IT Career News

A new survey from Computerworld indicates the most in-demand IT skills for 2012.

Computerworld polled 353 IT executives about their technology and hiring plans for 2012 in its annual IT forecast survey. The results provide valuable insight into which IT skills and expertise are likely to be the most sought-after in 2012. Companies will make significant investments in their IT workforces to bolster business in the year ahead; nearly 29% of respondents plan to take on new IT staffers through Summer 2012 – a whopping 45% increase in IT hiring expectations over last year's poll. The survey also reveals that companies will seek to gain a competitive advantage through technological innovation, not just “keeping the lights on,” as they plan next year’s IT hiring.

Here are the top IT skills in demand for 2012:

The Internet boasts a wealth of free computer training for those who know where to look. Here are some of the best free online courses available right now.

This article will be updated continually with the latest and greatest schools and courses.

Rankings are unbiased; ITCareerFinder receives no compensation to be featured in the best free online courses.

Nonprofit organizations, technology companies, and educational institutions provide free computer courses across all IT subjects and skill levels. Some do this to expose more people to their software or hardware, while others strive to make top-notch education more accessible. Regardless of the training provider’s mission, self-motivated learners can capitalize on this massive cache of free online computer training to grow their skill set, earn certifications to validate their expertise to prospective employers, and gain exposure to new IT careers.

To compile our list of the best free computer courses, we looked at numerous factors, including relevance of curriculum, ease of accessibility, course quality, and provider reputation. We also endeavored to represent the top training options across multiple categories and skill levels.

In no particular order, here are our favorite online training providers and their best free computing courses:

Trying to determine your ideal IT career path? Want to know which computer jobs will be in the greatest demand, offer the highest salaries, and best opportunities for advancement once you finish training? ITCareerFinder assembled this comparison of the decade’s hottest technology careers to serve as your guide. These 10 computer jobs will experience the fastest growth, pay salaries well above the national average, boast top employment rates, and offer a range of opportunities for promotion.

Compare the best computer jobs by employment projections, key growth factors, salary, and more, then click the links of your favorite IT career paths for deep-dive profiles featuring skills and responsibilities, desirable certifications, wage analyses, education requirements, training & degree programs, local job openings, and tips from IT insiders.

The methodology to discover the best computer jobs for the future centers around a four-point weighted analysis of employment forecasts from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook, IT salaries and the ratio of job listings to qualified applicants on leading job boards, and potential for upward mobility based on interviews with technology and employment experts, as well as recent IT hiring trends.

Discover the 10 best computer jobs for the future:

1. IT Security Specialist

   

   IT Security Specialist Employment Projections | 2022 - 2032

   • 10-Year Growth Pct: 32% (much faster than average)†
   • 10-Year Growth Volume: 53,200 new jobs
   • Median Salary: $120,000
   • IT Security Specialist Career Path ››
   Key Growth Factors

   Security will remain a top concern for IT executives and hiring managers as the frequency, scope, and complexity of cyber attacks continue to escalate. Year after year, IT executives report actively seeking professionals with information security skills but finding it difficult to locate good talent. This indicates an incredible opportunity for technology professionals to advance their cybersecurity skills and certifications. Computer security skills in the greatest demand include IT operations security, secure web and mobile application development, risk management, information assurance, network security, and cloud security.

2. Mobile Application Developer

   

   Mobile App Developer Employment Projections | 2022 - 2032

   • 10-Year Growth Pct: 26% (much faster than avg.)†
   • 10-Year Growth Volume: 410,400 new jobs
   • Median Salary: $132,000
   • Mobile App Developer Career Path ››
   Key Growth Factors

   Mobile application development is one of the world's fastest-growing occupations. As smartphones and tablets continue to change the way we communicate, do business, and access news & entertainment, the demand for new and innovative mobile apps is growing at an incredible speed. This increased demand translates to one of the largest IT skills gaps ever realized – there are simply more mobile application development job openings than skilled developers to fill them. Google's Android and Apple's iOS (iPhone, iPad & Apple Watch) platforms will continue to offer the most career opportunities for mobile developers, as these 2 platforms combine for over 99% of the mobile OS market share in the US.

3. Software Engineer

   

   Software Engineer Employment Projections | 2022 - 2032

   • 10-Year Growth Pct: 25% (much faster than avg.)†
   • 10-Year Growth Volume: 451,200 new jobs
   • Median Salary: $130,000
   • Software Engineer Career Path ››
   Key Growth Factors

   Workforce demand for software engineers will rise along with technological advancement and the growing ubiquity of software. For example, the rapid adoption of cloud technologies is driving demand for applications software engineers who can build secure and scalable cloud programs. Likewise, as the proliferation of computer systems continues and software spreads into new industries and smart devices, the need to develop the computer systems that power these initiatives will create jobs for systems software engineers.

