Becoming an Information Systems Consultant via Online Education?

At the very least, online education can help you lay a foundation and/or open up alternate career paths. Kaplan University, one of the highest ranking online schools, is a US school (accredited) offering information systems courses to train individuals to become top-notch information systems consultants, network engineers, network specialists, information technologists, information systems specialists, network administrators, network security analysts, computer networking developers, information systems workers, etc. Currently, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics there are 287,210 people employed as computer and information systems managers alone in America, and their average annual salary is $120,640. Computer and information scientists, research make on average $105,370 per year and there are about 26,130 of them employed today. Colleges and universities like Kaplan University that provide online education are successfully launching workers into this field.

Typical Work Locations for an Information Systems Consultant
  • consultancy organization
  • software development firm
  • corporation
  • government agency
  • research center
  • database department
  • space agency
  • insurance agency
  • management institute
  • business firm
Potential Advantages and Benefits of Working as an Information Systems Consultant
  • interesting job with new things to learn
  • very informative when it comes to making IT decisions
  • get to be informed of new technology
  • work with interesting people
  • a professional job that is not hard on your body
  • get to work on new projects all the time so you don't get bored
  • a great way to make many personal and business connections
  • integrate systems to improve business
  • great paying job
  • lots of time for other interests when you are not presently working on a job
Potential Drawbacks
  • work late hours
  • have to deal with customers who are always changing their requirements
  • resolving computer problems that are not always straight forward
  • have to deal with a software virus'
  • sometimes you have to get technical support from software vendors
  • travel often which means it may be hard to have a family
  • you many work with others who might not be competent
  • dealing with computer crashes in the midst of other issues
  • you may be constrained by the customer's budget when coming up with a solution
  • you must stay abreast of ever changing technology
Related Professions to Consider
  • software engineer
  • system analyst
  • java programmer
  • website developer
  • programmer
  • database administrator
  • computer scientist
  • website designer
  • website administrator
  • sql programmer
Possible Interview Questions When Applying to be an Information Systems Consultant
  • What type of people do you get along with and why?
  • How has your college experience prepared you for a business career?
  • What influenced you to choose this career?
  • Do you know any programming languages?
  • How familiar are you with SQL?
  • What RDBMS's have you worked with?
  • Can you give a list of work related skills that you need to acquire in order to reach your future career goals?
  • What is normalization?
  • Can you draw and ERD?
  • What is your favourite tech news site and why?
Common Collaborating Professions
  • Help Desk technician
  • WebSphere Commerce Consultant
  • SAP Project Systems Functional Consultant
  • Senior Security Consultant
  • Principal or Senior Human Factors Consultant
  • Project Manager Consultant Specialist
  • Training Education Consultant
  • Information Security Specialist
  • Senior Consultant eDiscovery Security
  • Technologies Consultant II
Information Systems Consultant Training books Information Systems Consultant (More) Popular books Potential Companies to Work For Common College Majors
  • information systems
  • computer science
  • accounting
  • information science
  • business
  • informatics
  • intro to computer programming
  • finance
  • computer networks
  • database design

