How Profitable Is The Field of IT
If you’re thinking of going into a diverse field, IT might be your best bet. However, many people do not know what IT is. Furthermore, when many people think of IT, they tend to associate it with coding and other forms of programming. While this may be the case in some aspects, IT is a very broad field filled with many different types of roles and objectives. It is true that if you want to learn how to code and get a job in that field, IT is for you, However, if you’re looking to just work with computers and technology on a different level, you can do that.
Since IT is such a broad field, there is a lot to cover. However, one article will not do the whole field of IT justice. Therefore, we will try to cover a few aspects. The goal is to get a basic understanding of what IT is, a few of the various jobs that are available, and how much money you can potentially earn. Of course, just like any field, the amount of pay you’ll receive can vary greatly.
What Is IT?
IT or Information Technology is the use of computers to create, process, store, retrieve and exchange various forms of electronic data and/or information. As you may have assumed, the field of information technology is considerably vast just by its description alone. Computers have a considerable amount of processing power and are able to perform a plethora of tasks. Therefore, the field is progressively increasing in size as time passes. While the definition of IT focuses on the use of computers, information technology can span across various forms. For example, IT also focuses on other information distribution technologies such as a telephone or television.
If you’re a tech-savvy person, IT may be for you. One really good aspect of this field is that since it is continuously growing, there are more opportunities arising. Therefore, if you are dedicated to learning about a specific section of IT and want to get a job within it, your chances are steadily increasing. However, IT is a rather competitive field for a few reasons. The first is that it is known to be rather lucrative in many aspects. The second is that the field is quite prestigious. I know many people who take pride in saying they’re in the IT or computer science field.
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What Jobs Are Within IT?
As we stated earlier, there are many jobs within the information technology field. Therefore, we will go over a few different types of jobs and what their responsibilities entail.
IT Technician
The first job on our list is an IT Technician or Support Technician. Support technicians do quite a bit and can have various responsibilities. For example, support technicians are often given the task of maintaining computers and network servers. In terms of maintaining computers, this can be on the hardware or software. A common example of a support technician is the Geek Squad at Best Buy. However, any sort of group that focuses on the troubleshooting, maintaining, and repairing of a computer’s hardware or software will fit into this category.
Network Administrator
A really popular job within the field of IT is called a Network Administrator. Chances are that you’ve heard of this job before. However, if you haven’t, a network administrator’s main job is maintaining networks and technical systems. This includes but is not limited to troubleshooting various issues and making sure that there is effective communication throughout the organization they work at.
Computer Programmer
The next job on our list is a Computer Programmer. This is probably one of the most popular sections of IT and computer science in general. As a computer programmer, your job is to write new software using programming languages. However, you will also be tasked with managing and debugging current and new software. There are many coding languages that serve different functions. However, the fundamentals for many of these languages are relatively the same. Therefore, it is common for someone who is only proficient in one to pick up a different language.
Web Developer
Another field that is within IT but closely related to computer programming is web development. Web developers use their coding skills to create websites and web apps for their customers. They do this by using coding languages such as HTML, CSS, and Javascript.
IT Security Specialist
The last job that we will take a look into is an IT Security Specialist. An IT Security Specialist builds and maintains protective software/measures. This software is typically used in a business setting and its sole purpose is to protect data from being taken. This is a huge field with a vast amount of opportunities due to the fact that millions of people have their data stolen every day. From tech companies to banks, this is a vital role within any organization.
How Much Money Can Jobs Within IT Earn?
Answering this question is quite difficult due to the fact that there are many different types of jobs. Some pay a relatively small amount. However, there are many jobs that can pay hundreds of thousands of dollars. Therefore, we will take a look at the average salaries of the jobs that were mentioned above. This should give us a good range on how much money an individual can potentially earn.
IT Technician
The first on our list is an IT Technician. While they do work with computers and have a long list of responsibilities. The average median income for someone within this role is approximately $47,000. This is due to the fact that the job isn’t in high demand.
Network Administrator
The next job is the Network Administrator. A Network Administrator is a slightly more niche field. Therefore, the pay reflects accordingly, on average. On average, a Network Administrator takes home approximately $57,000 per year.
Computer Programmer
In the field of computer programming, it is very hard to pinpoint a specific salary. This is due to the fact that much like IT, Computer Programming is more of an umbrella term. However, the average salary for someone in this field, according to 300 submitted surveys is just over $57,000 per year.
Web Developer
The second last job on our list is the Web Developer. The web developer job is quite interesting because there are different tiers. You can be a front-end developer, back-end, or full-stack. Furthermore, each of these job titles has varying salaries. For this instance, we will look at salaries for senior web developers who focus more on the front-end of a website or the UI (user interface). In terms of salary, a senior web developer can earn upwards of $75,000 per year. This is of course increased when they garner more experience. Furthermore, this does not account for if they start their own business and build a clientele.
IT Security Specialist
For an IT Security Specialist or Cypersecurity engineer, the pay is quite a bit higher than the previous jobs. This is most likely due to the fact that the job is in high demand and deals with extremely sensitive information. This information can be anything from phones and addresses to credit card information. However, a Cybersecurity engineer or IT Security Specialist can earn up to $84,000 per year.
Shameed is just a man on a mission to help those around him gain financial success. Obsessed with writing about all things finance, this GTA native is constantly learning and sharing his experiences with others.
