There are many responsibilities associated with the role of the Information and Technology Manager. Not only are they responsible for helping to determine the IT goals of an organization, they also oversee the implementation of said goals while coordinating, planning with, and managing a staff of computer analysts, software designers, and sometimes non-technical staff as well. While the norm for an IT Manager is to have a base education, which includes a bachelor's degree in a computer or information science field, many organizations also require their personnel at this level to have a graduate degree as well, with one of the most common master's degrees being a Master's of Business Administration with an emphasis in IT.
An excellent online Master's of Business Administration degree with a specialization in Management Information Systems is featured at Florida State University's College of Business. U.S. News & World Report has recognized the business school at FSU as offering the 16th best online MBA in the country. With a total tuition rate of $30,427, this 100$ online degree can be completed in as few as 24 months and includes such courses as Information and Technology Management, Social and Organizational Issues in Management Information Systems, Advanced Project Management, and Knowledge Management/Business Intelligence within the curriculum.
Another high-powered online MBA with a concentration in Information Technology Management is offered at the College of Business and Economics at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. With a low tuition rate of $22,947, this 36-credit hour program allows its students the chance to gain a working knowledge of IT concepts in classes like IT Service Management, Data Analytics and Business Intelligence, Business Process Innovation and Management, and Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity.
One of the most affordable quality online Master's of Business Administration degrees with an emphasis in Management Information Systems can be found at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's School of Business. This 42-credit hour program featuring courses like, Information Systems and Technology, Managerial Economics, Corporate Finance, Quantitative Analysis, Negotiation & Interpersonal Skills for Managers, and Operations Management and Process Analysis is priced at less than $1,000 a course making the entire cost of tuition an accessible $13,322. Some students of the School of Business have reported an average early career salary of $58,300 after graduating revealing a strong return on the investment of education.
While programs like these are affordable and offer exceptional value, many graduate students are interested to know what kind of salary they can expect as an IT Manager. While U.S. News & World Report shows a median salary of $131,600 for IT Management positions, they also report a 75th percentile salary of $166,160 and a 25th percentile salary of $101,880. Some of the highest paying jobs are found in cities like New York City, San Jose, and San Francisco. Salaries for IT Managers also rank well against other salaries within technical fields. IT Managers tend to earn nearly 50% more than those holding positions as Computer Systems Analysts, Computer Programmers, Computer Systems Administrators, and Database Administrators. The Bureau of Labor Statistics places the median salary among Computer and Information Systems Managers at a level of $135,800. The Labor Bureau lists the number of jobs in this field at 348,500 with an increase of 15% until 2024 which will be another 53,700 jobs added to the marketplace during that time. Even the lowest 10% in the field of IT Management earns a respectable $82,360.