Information Systems Consultant Salary Information

Category: Computer and information systems managers

Total # Employed in the US 287,210
Average Hourly Wage: $58.0/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$33.61 $42.9 $54.67 $69.03 $0.0
Average Yearly Salary $120,640
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$69,900 $89,240 $113,720 $143,590 $0
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.6% 4.5% 15.7% 9.2% 45.6% 22.2% 2.2%
Computer and information systems managers — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
North Dakota $67.25/hr $139,880
Oklahoma $66.36/hr $138,020
Colorado $65.73/hr $136,720
Missouri $63.92/hr $132,950
Florida $62.41/hr $129,820
District of Columbia $62.29/hr $129,560
Connecticut $60.66/hr $126,160
Mississippi $60.15/hr $125,110
Utah $58.75/hr $122,200
Virginia $57.9/hr $120,440
North Carolina $57.89/hr $120,420
Wyoming $57.85/hr $120,320
Hawaii $57.32/hr $119,230
Nebraska $56.97/hr $118,490
Oregon $56.47/hr $117,470
Tennessee $55.96/hr $116,390
Kansas $54.69/hr $113,760
Delaware $54.6/hr $113,570
Idaho $54.19/hr $112,720
South Carolina $53.76/hr $111,820
Arkansas $51.07/hr $106,220
Montana $50.7/hr $105,460
New York $50.68/hr $105,410
New Hampshire $50.25/hr $104,530
Puerto Rico $50/hr $104,000
Indiana $49.84/hr $103,660
Alabama $49.15/hr $102,230
Louisiana $48.35/hr $100,580
California $47.75/hr $99,320
Guam $47.67/hr $99,150
New Mexico $47.62/hr $99,040
Maine $46.92/hr $97,590
Ohio $46.75/hr $97,230
Kentucky $46.15/hr $95,990
Washington $46.06/hr $95,810
Maryland $45.12/hr $93,850
New Jersey $44.77/hr $93,120
West Virginia $44.44/hr $92,430
Michigan $44.25/hr $92,030
Alaska $43.3/hr $90,050
Wisconsin $42.62/hr $88,650
Iowa $42.54/hr $88,480
South Dakota $41.12/hr $85,530
Massachusetts $38.85/hr $80,820
Pennsylvania $38.46/hr $80,000
Nevada $37.32/hr $77,630


Category: Computer and information scientists, research

Total # Employed in the US 26,130
Average Hourly Wage: $50.66/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$29.56 $37.8 $48.83 $61.35 $74.72
Average Yearly Salary $105,370
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$61,480 $78,620 $101,570 $127,600 $155,420
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.6% 6.4% 17.0% 10.5% 44.3% 18.7% 2.5%
Computer and information scientists, research — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Colorado $58.96/hr $122,650
Missouri $58.31/hr $121,280
Wyoming $55.23/hr $114,870
North Carolina $54.59/hr $113,560
Florida $53.41/hr $111,100
Guam $52.33/hr $108,850
Mississippi $52.22/hr $108,610
Delaware $51.94/hr $108,040
Louisiana $51.82/hr $107,790
North Dakota $51.11/hr $106,310
Arkansas $50.03/hr $104,060
Virginia $49.84/hr $103,660
Tennessee $49.68/hr $103,330
Nebraska $49.12/hr $102,180
Alabama $48.45/hr $100,770
Idaho $48.4/hr $100,670
South Carolina $48.39/hr $100,650
Connecticut $47.99/hr $99,820
Oklahoma $46.86/hr $97,460
Kansas $46.26/hr $96,210
Indiana $46.2/hr $96,090
Iowa $45.24/hr $94,110
Montana $44.71/hr $93,000
Washington $44.53/hr $92,620
Kentucky $44.29/hr $92,120
Wisconsin $43.92/hr $91,350
Oregon $43.63/hr $90,760
New York $42.12/hr $87,600
Hawaii $41.58/hr $86,480
Utah $41.43/hr $86,180
Ohio $41.29/hr $85,890
District of Columbia $40.07/hr $83,340
South Dakota $39.59/hr $82,340
Massachusetts $38.73/hr $80,550
Nevada $38.3/hr $79,660
New Mexico $37.35/hr $77,680
Maine $37.05/hr $77,070
New Hampshire $33.4/hr $69,460
New Jersey $26.47/hr $55,060


