What is an information technology director and how to become one

Q: How long does it take to become an information technology manager?

It takes about seven to eleven years, at minimum, to become an information technology manager. The position typically requires a bachelor's degree, generally four years, and usually three or more years of experience in the related field.

Q: How many years of experience do you need to become an IT manager?

You need about ten years of experience working as an IT support technician to become an IT manager. Most of these positions require a bachelor's degree at a minimum, and some expect a master's degree as well.

Q: What are an IT manager's roles and responsibilities?

IT managers are responsible for coordinating, planning, and leading computer-related activities in an organization. They help determine the IT needs of an organization and are responsible for implementing computer systems to fulfill the organization's information systems requirements.

Q: What is the head of information technology called?

The head of information technology (IT) is usually called Information Technology Director.

Q: What skills are needed to be an IT manager?

IT managers need to have both strong technical skills and business strategy skills. Most IT managers have hands-on experience with coding and using the same tools that the IT team uses. Even if the position calls for less technical work, the IT manager still needs to maintain their technical skills to help guide the team.

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Matthew Liotine Ph.D.

An information technology director manages an organizationâ€™s technology systems and strategies. They supervise the implementation and maintenance of hardware, software, and networking systems to ensure they align with the company's objectives. The IT director also leads a team of IT professionals, providing guidance on projects. Additionally, they collaborate with executives to develop and implement technology plans that support business goals. The role requires the use of strong leadership, communication, and technical skills.

What general advice would you give to an information technology director?

Matthew Liotine Ph.D.

Clinical Professor and Director of Master of Science in Supply Chain and Operations Management, University of Illinois at Chicago

Most employers tell me that soft skills are equally, if not more important, than technical skills or domain knowledge. This translates into external/internal customer-facing skills, such as communication, team collaboration, writing, presentation, problem-solving, and being resourceful. (Many graduates overlook writing as a vital skill, but they fail to realize that in the course of their jobs, they will likely be required to write lots of memos and tons of emails.) The need to perfect these skills within the confines of a virtual world has become even more challenging and amplified with COVID. I teach in the information systems discipline, and when you view student resumes, many people look the same on paper. The soft skills will make a candidate stand out head and shoulders above the rest. That's why the candidate should pay attention to the screening interviews that they will undergo during the hiring process since employers will use these interviews to vet these skills.

ScoreInformation Technology DirectorUS Average

Salary

8.6

Avg. Salary $138,906

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

8.6

Growth rate 16%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

1.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.21%

Asian 12.69%

Black or African American 6.61%

Hispanic or Latino 9.92%

Unknown 5.19%

White 65.38%

Gender

female 11.91%

male 88.09%

Age - 47

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 47

Stress level

8.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.7

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.1

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being an information technology director?

Pros

Opportunities for career advancement
High demand for IT directors in many industries
Opportunities for creativity and innovation
Exposure to a wide range of business functions
Potential for flexible work arrangements

Cons

High stress and pressure to perform
Constantly being on call or available for emergencies
High level of responsibility for technology infrastructure and security
Dealing with difficult stakeholders and conflicting priorities
Budgetary constraints can limit resources and opportunities

Key steps to become an information technology director

Explore information technology director education requirements

Most common information technology director degrees

Bachelor's

67.1 %

Master's

15.0 %

Associate

13.6 %

Start to develop specific information technology director skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	9.76%
Project Management	7.39%
Cloud	5.84%
Network Infrastructure	5.74%
Disaster Recovery	3.40%

Complete relevant information technology director training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New information technology directors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an information technology director based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real information technology director resumes.

Gain additional information technology director certifications

Information technology director certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific information technology director certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for information technology directors include IT Information Library Foundations Certification (ITIL) and Project Management Professional (PMP).

More About Certifications

Research information technology director duties and responsibilities

Lead the implementation of the ServiceNow ITSM solution.
Work with customers and internal management to create and manage acceptable SLA standards and measurements.
Manage the migration of email system for 400 plus users from Novell GroupWise to Google Gmail.
Manage the QA department and oversee the support of all storage for the company and its outsource customers.

Get information technology director experience

Generally, it takes 6-8 years to become an information technology director. The most common roles before becoming an information technology director include information technology manager, network administrator team lead and systems administrator.

Prepare your information technology director resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your information technology director resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an information technology director resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable information technology director resume templates

Build a professional information technology director resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your information technology director resume.

Apply for information technology director jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an information technology director job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

Average information technology director salary

The average information technology director salary in the United States is $138,906 per year or $67 per hour. Information technology director salaries range between $97,000 and $197,000 per year.

Average information technology director salary

$138,906 Yearly

$66.78 hourly

How do information technology directors rate their job?

4/5

Out of 1 Information Technology Director reviews, 100% were positive.

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Based on 1 ratings

Work/life balance

3.0

Overall rating

4.0

Pay / salary

4.0

Career growth

5.0

Information technology director reviews

4.0

A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2023

Pros

Staying abreast of technology and helping an organization define Technology strategy.

Cons

Work Life Balance can be difficult based on size of team and infrastructure.

A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2020

Pros

I am not what do you like the most about working as an Information Technology Project Manage

Cons

Do not know

A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2019

Pros

The opportunity to render services to client, and managing technology by giving key information to customers.

What is an information technology director and how to become one

What general advice would you give to an information technology director?

What are the pros and cons of being an information technology director?

Information technology director career paths

Key steps to become an information technology director

Explore information technology director education requirements

Most common information technology director degrees

Start to develop specific information technology director skills

Complete relevant information technology director training and internships

Gain additional information technology director certifications

Research information technology director duties and responsibilities

Get information technology director experience

Prepare your information technology director resume

Choose from 10+ customizable information technology director resume templates

Apply for information technology director jobs

How did you land your first information technology director job

Average information technology director salary

How do information technology directors rate their job?

Information technology director reviews

Information technology director FAQs

How long does it take to become an information technology manager?

How many years of experience do you need to become an IT manager?

What are an IT manager's roles and responsibilities?

What is the head of information technology called?

What skills are needed to be an IT manager?

Search for information technology director jobs