For those with an inclination toward technology or data analysis, pursuing a career in information technology (IT) is likely a natural fit. Jobs related to the management of information systems are important in many industries, especially as employment in the technology occupations is expected to grow 15% in the decade leading up to 2031, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Rising in the ranks of the IT field can present lucrative and rewarding career paths. Professionals who excel in IT may set their sights on the goal of becoming an IT director. Attaining this position takes years of experience, hard work and a solid foundation of education in computer science. The payoff, however, can be a satisfying role in management and a higher-than-average salary for technology occupations.
What Is an IT Director?
An IT director is the computer and information systems manager responsible for overseeing an organization’s IT infrastructure, processes and employees. The director is the one ultimately responsible for all technology-supporting business functions. As a key tech leader within a company, the IT director also works closely with other senior executives to ensure that technology operations effectively meet the overall business strategy and goals.
IT Director Salary
Directors of IT are generally among the highest-paid professionals in the technology field, but the salary of IT directors can vary significantly based on factors such as company size, location, industry and the individual’s level of experience and qualifications. The BLS reports $159,010 per year as the median salary for all types of IT managers as of May 2021, but because IT directors often oversee teams that include mid-level managers, a director’s salary is likely to be higher than this median.
In addition to base salary, IT directors may also receive bonuses and other forms of compensation, such as stock options and bonuses. The total compensation package for an IT director can be significant, and it can vary depending on the specific job. Accounting for these forms of additional pay, the company Glassdoor estimates the total pay of IT directors at $210,508, on average, as of July 2023. This represents a significant margin over the median for most IT jobs.
IT Director Job Description
IT directors command their high pay in part due to the critical nature of their responsibilities. A director of IT is the one ultimately accountable for a company’s technological health and competitiveness in the economic landscape. With this responsibility comes a wide range of duties that combine advanced technical expertise, people management skills and high-level business acumen.
Technical Expertise
As the head of all IT assets and strategy within a company, IT directors must know the ins and outs of many types of hardware, programs and best practices for enterprise technology. This typically includes data storage infrastructure, networking equipment, information security and cloud computing systems, though every organization has different needs. Ultimately, the specific roles and responsibilities filled by IT directors come down to the scale and purpose of their company. Common job duties include:
- Assessing an organization’s technology needs and making upgrade recommendations;
- Setting short- and long-term IT implementation goals;
- Planning and directing new hardware and software deployments;
- Calculating the costs of current and future IT systems;
- Security measures for protecting sensitive data, systems and personnel from external threats;
- Leading incident response and recovery in the event of a data breach;
- Managing other IT professionals, including tech support staff and software developers.
These are just some of the high-level competencies required of many IT directors, but much of their day-to-day work may be focused on people and business management in addition to the oversight of technology.
Administrative Duties
Unlike other tech-focused positions, many IT directors are expected to take on a host of administrative duties that are outside of the typical tech professional’s realm of expertise. Directors often manage a large staff and help coordinate projects between different departments or even with external organizations.
For example, a company upgrading its customer support might charge the IT director with designing and implementing a voice-over-internet (VoIP) phone system. These types of large-scale tech integrations can be extremely disruptive, leading to unplanned downtime and performance issues that could impact the overall quality of service. IT directors must be able to think through these complexities, along with their organization’s unique business requirements, when creating an execution schedule and managing the project budget.
Job Outlook for IT Directors
IT directors are in high demand in nearly every industry. According to the BLS, employment for computer and information systems managers is expected to expand by 16% between 2021 and 2023, much faster than the national average for all occupations. This equates to about 48,500 job openings for IT managers each year. Though not all of these are top-level directors, any of the openings could lead you to ultimately become a director as you advance your career over time.
One reason this career field is growing so rapidly is that business leaders are looking to ramp up their investment in advanced computing technologies and third-party services. A study by technology company Spiceworks found that, even amid heightened concerns about inflation in 2023, 51% of organizations planned to increase IT budgets, and only 6% intended to cut back. The study also found that those most likely to increase their budgets are large-scale enterprises, which are the types of companies typically promising the most room for advancement in the IT profession.
Steps to Becoming an IT Director
Advancing to top leadership in IT requires a strategic career path and a combination of education, experience and professional development. It’s important to remember that a director of IT is a high-level position typically filled by professionals with several years of demonstrated success leading teams to achieving favorable business outcomes.
Earn a Bachelor’s or Higher Degree
Most employers prefer to hire candidates with a bachelor’s degree for IT positions, and that’s especially true for management roles. Any degree related to computer science may be sufficient to enter the job market, but a bachelor’s program that emphasizes both technology and business management skills will be particularly relevant to this career path. An example is the Bachelor of Science in Information Systems from UAB’s Collat School of Business, an industry-focused program that is 100% online.
A bachelor’s degree can qualify a candidate for entry into the information technology field, but to advance to the level of an IT director, a higher degree is often beneficial. Graduates who are serious about furthering their management skills may consider a Master of Science in Management Information Systems. This degree is also entirely online at the Collat School of Business, making it possible to complete while working to advance one’s career.
Apply to Entry-level Jobs
After obtaining a degree, aspiring managers can begin their careers by applying to entry-level IT positions. Candidates should prioritize opportunities that allow working with different technologies and systems while developing a solid understanding of how IT functions within an organization. Possible job titles may include:
- IT support specialist;
- Computer network technician;
- IT operations technician;
- Application support specialist;
- Information security analyst;
- Software support engineer;
- Junior database administrator.
Any of these early roles will provide a platform to showcase abilities, collaborate with IT teams and learn more about the business side of IT operations while earning a starting salary in the tech field.
Seek Opportunity for Advancement
To progress toward an IT director role, candidates must focus on continual education and demonstrating success. A master’s degree can certainly help, but so will industry certifications and training programs that emphasize leadership and business strategy. Along with that, IT director hopefuls should actively seek responsibility at work and take ownership of tasks to prove management abilities.
Building a track record of success and demonstrating initiative can pave the way to mid-level management positions, eventually leading to the esteemed position of an IT director. Remember that patience, dedication and a commitment to ongoing learning are essential in achieving career aspirations in this dynamic and rewarding field.
Sources:
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Computer and Information Technology Occupations”
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Computer and Information Systems Managers”
Glassdoor, “Salary: IT Director in United States”
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Computer and Information Systems Managers: Job Outlook”