnings ($86,085/yr), return on investment, and career durability.

What's the outlook for a IT Management degree?

The average 10-year earnings multiple is 15.3x tuition. This is a strong return on investment. The spread between the best and worst programs is wide, so individual school selection has a major impact.