Becoming an Information Technologist 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 technology courses to train individuals to become top-notch information technologists, information assurance specialists, computer and information scientists, information systems security analysts, information systems managers, health information managers, health information technologists, information technology workers, etc. Currently, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics there are 212,090 people employed as all other information and record clerks alone in America, and their average annual salary is $36,300. Computer and information systems managers make on average $120,640 per year and there are about 287,210 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 Technologist
  • software company
  • hospital
  • e-commerce website
  • university
  • information technology company
  • healthcare center
  • telecom company
  • web development
  • application industry
  • school
Potential Advantages and Benefits of Working as an Information Technologist
  • help create cost effective solutions
  • very low danger profession
  • always something new to learn so you never get bored
  • performance is more important than educational background
  • many opportunities to move up
  • work with numbers
  • you may get to work alone if you want to
  • great opportunities within the US government
  • competitive salaries are offered
  • healthy working environment
Potential Drawbacks
  • while information technology may have streamlined the business process it has also created job redundancies
  • downsizing and outsourcing may be risk factors
  • at the mercy of software vendor support services
  • be held responsible for solving all the networking problems
  • easier and more convenient
  • will be forced to constantly be learning new technologies
  • held directly responsible for the information systems that are too much for any one person to understand
  • have to deal with software vulnerabilities that are out of your control
  • will be expected to troubleshoot all systems related problems
  • work under the rules put down from management
Related Professions to Consider
  • business technology professional
  • computer engineer
  • information analyst
  • information technology engineer
  • professional in technology
  • information specialist
  • software engineer
  • software designer
  • web designer
  • database designer
Possible Interview Questions When Applying to be an Information Technologist
  • What type of people do you get along with and why?
  • How has your college experience prepared you for a business career?
  • What is your experience with COBOL?
  • 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?
  • Where do you see yourself in 3 to 5 years?
  • Can you draw and ERD?
  • What is your favourite tech news site and why?
Common Collaborating Professions
  • Computer Engineer
  • Information Technologist
  • Database Engineer
  • Graphic Designer
  • Microsoft Engineer
  • System Administrator
  • Communication System Engineet
  • Programmer
  • Data Entry Operator
  • Computer Operator
Information Technologist Training books Information Technologist (More) Popular books Potential Companies to Work For Common College Majors
  • Computer networking
  • Computer systems and architecture
  • C++ programming
  • Database management systems
  • Ethical legal and social issues in information technology
  • Introduction to computer science
  • Professional and technical communications
  • Systems analysis and design
  • Web technologies
  • Website design

Information Technologist 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: Database administrators

Total # Employed in the US 108,080
Average Hourly Wage: $35.72/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$19.61 $25.71 $34.4 $44.83 $54.9
Average Yearly Salary $74,290
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$40,780 $53,470 $71,550 $93,260 $114,200
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.4% 4.3% 16.6% 9.6% 47.4% 19.5% 2.2%
Database administrators — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Mississippi $40.53/hr $84,300
District of Columbia $40.17/hr $83,560
Oklahoma $39.56/hr $82,290
Colorado $39.41/hr $81,970
North Dakota $39.14/hr $81,410
Virginia $38.98/hr $81,080
North Carolina $38.92/hr $80,950
Nebraska $38.23/hr $79,520
Florida $38.12/hr $79,300
Missouri $37.71/hr $78,430
Alaska $37.17/hr $77,320
Oregon $36.82/hr $76,590
Delaware $36.58/hr $76,090
Tennessee $36.14/hr $75,180
Guam $36.13/hr $75,150
Kansas $35.9/hr $74,670
Idaho $35.57/hr $73,990
Connecticut $35.42/hr $73,680
New York $34.99/hr $72,790
New Mexico $34.53/hr $71,810
Utah $34.53/hr $71,820
Wyoming $34.22/hr $71,170
Montana $33.6/hr $69,890
Hawaii $33.48/hr $69,640
South Carolina $33.36/hr $69,390
Michigan $33.23/hr $69,120
Louisiana $32.63/hr $67,860
Arkansas $32.46/hr $67,520
Maine $32.35/hr $67,280
Wisconsin $31.95/hr $66,460
Indiana $31.72/hr $65,970
New Hampshire $31.4/hr $65,320
Ohio $31.35/hr $65,200
Iowa $31.32/hr $65,150
Pennsylvania $31/hr $64,490
West Virginia $30.84/hr $64,150
Washington $29.7/hr $61,770
Alabama $29.59/hr $61,540
Massachusetts $29.43/hr $61,220
Kentucky $29.37/hr $61,090
California $29.31/hr $60,960
South Dakota $28.4/hr $59,080
Maryland $28.17/hr $58,590
Puerto Rico $26.75/hr $55,630
Nevada $24.85/hr $51,680
New Jersey $24.05/hr $50,020


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: Clinical Data Managers

Total # Employed in the US 21,370
Average Hourly Wage: $36.16/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$18.48 $24.32 $35.01 $46.03 $56.35
Average Yearly Salary $75,220
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$38,430 $50,590 $72,820 $95,740 $117,210
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.4% 1.4% 4.9% 3.2% 28.1% 38.5% 23.6%


Information Technology Programs by State & City