Information Technology

Earn More With a Master’s in Information Technology

Earn More With a Master’s in Information Technology
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Noodle Staff May 17, 2018

Everyone wants to earn more in their IT career, especially if they have been working in the field for a while. You can easily go and ask your boss for a raise or keep working until the organization recognizes that you need a raise and bumps you up a salary grade. However, a better way to advance your career and get better pay is to get a master’s degree.

I.T. Degree Programs You Should Consider

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Advance Your Career and Earn More With a Master’s in Information Technology

Indeed, a Master’s Degree in Information Technology will make you feel like a valued member of the organization. It will also show the company that you are dedicated and committed to the field and willing to continue growing in knowledge and expertise. Plus, it will train you to take on bigger, more fulfilling management roles, which will make you feel like you’re not stuck in a dead end job.

If you want to further your education and earn a Master’s of Science in Information Technology, then keep on reading to find out how much earning potential awaits you. Not only will you graduate with new skills, from improved problem solving to leadership and management skills, but those skills will be in high demand, meaning companies will pay you the salary you truly deserve, perhaps even more.

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“I’m Interested in Information Technology!”

I.T. encompasses a vast spectrum of systems and applications. They include common networks most of us use every day, such as telephone and point-of-sale systems. At the other end of the spectrum are comparatively obscure, poorly understood systems like blockchain, used in cryptocurrencies and other transactions. In between lie background systems such as databases and inventory management, crucial to businesses, corporations, and government agencies. (source)

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the computer and information technology job market should grow by 15 percent between 2021 and 2031, creating more than 682,000 new jobs. Earning a Master of Science in Information Technology builds skill sets in critical areas that include cloud computing, algorithms, big data, business intelligence, cybersecurity, data science, machine learning, and IT management, among others. (source)

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Master’s in Information Technology salary averages across the country

The information technology career salary you will receive is dependent on the state and city that you reside in or wish to reside in. There are a lot of factors involved in this, some of them being the types of companies in the city, the size of the organization, and the available resources. This section will outline the salary of a Master’s of Science in Information Technology you can expect to earn in the cities in some of the major states hiring these individuals, according to PayScale{target=”blank”}.

In order to see if the Master’s Degree in Information Technology will be more beneficial for you when you complete your master’s program, a comparison between the cost of living in certain cities within certain states and the National Average will be made.

1. Master’s in Information Technology Salaries in California

Some of the biggest companies in information technology are located in California. In the Golden State, the average information technology career{target=”blank”} salary for someone with a master’s degree is $105,000 annually, which means you are looking at making $8,740 per month as your starting salary. As you can see, it means that you will be able to earn over a million while working in information technology as a California resident by the time you reach your late career (after 20 years).

When it comes to the cost of living, California is 43-percent higher than the National Average, especially if you are targeting Los Angeles. This means the average starting salary you get should be enough to cover the high cost of living in California, making this Master’s of Science in Information Technology salary worth the effort of advancing your career.

2. Master’s in Information Technology Salaries in Texas

Texas has plenty of job openings for people with a Master’s in Information Technology. In fact, jobs get posted every day, showing how in-demand your skills would be if you lived in Texas with that degree. The starting annual salary{target=”blank”} you can expect to earn when you decide to further your education is $81,827. This is a good starting salary since this means you can expect to earn about $6,818 a month. Texas also has some major companies that have their headquarters there, one of them being Dell, one of the biggest manufacturers of desktop and laptop computers.

When you look at the cost of living in places like Houston, it is actually 2% lower than the National Average, while some places like Dallas are just 2% higher. If you are earning an average annual salary of $81,827, then this is way above the cost of living in the area, meaning you will actually get to enjoy your earnings.

3. Master’s in Information Technology Salaries in Florida

In Florida on job sites like indeed.com{target=”blank”}, you will find a lot of job postings for companies looking for people with a Master’s Degree in Information Technology in Florida, meaning it is a great place for your career to advance. But the downside is the average annual salary{target=”blank”} is a bit low compared to other cities, coming at $63,000.

As for the cost of living, Florida is 2% lower than the National Average. So even if the annual salary is lower than most areas, you should be able to live there comfortably.

4. Master’s in Information Technology Salary in Illinois

The salary{target=”blank”} for a Master’s of Science in Information Technology in Illinois isn’t more promising than the ones we have looked at before, but it is still a bit high compared to other non-information technology-related jobs. If you live in or wish to work in cities like Chicago, you can expect a starting salary of about $62,651.

Illinois is also actually one of the cheaper states to live in. In some places like Springfield, the cost of living is 5% lower than the National Average and in some other places like Rockford, it is 10% lower, which is one of the lowest living costs you can find in America.

