To become an IT (information technology) project manager, you need to earn an on-campus or online degree in computer science or a related field. Common majors include information science, management information systems or computer science.
Sometimes, an IT project manager will have a background in another business discipline and also have significant enough computer knowledge gained through education or experience to manage IT projects.
Sometimes, an IT project manager will have a background in another business discipline and also have significant enough computer knowledge gained through education or experience to manage IT projects.
Related IT Project Manager Programs
What does an IT project manager do?
An IT project manager leads IT projects in their organization. The IT application may be organization wide or just done for a single department. Also, the project manager may be responsible for putting together the proposal for the project. This would include a feasibility study, costs, benefits, timeline and areas of the organization from where to draw the expertise.
They may even present the proposal to upper management for approval. However, that’s usually the role of the project sponsor. One the project has been green lighted, the IT project manager forms the team, the project plan and assigns tasks. Usually through regularly scheduled meetings, the manager monitors the progress of the plan, adjusting where necessary.
One of the responsibilities the project manager has is to do everything in their power to make sure the project gets done on time, on budget and that it performs according to the proposal.
What kind of education does an IT project manager need?
MIS degree programs are usually part of the business college. As a result the curriculum includes courses like finance, marketing, accounting and management in addition to database management and systems management and design coursework.
It’s also helpful to learn the components of effectively managing projects including the use of project management software.
How much does an IT project manager earn?
Bureau of Labor Statistics suggest that median annual salaries for IT project managers are at around $112,210. This varies widely by project and organization.
Where can an IT project manager work?
IT project managers work wherever there is an IT infrastructure. For example, an IT project manager may be in charge of the financial systems for an organization. So, they would take charge of IT projects that touched the finance area.