Number of Employed IT Workers Reaches Record High

by Sarah Clark
sarah.clark@careertrainingdirectory.com
Career Training Directory Columnist

The number of IT workers employed in the U.S. during the fiscal year ending March 31, 2006, is the highest in U.S. history, reports Yahoo News of an InformationWeek analysis of the Bureau of Labor Statistics records. That’s good news for computer science degree graduates.

The number of IT workers employed last year was 3.472 million, Yahoo News reported. In the latter part of 2001, the number of IT workers was 3.455 million. The computer science jobs included in the count are those in programming, software engineering, network engineering, and systems administration, among others.

What is more, computer science and computer engineering graduates enjoy some of the highest starting salaries among college graduates. Computer science majors earn average starting salaries of $50,892, while computer engineering degree graduates garner average salaries of $54,200.

Computer Science Degree Programs

Where do you get the training needed to pursue jobs in computer science and engineering? College, of course. You can find numerous computer science programs at colleges, universities, and community colleges across the country. Some offer specializations in specific areas of IT, such as networking, systems architecture, software development, or hardware engineering. Make sure you enroll in a computer science program that will provide you with the particular expertise you need to land a job.

Getting expertise may be the key to remaining competitive, even during a seemingly favorable job market for IT workers. Yahoo reported that IT jobs today are more specialized, often requiring technical knowledge as well as familiarity with an industry.

It is important to remember that degrees aren’t everything in IT. Knowledge and experience are what count more than anything else. Some companies will require more experience in place of a computer science degree. Though, those interested in computer science may be able to get a job working at a higher level without a lot of experience with a master’s degree.

Sources

National Association of Colleges and Employers
Yahoo News

About the Author

Sarah Clark is a freelance writer who specializes in career development.