5. Master’s in Information Technology Salary in Massachusetts

When it comes to Massachusetts, you get average salaries{target=”blank”} of $74,079 for the city of Boston and $81,776 for the city of Cambridge. Searching for jobs on websites like indeed.com{target=”blank”} will reveal a lot of job openings from Amazon, Harvard University, Cambridge University, Boston General Hospital to Massachusetts General Hospital.

If we look at the cost of living in one of the major cities in Massachusetts, Boston, it is 48% higher than the National Average. This means that a salary of $74,079 is a bit low for comfortable living in Boston. This is the same case for Cambridge as well since the cost of living there is 74% higher.

6. Master’s in Information Technology Salary in New YOrk

If you want to have a career in information technology in New York, the average annual salary{target=”blank”} you are looking at is $99,755, which is not bad since you will be making about $8,312 a month. New York City alone has a large number of the best tech companies in America, such as Bloomberg, Oath, CA Technologies, Vice Media and Blue Apron. However, doing a search for information technology job titles in New York City will give you thousands of results to choose from, meaning there are other great options to choose from as well. And having a masters can increase your chances of landing your dream job in the industry.

If you thought California or Dallas was expensive, New York is actually more. The cost of living in New York City is a staggering 129% higher than the National Average, making it the most expensive city to live in. And if you will be making anything lower than $125,000, then it may be worth looking to live outside New York City if you want to live comfortably.

7. Master’s in Information Technology Salaries in Louisiana

In Louisiana, specifically New Orleans, you can expect to get an annual average salary{target=”blank”} of $67,123 ($5,163 per month) when you have a master’s in information technology. Although this is also below the average salary for a Master’s of Science in Information Technology that people in other cities make, it is still enough for comfortable living.

This is because the average cost of living in places like New Orleans is 2% lower than the National Average. And by the time you reach your late-career stages, you should be earning enough to increase your level of comfort.

Jobs for a Master’s in information technology graduate

In this section we will look at the jobs you can expect to get after completing your Master’s in Information Technology degree. While all these careers are good, most people eventually move on to others after 10-20 years, showing that a master’s gives you plenty of opportunities to explore various careers within the field. All the data obtained in this section comes from PayScale {target=”blank”} and we will look at the starting average salary and then move on to how much you can expect to earn after working 10 or 20 years in the field.

Information Technology Project Manager

These are the types of jobs your Master’s in Information Technology prepared you for. Giving you a chance to take on a leadership role in organizations and receive a Master’s in Information Technology Management salary. As an information technology project manager, you will be in charge of planning and executing all information technology-related projects. This means you will have a lot of responsibilities, from hiring and managing staff to making sure the project is completed on time and within budget.

For your troubles, you can expect to earn an average entry-level salary of $85,741. The good thing about this career is that the salary is on an upward trend, increasing more and more as you gain experience in the field. After working 10 years in the field, your annual salary should pass the $100,000 mark. After 10 more years, you should be making an annual average of $110,000.

Software Engineer

As a software engineer, your job will be to work with software designers and lay down the actual code that enables software to perform its intended function in an organization. The software programs can run on many platforms, from desktops to mobile phones to ATMs. There are a wide variety of subfields in software engineering as well, like web apps developer, video game programmer and Android or iOS apps developer.

The starting average salary for a software engineer is $82,286. But with a master’s degree, you will most likely be able to get a higher salary of $91,000. After you pass the 10-year mark as a software engineer, you can be earning $102,000, and at the 20-year mark, you could earn an average of $110,000.

Senior Software Engineer

If you want to earn a good Master’s of Science in Information Technology salary, then being a senior software engineer is the perfect job for you. This job will put you in a leadership role as you will be managing other software engineers in your department while also being able to work on software engineering projects on your own.

This job is suitable for people with a bachelor’s degree in information technology. People who are on the entry level can expect to earn an average of $103,000. With a master’s degree, you can expect to earn $108,845. And with the upward salary trend in this career, working as a senior software engineer for 10 years means you can earn $117,000, then $119,000 after 20 years.

Information Technology Business Analyst

As an IT business analyst, your primary role is to make sure that the organization’s information technology is being used to make the organization more productive. Your job will be to analyze the hardware, software and networks of an organization to find areas that need improvement and solve any problems in that area if any.

For this job, you can expect to start with an average salary of $48,000, but since you will be earning an Information technology career salary with a master’s degree, you can expect an average salary of $78,000. After 10 years in the field and you have had enough experience, your salary can reach $84,000. In the late stages of your career, your salary can reach $87,000.