Category: Network and computer systems administrators

Total # Employed in the US 338,890
Average Hourly Wage: $34.1/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$20.16 $25.45 $32.55 $41.26 $50.95
Average Yearly Salary $70,930
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$41,940 $52,940 $67,710 $85,830 $105,970
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.7% 8.4% 25.2% 15.5% 39.0% 10.2% 1.0%
Network and computer systems administrators — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
North Dakota $39.02/hr $81,160
Mississippi $38.51/hr $80,100
Colorado $38.38/hr $79,830
Florida $38.06/hr $79,170
Oklahoma $37.96/hr $78,960
Missouri $37.31/hr $77,600
Connecticut $36.59/hr $76,110
Kansas $36.19/hr $75,260
Delaware $35.29/hr $73,400
Utah $34.54/hr $71,840
Idaho $34.13/hr $70,980
Virginia $33.9/hr $70,520
Nebraska $33.67/hr $70,040
Hawaii $33.42/hr $69,520
Oregon $33.05/hr $68,750
Wyoming $32.52/hr $67,630
Tennessee $32.46/hr $67,520
New Hampshire $32.32/hr $67,220
Montana $31.98/hr $66,520
Arkansas $31.91/hr $66,380
Alaska $31.73/hr $65,990
North Carolina $31.64/hr $65,800
District of Columbia $31.49/hr $65,500
Indiana $30.93/hr $64,340
Guam $30.67/hr $63,790
Alabama $30.48/hr $63,390
New Mexico $30.27/hr $62,960
Wisconsin $30.2/hr $62,810
New York $30.08/hr $62,560
Washington $30.07/hr $62,540
South Carolina $29.96/hr $62,310
Louisiana $29.66/hr $61,700
Puerto Rico $29.66/hr $61,690
Maine $29.13/hr $60,590
Michigan $28.77/hr $59,830
California $28.46/hr $59,200
Kentucky $28.29/hr $58,850
Iowa $27.77/hr $57,750
Ohio $27.52/hr $57,230
Massachusetts $26.89/hr $55,930
South Dakota $25.93/hr $53,930
Nevada $25.17/hr $52,360
West Virginia $25.11/hr $52,230
Maryland $24.97/hr $51,940
New Jersey $24.85/hr $51,690
Pennsylvania $24.84/hr $51,660


Category: Network systems and data communications analysts

Total # Employed in the US 226,080
Average Hourly Wage: $36.81/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$20.62 $26.88 $35.22 $45.35 $55.83
Average Yearly Salary $76,560
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$42,880 $55,900 $73,250 $94,320 $116,120
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.7% 8.1% 21.6% 13.5% 42.8% 12.1% 1.2%
Network systems and data communications analysts — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
North Dakota $43.33/hr $90,120
Colorado $40.96/hr $85,190
Mississippi $40.81/hr $84,880
District of Columbia $40.44/hr $84,110
Florida $40.15/hr $83,510
Nebraska $40/hr $83,210
Missouri $39.49/hr $82,140
Oklahoma $38.92/hr $80,950
New Hampshire $38.7/hr $80,490
Connecticut $37.59/hr $78,190
Utah $37.49/hr $77,970
New York $37.22/hr $77,410
Idaho $37.11/hr $77,200
Wyoming $36.74/hr $76,420
Oregon $36.14/hr $75,170
Delaware $35.81/hr $74,490
Virginia $35.5/hr $73,830
Kansas $35.31/hr $73,450
Guam $35.25/hr $73,320
Montana $34.83/hr $72,440
South Carolina $34.38/hr $71,510
Hawaii $33.64/hr $69,960
Arkansas $33.17/hr $69,000
Wisconsin $32.94/hr $68,520
California $32.84/hr $68,300
North Carolina $32.8/hr $68,220
Tennessee $32.37/hr $67,330
Puerto Rico $32.11/hr $66,780
Alaska $31.91/hr $66,370
Louisiana $31.87/hr $66,280
New Mexico $31.38/hr $65,270
Indiana $31.33/hr $65,160
Kentucky $30.72/hr $63,910
Maine $30.24/hr $62,900
Michigan $30.15/hr $62,720
Washington $30.15/hr $62,710
Alabama $29.99/hr $62,390
Ohio $29.77/hr $61,930
Iowa $28.94/hr $60,190
Pennsylvania $28.44/hr $59,160
South Dakota $28.43/hr $59,130
Maryland $28.43/hr $59,130
Nevada $28.01/hr $58,270
New Jersey $27.45/hr $57,100
West Virginia $26.47/hr $55,060
Massachusetts $26.1/hr $54,290


