An IT Degree Can Lead to Some of the Highest Paying Jobs - Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Skip to Main Content


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April 26, 2024

Bachelor Completion School of Business and Technology

 

Earn More With Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota’s IT Degree

An Information Technology (IT) degree from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota can help open doors to a high-paying career. We offer an accelerated bachelor’s degree that can be completed online in just a year. Here, we discuss why a degree in information technology can lead to a satisfying job with a high earning potential.

B.S. in Information Technology

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota offers an information technology degree that focuses on real-world experience mixed with hands-on training to help students manage technical challenges and develop innovative solutions. The highlights of the IT program at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota include:

  • Focus on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) topics
  • Specializations include business intelligence, cybersecurity, or network administration
  • Industry-leading knowledge to pursue CompTIA Security+or CompTIA Network+ certification, which is the gold standard for IT professionals

A student who completes the program will gain this knowledge:

  • Information technology concepts and applications
  • Basic computer programming concepts
  • Designing systems for business applications
  • Cybersecurity issues and cybersecurity administration strategies
  • Organizational data management, database design, and relational database retrieval
  • Cloud computing applications by organizations
  • Ethical implications of information technology-related actions

After completion of an online bachelor’s degree from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, graduates will be able to enter the field of information technology with skills in:

  • Project management
  • Computer science
  • Mathematics
  • Programming
  • IT storage
  • IT management

To learn more about the information technology program, sign up to participate in a bachelor completion information session.

Degree Specializations

If you are looking to specialize in a certain area of the information technology field, the IT degree at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota has three specialization tracks:

Business Intelligence Specialization

This specialization provides students with additional knowledge and skills for analyzing business data. These skills help create information used in organizational decision-making. The curriculum focuses on the use of computer software for business decision-making, business intelligence systems, and data analysis.

Cybersecurity Specialization

Many corporations are concerned about cybersecurity, and this specialization provides students with additional knowledge and skills in information and network security. Various cybersecurity disciplines, including computer forensics, network security, cyber warfare, and computer hacking techniques comprise the cybersecurity specialization curriculum. The cybersecurity specialization helps prepare students for the CompTIA Security+ certification.

Network Administration Specialization

In this specialization, students are provided with the additional knowledge and skills needed to manage information systems networks. The Network Administration specialization helps prepare students for the CompTIA Network+ certification.

Earn More With an IT Degree

A career in the information technology field involves creating or supporting computer applications, systems, and networks. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2022, the median annual wage in the IT field was just over $100,000.

Some careers and their potential average yearly earnings are:

  • Big data engineer – $121,484
  • Cloud computing analyst – $100,981
  • Database administrator – $103,977
  • Desktop support analyst – $76,221
  • DevOps engineer – $120,750
  • Hardware analyst – $85,579
  • Information systems security manager – $127,895
  • Network/cloud architect – $132,860
  • Network/cloud engineer – $118,750
  • Network security engineer – $117,636
  • Product support specialist – $71,139
  • Scrum master – $109,071
  • Site reliability engineer – $119,011
  • Security architect – $166,919
  • Systems administrator – $99,399
  • Systems analyst – $109,531
  • Systems engineer – $109,392

Keep in mind that most entry-level positions, like help desk analysts and troubleshooting support positions, will earn less to start. As you gain more experience, you will be able to earn more as your skills grow and you develop specializations.

Besides furthering their education with an IT degree from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, those who pursue a career in IT can always earn certifications in certain skills. For example, certification in cloud architecture and cybersecurity can help you move up in the pay ranks. Many major information technology companies offer their own certificates, like IBM, Google, Microsoft, and AWS.

Earn More With a Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota Online Degree

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is a private, nonprofit Lasallian Catholic university that awakens, nurtures, and empowers learners to ethical lives of service and leadership.

If you are ready to take the next step and further your education, the admissions staff at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota will help you apply and enroll in the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology program. Our admission office can also answer any questions you may have. We also encourage you to attend one of our virtual information sessions to learn more about all the online programs available at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.

If you are ready to enter the field of information technology and earn more money, the online program at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is an excellent choice. Our programs are exciting and interactive and will allow you to be a valuable asset in the IT field. The best part—our degree can be done all online in just one year! Contact us today to request more information.