Technology Degrees and Certifications

If you want to work in the technology industry you'll need the right education, the ability to work with care and precision, and have strong planning and organizational skills. The field of technology is constantly changing, so IT specialists and technology professionals must stay up to date with the latest technologies and must have the ability to understand and analyze complicated business and technical concepts in order to excel in their careers.

Career Options in Technology and IT

Since technology continually changes, a career in technology is also constantly evolving. Unlike other occupations, to be successful, technology professionals must always be learning and staying abreast of the latest technologies and industry trends. And since technology and business are becoming increasingly interwoven, professionals with training, education and experience in both fields will find better jobs and qualify for more career advancement opportunities.

Technology careers requiring professionals to possess business and technology skills, and are predicted to experience substantial growth over the next decade, include the following:

IT project manager
IT consultant
Senior software engineer, developer, programmer
Computer networking system engineer
Information technology specialist

Technology Degrees and Programs

The following is a list of the most popular technology degree programs. To learn more about a specific technology program select a specialization below.

IT Employment Outlook and Salary Potential

Many opportunities for jobs, pay increases, and promotion exist within IT industries. In 2012, the BLS reported that 274,000 managers specializing in information and computer systems worked in the United States. Twenty-five percent of these specialists worked in computer system development. It is projected that employment opportunities in this industry should grow by 16 percent annually through 2018.

As with most careers, salaries often reflect experience, specialty, location, and certification or education level. During 2012, median salaries for managers specializing in information and computer systems were roughly $110,000 a year.

Prospective Technology Degrees and Coursework

To begin a technology related career, consider the following strategies. Spend time not only learning about technology, but focus on customer service skills since IT specialists work in a service oriented industry and have to deal with customers, employees and managers on a daily basis.

Individuals with the bachelor degrees in information technology, computer programming and computer science are highly sought after by technology firms. Master's degrees are also available in these disciplines. Technology professionals with a master's degree will experience greater career opportunities than those with a bachelor's degree. Since business is an important focus for technology companies, individuals desiring to work in management should consider earning an MBA.

Online Technology Career Training Options

The following online training programs will experience significant increases in enrollment during the next 10 years, due to increased demand for professionals in these fields:

Networking and support: CCNA or MCDST, and A+ certification
Project management: Microsoft's SharePoint 2007, Project Management Professional (PMP), Project Management Institute's (PMI), and CompTIA Project+
Security: Recognizing threats that could damage proprietary or commercial software
Virtualization: VMware and Microsoft