Category: Medical records and health information technicians

Total # Employed in the US 170,580
Average Hourly Wage: $16.29/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$10.03 $11.96 $15.04 $19.49 $24.76
Average Yearly Salary $33,880
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$20,850 $24,870 $31,290 $40,540 $51,510
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
3.7% 34.2% 31.6% 16.1% 12.3% 1.3% 0.8%
Medical records and health information technicians — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
North Dakota $21.99/hr $45,750
Indiana $19.88/hr $41,340
Florida $19.85/hr $41,290
Alaska $18.99/hr $39,490
Mississippi $18.91/hr $39,330
Missouri $18.9/hr $39,310
Colorado $18.53/hr $38,550
Oklahoma $18.33/hr $38,130
Connecticut $18.15/hr $37,750
Nebraska $18.09/hr $37,630
Virginia $17.67/hr $36,760
Delaware $17.47/hr $36,350
New York $17.23/hr $35,850
Tennessee $16.81/hr $34,970
Montana $16.49/hr $34,290
Kansas $16.33/hr $33,960
Arkansas $16.15/hr $33,590
Puerto Rico $15.79/hr $32,840
North Carolina $15.69/hr $32,630
New Mexico $15.47/hr $32,180
Utah $15.46/hr $32,150
Wyoming $15.46/hr $32,150
Hawaii $15.45/hr $32,130
Iowa $15.33/hr $31,880
District of Columbia $15.31/hr $31,840
South Carolina $15.31/hr $31,840
Washington $15.27/hr $31,770
New Hampshire $15.21/hr $31,630
Maryland $15.12/hr $31,440
Maine $15.07/hr $31,350
West Virginia $15.05/hr $31,310
Michigan $15/hr $31,210
Louisiana $14.94/hr $31,080
Kentucky $14.9/hr $30,990
Guam $14.87/hr $30,930
Ohio $14.85/hr $30,890
New Jersey $14.81/hr $30,800
Oregon $14.78/hr $30,750
Wisconsin $14.76/hr $30,710
California $14.66/hr $30,500
Pennsylvania $14.61/hr $30,380
South Dakota $14.51/hr $30,190
Idaho $14.32/hr $29,790
Alabama $13.85/hr $28,800
Massachusetts $13.73/hr $28,550
Nevada $12.72/hr $26,460


Category: All other information and record clerks

Total # Employed in the US 212,090
Average Hourly Wage: $17.45/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$10.78 $13.39 $17.09 $21.09 $24.72
Average Yearly Salary $36,300
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$22,430 $27,850 $35,550 $43,870 $51,420
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
2.4% 26.2% 34.8% 17.8% 14.6% 3.0% 1.1%
All other information and record clerks — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Florida $21.63/hr $44,980
Mississippi $19.98/hr $41,560
Delaware $19.87/hr $41,330
Alaska $19.42/hr $40,390
West Virginia $19.09/hr $39,700
District of Columbia $18.91/hr $39,330
Oklahoma $18.76/hr $39,030
Indiana $18.71/hr $38,910
Missouri $18.55/hr $38,590
Colorado $18.47/hr $38,420
Utah $18.43/hr $38,340
North Dakota $18.27/hr $38,000
Idaho $18.23/hr $37,910
Connecticut $18.17/hr $37,790
Nevada $18.08/hr $37,610
Kansas $17.75/hr $36,910
Alabama $17.61/hr $36,630
Arkansas $17.47/hr $36,340
South Dakota $17.39/hr $36,170
Nebraska $17.23/hr $35,830
Maine $17.04/hr $35,450
Washington $17/hr $35,360
Wyoming $16.9/hr $35,160
New York $16.9/hr $35,150
Virginia $16.87/hr $35,100
New Hampshire $16.86/hr $35,070
Iowa $16.84/hr $35,030
South Carolina $16.83/hr $35,010
Puerto Rico $16.73/hr $34,800
New Mexico $16.55/hr $34,430
Ohio $16.49/hr $34,300
Wisconsin $16.43/hr $34,180
Louisiana $16.4/hr $34,100
Maryland $16.38/hr $34,070
Oregon $16.36/hr $34,030
Kentucky $16.23/hr $33,760
New Jersey $16.19/hr $33,680
Guam $16.06/hr $33,400
California $15.94/hr $33,160
Hawaii $15.91/hr $33,090
Montana $15.82/hr $32,900
Pennsylvania $15.67/hr $32,590
Massachusetts $14.7/hr $30,580
Tennessee $14.19/hr $29,520
Michigan $13.4/hr $27,870
North Carolina $13.21/hr $27,470


Category: Network Designers

Total # Employed in the US 195,890
Average Hourly Wage: $37.5/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$20.04 $28.11 $37.02 $46.58 $55.31
Average Yearly Salary $78,010
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$41,680 $58,460 $77,010 $96,890 $115,050
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.6% 6.4% 17.0% 10.5% 44.3% 18.7% 2.5%


Information Systems Programs by State & City