What Does an IT Manager Do? Duties, Pay & Outlook

What does an IT manager do?

Computer and information systems managers plan, direct and coordinate an organization’s technology, including infrastructure, security, applications, budgets and IT staff. The median pay is $175,140 per year (BLS, May 2025), most people train for about Bachelor’s plus 5+ years of IT experience, and employment is projected to grow +15.8% from 2025–35.

Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026

Median pay
$175,140
$84.20/hour · May 2025
Job growth
+15.8%
2025–35, much faster than average
Openings per year
53,500
Average, 2025–35
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
BLS classification
Time to train
Bachelor’s plus 5+ years of IT experience
Typical program length
U.S. jobs
685,800
Employment, 2025

What IT managers do

IT managers make sure technology supports the business. They lead help desk, network, security and application teams, set technology plans and budgets, choose vendors, manage projects and protect systems and data. Senior leaders such as IT directors and CIOs set strategy across the organization.

Most IT managers have a bachelor’s degree and five or more years of IT experience. Many have MBAs or certifications such as the PMP, ITIL, CISSP or CISM. Strong leadership and communication skills matter as much as technical knowledge.

Typical duties

Lead and develop IT staff
Plan technology strategy and budgets
Manage infrastructure, security and applications
Select and manage vendors
Lead IT projects
Set policies and ensure compliance
Report to executives on technology

Work environment and schedule

IT managers work in offices, often in hybrid arrangements, with frequent meetings and on-call responsibility for major incidents.

Schedule: Most work full-time, often more than 40 hours, with after-hours work during outages and projects.

A day in the life

8:00 AMReview overnight incidents and security alerts.
9:00 AMMeet with the help desk lead about ticket trends.
10:00 AMReview a cloud migration project plan.
11:30 AMNegotiate a software renewal with a vendor.

See a full day in the life of an IT manager →

IT Manager salary

Half of IT managers earned more than $175,140 and half earned less in May 2025. Pay ranged from about $107,550 for the lowest 10% to $297,510 for the top 10%.

$107,55010th$175,140Median$297,51090th

Full IT manager pay scale and hourly rates →

How to become an IT manager

Build IT experience
Earn a degree
Take on leadership
Earn certifications
Advance

A bachelor’s degree in computer science, information systems or a related field plus five or more years of IT experience is typical. Many IT leaders have MBAs.

Step-by-step guide to becoming an IT manager →

Skills and tools

Technical skills

IT strategy
Budgeting
Infrastructure and cloud
Cybersecurity management
Project management

People skills

Leadership
Communication
Decision making
Business acumen

All IT manager skills and tools →

Pros and cons

Pros

Very high pay
Leadership and strategic influence
Demand in every industry
Variety of challenges

Cons

High responsibility for outages and breaches
Long hours
Balancing budgets and demands
Constant change

Certifications and licenses

Project Management Professional (PMP): Project leadership certification.
ITIL 4: IT service management certification.
CISSP or CISM: Security leadership certifications.
Cloud certifications: Such as AWS or Azure architect credentials.

Career path

IT Specialist or Engineer: Build technical expertise.
IT Team Lead or Supervisor: Lead a team.
IT Manager: Manage IT functions.
IT Director or CIO: Lead technology strategy.

Learn the job before day one

Our IT Manager training (12 hours, $109.99) covers the role, 15+ key terms, step-by-step procedures such as build an annual IT budget and lead a major incident response, safety and how to land your first job.

View IT Manager training Is this career right for me?

Network Administrator

Design, run and secure the networks and servers organizations depend on.

$99,130
1–4 years

Cybersecurity Analyst

Monitor, detect and respond to cyber threats that target an organization.

$129,180
1–4 years

Computer Systems Analyst

Bridge business needs and technology by designing better computer systems.

$105,850
4 years

Project Manager

Plan projects, lead teams and deliver results on time, on budget and in scope.

$102,320
1–4+ years

Compare: IT Manager vs. Network Administrator · IT Manager vs. Cybersecurity Analyst · IT Manager vs. Computer Systems Analyst · IT Manager vs. Project Manager

IT Manager FAQ

Do IT managers need an MBA?

Not required, but common for senior roles.

How much experience is needed?

Typically five or more years in IT.

What certifications help?

PMP, ITIL, CISSP and cloud credentials.

How much does an IT manager make?

The median annual wage for IT managers was $175,140 ($84.20 per hour) in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest 10% earned less than $107,550 and the highest 10% earned more than $297,510.

How long does it take to become an IT manager?

Most people need about Bachelor’s plus 5+ years of IT experience of training. A bachelor’s degree in computer science, information systems or a related field plus five or more years of IT experience is typical. Many IT leaders have MBAs.

Do you need a degree to be an IT manager?

Usually. BLS lists a bachelor’s degree as typical plus years of experience, though some IT managers rise from technical roles with strong certifications and leadership experience.

Sources

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, SOC 11-3021 (Computer and information systems managers).
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS Employment Projections, Table 1.2 (2025–35).
O*NET OnLine summary for Computer and information systems managers (U.S. Department of Labor).
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.

Reviewed by the Career Education Institute Curriculum Team. Pay figures are national estimates; local pay varies. See our editorial policy.

IT Manager