Cloud Solutions Architect

These days, many organizations are taking advantage of the cloud to store vital information about their organization and their clients. Your job as a cloud solutions architect will be to design and implement the organization’s cloud strategy. This means developing, deploying and monitoring cloud apps, databases and any other cloud-related plans.

For this job title, you can expect to get an average salary of $107,913. This is a good average salary to start with since you need to work 10 or 20 years in other information technology careers to get a salary this high.

Data Modeler

When working as a data modeler at an organization, your job will involve using information technology to make sense of data that the organization has gathered. After you have pulled the information, you will then analyze it and present it to upper management or clients in order to help them make decisions. Your job will involve using information science and statistical analysis to analyze the data and come up with something useful.

When holding a master’s degree, you should expect your average salary to be $81,630, showing that this is a role that is valued by many organizations. After working as a data modeler for 10 years, you can expect to be earning $110,000. The total average pay you can expect after working a lifetime in this field with a master’s degree is $113,000.

Information Technology Management Consultant

This is one of the most flexible jobs in information technology and a great way to earn a Master’s in Information Technology Management. As a consultant, you play more of an advisory role that puts your analytical and problem-solving skills to good use. Basically, you will advise organizations on how best to use their information technology infrastructure to increase efficiency and profits. You will also be responsible for building new infrastructure and improving the current one as well.

For this job title, you can expect to earn an average salary of $75,241 per year. Since you will have a master’s degree, you will probably skip the entry-level pay and earn $83,000, which is what people with 5-10 years experience will earn. By the time you have reached 20 years of experience, you will be earning an average of $123,000.

Computer Systems Analyst

As a computer systems analyst, your job is to analyze the processes an organization uses to achieve its goals and find a way to use computer technology to make the processes more streamlined and automated. These processes include accounting, sales, distribution, manufacturing, and many more. This includes knowing the correct combination of software and hardware needed to perform the automation process.

For someone who has little experience or has a master’s degree, the starting average salary is $67,062. When you become an experienced person, someone who has been working in the field for over 10 years, you can earn $73,000. During your late-career stages, you can make an average total of $81,000.

If you are earning a salary that you are currently not happy with or would like to move on to take more meaningful roles in your organization, you should consider getting a master’s degree. Sure, getting a Master’s Degree in Information Technology is a nice incentive, but your master’s degree will also open a whole new world of potential beyond pay. Your key focus should be to acquire new knowledge and skills that will make you an indispensable asset to your organization or put you in high demand on the job market, and success will surely follow.

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California Salaries – Average Salary in California – Payscale, retrieved March 9, 2018. https://www.payscale.com/research/US/State=California/Salary

Cloud Solutions Architect Salary, retrieved March 9, 2018. https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Cloud_Solutions_Architect/Salary

Computer Systems Analyst Salary, retrieved March 9, 2018. https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Computer_Systems_Analyst/Salary

Data Modeler Salary, retrieved March 9, 2018. https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Data_Modeler/Salary

Depaul University, retrieved March 9, 2018. https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Location=Chicago-IL/Salary

Florida Salaries – Average Salary in Florida – Payscale, retrieved March 9, 2018. https://www.payscale.com/research/US/State=Florida/Salary

Health Informatics Specialist Salary, retrieved March 9, 2018. https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Health_Informatics_Specialist/Salary

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Information Technology (it) Manager in New Orleans Salary, retrieved March 9, 2018. https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Information_Technology_(IT)_Manager/Salary/6ef433fb/New-Orleans-LA

Massachusetts Salaries – Average Salary in Massachusetts – Payscale, retrieved March 9, 2018. https://www.payscale.com/research/US/State=Massachusetts/Salary

New York Salaries – Average Salary in New York – Payscale, retrieved March 9, 2018. https://www.payscale.com/research/US/State=New_York/Salary

Project Manager, Information Technology (IT) Salary, retrieved March 9, 2018. https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Project_Manager%2c_Information_Technology_(IT)/Salary

Senior Software Engineer Salary, retrieved March 9, 2018. https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Senior_Software_Engineer/Salary

Software Engineer Salary, retrieved March 9, 2018.
https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Software_Engineer/Salary

Texas Salaries – Average Salary in Texas – Payscale, retrieved March 9, 2018. https://www.payscale.com/research/US/State=Texas/Salary

Questions or feedback? Email editor@noodle.com

About the Editor

Tom Meltzer spent over 20 years writing and teaching for The Princeton Review, where he was lead author of the company's popular guide to colleges, before joining Noodle.

To learn more about our editorial standards, you can click here.


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I.T. Degree Programs You Should Consider

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