As an information technology specialist, you should know how important your job truly is. From figuring out what's causing the issue to installing new technology, many companies would not survive without an information technology specialist on hand.
In a world where the amount of technical info is doubling every two years, your job is as important as ever. With close to 4 billion people using the internet, there's bound to be some problems that come up from time to time. That's where you come in to save the day.
Now, obviously the job title is not superhero. But to some people, you might come off as a superhero. For some, it's really hard to grasp the concept of new technology. If you're able to help them, you may seem like a blessing in disguise. So if you're into the hero line of work, this job may be for you.
What is an Information Technology Specialist?
What Does an Information Technology Specialist Do
There are certain skills that many information technology specialists have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed customer-service skills, listening skills and problem-solving skills.
How To Become an Information Technology Specialist
If you're interested in becoming an information technology specialist, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 56.6% of information technology specialists have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 8.4% of information technology specialists have master's degrees. Even though most information technology specialists have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
Information Technology Specialist Career Paths
In addition to switching up your job search, it might prove helpful to look at a career path for your specific job. Now, what's a career path you ask? Well, it's practically a map that shows how you might advance from one job title to another. Our career paths are especially detailed with salary changes. So, for example, if you started out with the role of technical support specialist you might progress to a role such as systems administrator eventually. Later on in your career, you could end up with the title information technology manager.
Average Salary for an Information Technology Specialist
What Am I Worth?
States With The Most Information Technology Specialist Jobs
Mouse over a state to see the number of active information technology specialist jobs in each state. The darker areas on the map show where information technology specialists earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Number Of Information Technology Specialist Jobs By State
Top Colleges for Information Technology Specialists
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
5. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
6. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
7. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
8. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
9. New York University
New York, NY • Private
10. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester, MA • Private
Top Skills For an Information Technology Specialist
The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 24.3% of information technology specialists listed customer service on their resume, but soft skills such as customer-service skills and listening skills are important as well.
Choose From 10+ Customizable Information Technology Specialist Resume templates
Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Information Technology Specialist templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Information Technology Specialist resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Information Technology Specialist Demographics
Information Technology Specialist Gender Distribution
After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- Among information technology specialists, 22.2% of them are women, while 77.8% are men.
- The most common race/ethnicity among information technology specialists is White, which makes up 58.3% of all information technology specialists.
- The most common foreign language among information technology specialists is Spanish at 46.7%.
Work Experience Programs For Information Technology Specialists
Virtual work experience programs replicate work at top companies and help you gain the skills to be successful when applying and working there. In only a few hours, learn the relevant tools necessary to complete a typical work day at that company. Virtual work experience programs are 100% free, open-access, and self-paced. No experience or application is required!
Company: Accenture UK
Cost: Free
Duration: 5.75-8 hours
Company: Standard Bank
Cost: Free
Duration: 4-4.5 hours
Company: General Electric
Cost: Free
Duration: 5-6 hours
Company: ANZ Australia
Cost: Free
Duration: 5-6 hours
Company: NSW Government Virtual Program
Cost: Free
Duration: 1-2 hours
Company: KPMG in the UK
Cost: Free
Duration: 4-6 hours
Online Courses For Information Technology Specialist That You May Like
Introduction to Information Technology and Information Systems...
Information technology (IT) can be viewed as a system, a combination of independent parts all working together to accomplish a certain goal. Systems are everywhere. For example, the respiratory, circulatory, nervous, and other subsystems of the body work together towards the common goal of keeping humans alive. IT is similar in that it consists of various subsystems all working towards a common goal. Information Technology Foundations will examine how the system called IT helps an organization...
This course is the first of a series that aims to prepare you for a role as an entry-level IT Support Specialist. In this course, you'll be introduced to the world of Information Technology, or IT. You'll learn about the different facets of Information Technology, like computer hardware, the Internet, computer software, troubleshooting, and customer service. This course covers a wide variety of topics in IT that are designed to give you an overview of what's to come in this certificate program...
Best States For an Information Technology Specialist
Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as an information technology specialist. The best states for people in this position are California, Delaware, Washington, and Alaska. Information technology specialists make the most in California with an average salary of $95,120. Whereas in Delaware and Washington, they would average $94,294 and $89,463, respectively. While information technology specialists would only make an average of $88,848 in Alaska, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.