4. Video Game Designer

   

   Video Game Designer Employment Projections | 2022 - 2032

   • 10-Year Growth Pct: 16% (much faster than avg.)†
   • 10-Year Growth Volume: 34,700 new jobs
   • Median Salary: $103,000
   • Video Game Designer Career Path ››
   Key Growth Factors

   The $140+ billion dollar gaming industry has more than tripled in size over the last decade. Beyond the booming market for PC and console games, the increased popularity, processing power, and graphics capabilities of mobile devices have unlocked a new world of job opportunities for video game designers, artists, and programmers. Game designers with mobile development expertise will be especially sought after as smartphones and tablets continue to change how video games are played. Game designer employment will also benefit from emerging technologies and rising demand for augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) applications.

5. Computer Systems Analyst

   

   Computer Systems Analyst Employment Projections | 2022 - 2032

   • 10-Year Growth Pct: 10% (much faster than avg.)†
   • 10-Year Growth Volume: 51,100 new jobs
   • Median Salary: $104,000
   • Computer Systems Analyst Career Path ››
   Key Growth Factors

   As organizations continue to increase their reliance on technology, computer systems analysts will be needed to increase the efficiency of existing technologies and architect new systems. Health care is a key industry for systems analyst job growth, as aggressive government mandates and funding initiatives continue to drive increases in electronic medical record (EMR) adoption, electronic prescription services, and other health-centric software projects. The U.S. Department of Labor also predicts a 43% increase in systems analyst hiring at IT consulting firms, which translates to a huge amount of freelance and contract employment opportunities in this job role.

6. Web Developer

   

   Web Developer Employment Projections | 2022 - 2032

   • 10-Year Growth Pct: 17% (much faster than avg.)†
   • 10-Year Growth Volume: 16,700 new jobs
   • Median Salary: $93,000
   • Web Developer Career Path ››
   Key Growth Factors

   Each year, a record number of businesses bring their offerings to the Internet. As the number of products and services online continues to grow, web developers and designers will enjoy increased job opportunities. The proliferation of social networks will boost demand for web developers as businesses look to engage a new generation of customers and spur a competitive advantage in this rapidly growing space. Responsive web design, user interface (UI), and user experience (UX) skills are a hot commodity in this position as displays must increasingly adapt to varying device sizes and types, e.g., smartwatches.

7. Health Information Technician

   

   Health Information Technician Employment Proj. | 2022 - 2032

   • 10-Year Growth Pct: 16% (much faster than avg.)†
   • 10-Year Growth Volume: 6,200 new jobs
   • Median Salary: $63,000
   • Health Information Technician Career Path ››
   Key Growth Factors

   Health care will produce more new computer jobs through 2025 than any other single industry. Aggressive government mandates and funding incentives for medical practices to adopt centralized electronic health records are driving unprecedented hiring of health information technicians trained and certified in these new technologies. Health information technicians may earn the lowest starting salary on this list, but the required education is the quickest (typically a 2-year degree program in Health IT). Candidates learning now will be well-positioned for lucrative management positions as the health IT job market continues to mature.

8. Technology Manager

   

   Technology Manager Employment Projections | 2022 - 2032

   • 10-Year Growth Pct: 15% (much faster than avg.)†
   • 10-Year Growth Volume: 86,000 new jobs
   • Median Salary: $170,000
   • Technology Manager Career Path ››
   Key Growth Factors

   Job growth for information technology managers is directly tied to the growth rates of the IT workers they supervise. Record-breaking growth in a variety of technical jobs – including software development, project management, data analytics, and cloud computing – will continue through 2025 and beyond, in turn fueling strong demand for talented IT managers. Additional growth will be driven by an increased focus on information security and the hiring of additional cybersecurity personnel.

9. Database Administrator

   

   Database Administrator Employment Projections | 2022 - 2032

   • 10-Year Growth Pct: 7% (faster than average)†
   • 10-Year Growth Volume: 6,000 new jobs
   • Median Salary: $117,000
   • DBA Career Path ››
   Key Growth Factors

   Businesses are racking up impressive amounts of digital information, spurring the need for trained and certified DBAs to store, organize, analyze, and secure this data. In addition, as more databases are connected to the Internet and cloud, data security will become increasingly vital and complex; database administrators and developers - especially those with information security skills - will be hired to protect corporate data from hackers and other cyber threat vectors.

