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What is a senior information technology systems technician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted expert
Ranganathan Chandrasekaran
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a senior information technology systems technician. For example, did you know that they make an average of $47.83 an hour? That's $99,481 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 5% and produce 18,200 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a senior information technology systems technician?

Ranganathan ChandrasekaranRanganathan Chandrasekaran LinkedIn profile

Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, University of Illinois

As we roll into another month of the COVID-19 pandemic, graduating students are facing one of the worst moments of their lives. They face several uncertainties; due to financial challenges, uncertainty about completing their degrees on time, adjusting to online and hybrid modes of learning, and worst of all, facing the worst job market. As a result, I see the stress and anxiety levels among the graduating students to be significantly higher, at levels I have not experienced in my academic career.

Several businesses have been hit hard by the pandemic, and they have rolled back their offers made to students for internships and jobs. Businesses have also resorted to downsizing and layoffs, and we are likely to see that continue, at least in the near term. However, two sectors that are showing promises of a quick turnaround are technology and healthcare.

It might take many months for the economy to get back on track, but the demand for information systems graduates is likely to grow, as a large number of businesses have turned to increased use of technology in this pandemic period. As more companies go digital, we need more professionals to manage the remote-work, technological infrastructure and meet the other demands of the business. Students pursuing education in information systems, computer science, and healthcare are going to be in greater demand.

On the positive side, the uncertainties induced by the pandemic have also helped students to prepare themselves better for a tougher job market. I found many students rise up and use the lockdown period to have a serious introspection and invest their time and effort in upgrading their knowledge and skills. The internship drought and rescinding of job/internship offers brought their dreams crashing down, but I found several students to quickly get over their disappointments, and engage in improving their skillsets utilizing the pandemic lockdown as an opportunity. I am aware of many students, especially in the information systems disciple, who spent time doing online courses, completing certification programs, and take up DIY projects on data analysis, developing analytical and forecasting models, and visualization of various aspects of the pandemic. The pandemic has resulted in massive amounts of data, released by several organizations worldwide, that have provided a stimulant for students to indulge in DIY-projects. I had several students approach me over summer to do some projects, and we have done some interesting projects using public datasets related to COVID-19.
ScoreSenior Information Technology Systems TechnicianUS Average
Salary
7.6

Avg. Salary $99,481

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
5.7

Growth rate 5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.8
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.31%

Asian 9.52%

Black or African American 8.76%

Hispanic or Latino 12.45%

Unknown 5.07%

White 63.89%

Gender

female 22.45%

male 77.55%

Age - 42
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 - 42
Stress level
5.7

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
7.2

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
7.1

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a senior information technology systems technician

  1. Explore senior information technology systems technician education requirements

    Most common senior information technology systems technician degrees

    Bachelor's

    50.8 %

    Associate

    35.2 %

    Master's

    4.7 %
  2. Start to develop specific senior information technology systems technician skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Troubleshoot20.43%
    Data Management11.70%
    Linux8.87%
    DOD8.32%
    Computer System4.34%
  3. Complete relevant senior information technology systems technician training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New senior information technology systems technicians 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 a senior information technology systems technician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real senior information technology systems technician resumes.
  4. Research senior information technology systems technician duties and responsibilities

    • Ensure adequate security protections for proprietary data and intellectual property; manage and configure firewalls and security posture.
    • Analyze, troubleshoot, recommend, and implement solutions to a wide variety of computer hardware and software issues.
    • Oversee GIS work done by contractor.
    • Work with setting up VPN using Cisco hardware.
  5. Prepare your senior information technology systems technician resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your senior information technology systems technician 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 a senior information technology systems technician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable senior information technology systems technician resume templates

    Build a professional senior information technology systems technician 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 senior information technology systems technician resume.
    Senior Information Technology Systems Technician Resume
    Senior Information Technology Systems Technician Resume
    Senior Information Technology Systems Technician Resume
    Senior Information Technology Systems Technician Resume
    Senior Information Technology Systems Technician Resume
    Senior Information Technology Systems Technician Resume
    Senior Information Technology Systems Technician Resume
    Senior Information Technology Systems Technician Resume
    Senior Information Technology Systems Technician Resume
  6. Apply for senior information technology systems technician jobs

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

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

How did you land your first senior information technology systems technician job

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Average senior information technology systems technician salary

The average senior information technology systems technician salary in the United States is $99,481 per year or $48 per hour. Senior information technology systems technician salaries range between $70,000 and $140,000 per year.

Average senior information technology systems technician salary
$99,481 Yearly
$47.83 hourly

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How do senior information technology systems technicians rate their job?

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Senior information technology systems technician reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2020
Pros

I love the fact that I have self taught myself by trouble shooting issues for fifteen years while working in corrections as the Video court officer with no prior experince or degree

Cons

I dislike the fact that I don't get paid as a Video technician although I'm called to fix issues


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2019
Pros

talking to people

Cons

outside weather, I work as a network technician and the main problem I always encounter is the cold weather.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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