1. Delaware
$94,294
Avg. Salary
2. Alaska
$88,848
Avg. Salary
3. Washington
$89,463
Avg. Salary
How Do Information Technology Specialist Rate Their Jobs?
Top Information Technology Specialist Employers
We've made finding a great employer to work for easy by doing the hard work for you. We looked into employers that employ information technology specialists and discovered their number of information technology specialist opportunities and average salary. Through our research, we concluded that IBM was the best, especially with an average salary of $83,340. Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company follows up with an average salary of $94,568, and then comes Department of Homeland Security with an average of $92,079. In addition, we know most people would rather work from home. So instead of having to change careers, we identified the best employers for remote work as an information technology specialist. The employers include Mayo Clinic, Amcor, and Voya Financial
Most Common Employers For Information Technology Specialist
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southern California Edison | $130,812 | $62.89 | 77 |
| 2 | Citi | $118,355 | $56.90 | 117 |
| 3 | TEKsystems | $107,310 | $51.59 | 74 |
| 4 | AT&T | $105,575 | $50.76 | 62 |
| 5 | Nationwide | $94,568 | $45.47 | 468 |
| 6 | Department of Homeland Security | $92,079 | $44.27 | 267 |
| 7 | Lockheed Martin | $85,406 | $41.06 | 54 |
| 8 | IBM | $83,340 | $40.07 | 6,019 |
| 9 | U.S. Department of the Treasury | $81,339 | $39.11 | 53 |
| 10 | U.S. Census Bureau | $81,161 | $39.02 | 92 |
What Are The Best Companies To Work For An Information Technology Specialist?
Dr. Kay-Yut Chen Ph.D.
Professor of Information Systems and Operations Management, The University of Texas at Arlington
The pandemic has changed, probably in the long run, of consumer behavior in the U.S. It accelerates the adoption of online shopping and further shifted demand from offline to online. The pandemic has also changed work modality and encouraged working from home. As a result, online retailers and delivery services, like Amazon, Doordash, and Instacart, are experiencing tremendous growth. Note that this shift was going to happen, even without the pandemic. The pandemic only accelerated this trend.
Hence, the best companies to work for are the ones with products and services more in demand. Amazon, Doordash, Instacart on the frontline, and all the technology suppliers, such as HP Enterprise, on the backend. As people are stuck at home, and digital entertainment (video games + streaming) is also becoming more in-demand. That will be another employment growth area, mainly when theaters and large scale in-person entertainment events will be stuck in limbo for a while.Show more
Information Technology Specialist Videos
Becoming an Information Technology Specialist FAQs
Can You Be An It Specialist Without A Degree?
Yes, you can be an IT specialist without a degree. Many top information technology (IT) careers do not require college degrees.
Hiring managers are looking for job candidates who can get the job done, regardless of their academic credentials. Many IT specialists take non-traditional paths such as self-education, online training programs, and certifications.
How Long Does It Take To Become An It Support Specialist?
It takes between two to four years to become an IT support specialist. This depends on whether you earn a bachelor's degree or an associate's degree.
You can get an associate degree in information technology, computer science, or another IT-related focus, which would take about two years. However, a bachelor's degree in information technology, computer science, computer engineering, or information technology management is recommended. This will take four years to complete.
How Much Do Information Technology Specialists Get Paid?
Information technology specialists get paid $59,194 a year, on average. However, an IT specialist can earn as low as $45,000 a year to as high as $100,000 a year. Factors such as years of experience, location, and company all impact an IT specialist's amount.
Is It Specialist A Good Job?
Yes, IT specialist is a good job. IT specialists can earn good money and only require two to four years of educational experience. Not to mention, the job prospects for an IT specialist are excellent. Finally, IT plays an essential role in a variety of industries and trades.
What Education Does An Information Technology Specialist Need?
The education needed to become an information technology (IT) specialist included a strong understanding of information technology. There are several paths you can take towards becoming an IT specialist.
What Skills Do You Need To Be An It Specialist?
The skills needed to become an IT specialist include a deep understanding of information technology, good people and problem-solving skills, and the ability to work under pressure.
A specialist generally must provide their services for companies regarding software, hardware, and databases. Depending on a specialist's skill, they may also create entire databases and programs for individual or corporate needs. An IT specialist must work with all manner of employers, from the receptionist to the CEO.