10. Network Administrator

    

    Network Administrator Employment Projections | 2022 - 2032

    • 10-Year Growth Pct: 2% (about as fast as avg.)†
    • 10-Year Growth Volume: 8,300 new jobs
    • Median Salary: $95,000
    • Network Administrator Career Path ››
    Key Growth Factors

    Demand for network administrators will rise as organizations invest in new computer systems and network technologies to increase productivity and gain a competitive advantage. The rapid adoption of mobile and smart devices and cloud computing means more organizations will use the Internet to conduct business online, translating to increased job opportunities for network professionals who can help businesses securely wield these emerging technologies.

Helpful Links for Blog Readers:

• Find IT Training and Certification Prep
• Research and Compare IT Certifications
• Explore Information Technology Careers
• Take Our Free IT Career Path Quiz
• Jobs You Can Get with IT Degrees

†The average ten-year growth rate for all occupations is 3% (bls.gov)

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook

ITCareerFinder breaks down ten core and niche technology skills to boost your job prospects in 2025 (and beyond).

As it does each and every year, technology will evolve at a breakneck pace in 2025. To land the best tech jobs and stay competitive in this shifting market, IT professionals must develop a strategic mix of foundational and specialized computing skills.

This post will outline ten of the hottest IT skills for 2025 - featuring five emerging specialties and five core competencies - you can learn to capitalize on workforce trends. We’ll also highlight some real-world applications and examples of industries hiring for each skill set.

While money isn’t everything when choosing a career, with the average total cost for a 4-year college degree reaching approximately $122,000, you certainly want to invest in a program that will increase your chances of landing a high-paying job after graduation and foster long-term success.

For many, a degree in information technology is probably your best bet. According to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, bachelor’s degrees in computer science and engineering lead to the highest salaries. Mathematics and business rank among the top paying fields, too.

Computer and information technology occupations are expected to grow 15 percent between 2021 and 2031 (much faster than the 5% growth rate for all occupations) according to new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). And many companies are still hiring for entry-level roles in IT and computer tech, despite the pandemic.

Whether you are already working toward a degree or shopping around for colleges, read on to learn more about the top paying degrees you need to land your dream job in IT.

(Note: Unless otherwise stated, all salaries cited in this post were taken from sites that collect data anonymously from employees.)

Here are the top paying bachelor's degrees in information technology:

A quality college education isn't cheap - especially in a hot field like computer science - but deals abound if you know where to look. Here are some of our favorite affordable online CS degrees.

This article will be updated continually with the best cheap online computer science programs.

Some of today’s most lucrative IT careers are in fields like cloud computing, cyber security, software development, data analytics and artificial intelligence. While courses and certificates can help you get your foot in the door, the best jobs in these domains require at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field. This article will highlight some of the best online CS degrees in these fields that won’t break the bank.

With the proliferation of online learning, obtaining a computer science degree has never been easier or more affordable. According to the latest data from the Education Data Initiative, the average tuition price for an online bachelor’s program is a whopping $51,091 before financial aid and scholarships are applied. We analyzed the field of accredited comp-sci degrees under this price - most of which came in at a far lower cost - and selected the most relevant, high-quality and economical programs to compile this list of the cheapest online bachelor’s in computer science.

ITCareerFinder analyzes salaries and hiring trends to uncover this year's best-paying cyber security roles.

Data breaches are becoming so ubiquitous that it’s easy to gloss over the headlines, but the fallout is much harder for companies to ignore -- hacks are not just embarrassing but can lead to serious financial and reputational damage. So, it’s not surprising that there’s high demand for IT security specialists, and that those who are up to the task are generously compensated. In fact, cyber security is the 3rd most highly sought-after skill set in 2023, and many companies report info-sec vacancies due to their inability to find qualified candidates.

Not only are these skills in peak demand, but cyber security is one of the highest-paying IT specialties, bringing in an average salary of $102,600 (more than double the $45,760 average for all occupations) according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. But not all cyber-sec jobs pay the same. A handful of positions stand above the rest, at least in terms of compensation.

Here are some of the highest paying cyber security careers for 2023:

Joe Tuan, the founder of TopFlight Apps, breaks down the meanings, differences, and core concepts of user interface and user experience design.

Today, you can’t build a successful mobile app or website without effective user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design. Job boards are filled with ads looking for UX/UI designers to help create appealing products and services layered on top of myriad gadgets and devices. But what are these really, and how do you know if you need a UX or UI designer to build your product? Read on to find out.