IT jobs rank high and show significant projected growth, reports CNN Money.com

Date Posted: - 10/12/2009

9 IT jobs make “America’s Top 50 Jobs”—Systems Engineer ranks #1 and 5 others rank in the top 20.

A new rankings report from CNNMoney.com comprising data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) lists 9 IT jobs among “America’s Top 50 Jobs.” These jobs (in order of their ranking) are, Systems Engineer (#1), Information Technology Project Manager (#5), Computer/Network Security Consultant (#8), Software Developer (#12), Software Product Manager (#16), Business Analyst, IT (#17), Telecommunications Network Engineer (#30), Computer Software Program Manager (#39), and Application Systems Analyst (#40).

Also noteworthy in the report is the job growth percentages forecast for the next 10 years. In the IT sector, Telecommunications Network Engineer is projected to have an impressive 53% growth, with Systems Engineer prospectively offering a significant growth of 45% for the same period. The other 7 IT jobs project an average growth of 26%.

In a similar article, eWeek.com recently reported, “Oracle Database Administrators, Developers See Salaries Rise Despite Recession.” UMBC’s Graduate Program Director for IS programs, Dr. George Karabatis, sees the news as favorable for IS students stating, “This is another indicator why many of our students should, and continue to, concentrate on database studies.” The eWeek.com article noted, “Oracle database administrators, analysts, developers and managers appear to be weathering the economic storm… the number of Oracle technology professionals near or surpassing the $100,000 mark in their base salaries has increased.”

Dr. Andrew Sears, UMBC IS Department Chair, sees these recent reports as good news, but not too surprising. “UMBC is among the nation’s leaders in awarding IT degrees, and our undergraduates continue to be in high demand for both internships and full-time positions.” Dr. Sears adds, “Despite growing enrollments, numerous IT internships go unfilled each year due to a mismatch between the number of students pursuing IT degrees and demand from employers. It’s very clear that IT jobs are out there waiting for qualified applicants.”

Upon graduation, UMBC Information Systems undergraduates command average starting salaries that are comparable to or better than the national average. Recent graduates and students looking to graduate soon can look favorably on their IT job prospects here in the U.S. and specifically in the mid-Atlantic region.