Information Technology major

Information Technology: courses, careers, and where to study

Information Technology (IT) focuses on applying computing systems to organizational needs, administering networks, supporting users, building business systems, and managing IT operations.

An Information Technology major emphasizes systems integration, network administration, IT project management, business systems analysis, and the operational side of computing. IT differs from Computer Science in that it leans toward applying existing technology to solve business problems rather than designing new computing systems from first principles.

IT graduates often start in help-desk, systems-administration, or junior-network-engineering roles and can grow into senior infrastructure, IT-management, cloud-architecture, or solutions-architect tracks. The major pairs well with vendor certifications (CompTIA, Cisco, Microsoft, AWS, Azure).

Academic classification (CIP)

In the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, Information Technology maps to CIP 11.0103, Information Technology, within the COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SCIENCES AND SUPPORT SERVICES family. The official definition:

A program that focuses on the design of technological information systems, including computing systems, as solutions to business and research data and communications support needs. Includes instruction in the principles of computer hardware and software components, algorithms, databases, telecommunications, user tactics, application testing, and human interface design.

Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020. View on nces.ed.gov

What you'll study

  • Network architecture and administration (LAN/WAN, routing, switching)
  • Systems administration on Windows, Linux, and macOS
  • Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud)
  • Database administration and SQL
  • IT project management and ITIL fundamentals
  • Business systems analysis and requirements
  • Information assurance and basic security operations
  • Web technologies and scripting (Bash, PowerShell, Python)

Typical careers

Typical salary range: $60,000–$95,000 early-career (BLS, 2024 network and computer systems administrators median $96,800)Ranges are early-career estimates. Any BLS figure shown is the occupation-wide median across all experience levels, not a starting wage, and is informational only.

Related occupations

Occupations the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk associates with Information Technology. Linked titles open a CampusPin career page with BLS pay and outlook data; others are listed for reference.

Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Crosswalk: CIP 2020 to SOC 2018. A program of study does not guarantee any specific occupation.

Before you commit to a Information Technology major

CampusPin does not rank programs. Use these prompts to pressure-test whether a specific Information Technology program fits your goals, they are decision questions, not claims about any school.

Ask the Information Technology department

  • Which concentrations or specializations are offered, and which faculty lead them?
  • What does the typical course sequence look like, and how much is required vs. elective?
  • What labs, studios, clinical placements, or research opportunities are available to undergraduates?
  • Is there a capstone, thesis, internship, or co-op requirement?

Ask current students & check the curriculum

  • How heavy is the workload, and how accessible is the faculty?
  • What internships or co-ops did you do, and where do recent graduates end up?
  • Does the required curriculum actually match the careers listed above?
  • How easy is it to add a minor, double major, or switch tracks later?
Accreditation & licensure: Engineering and some computing programs may hold ABET accreditation, which can matter for professional licensure (the PE path) and for some employers and graduate schools. Check whether the Information Technology programs you are considering are accredited for your goals.
Degree level & graduate study: Many Information Technologycareers are open with a bachelor's degree, but some, such as research, advanced-practice, or licensure-track roles, require a master's or doctorate. Check the typical entry-level education on each linked career page above before assuming a bachelor's is enough.

Find a Information Technology program

CampusPin lists U.S. universities and community colleges that offer Information Technology programs. Filter by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting, no account required.

Search Information Technology schools

Information Technology by state

Related majors

Put this major in context

The salary above is an occupation-wide median from federal data, not a starting wage or a guarantee. These CampusPin pages help you read it well and weigh a Information Technology degree against its cost.

Explore Computing & Math careers

Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.

Explore Management careers

Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.

Why a median wage is not a starting salary

How to read a BLS median, and why early-career pay usually sits below it.

Does a pricier college pay off?

How college cost lines up with graduation and earnings, an association, not a ranking.

How this guide is sourced

This is an editorial guide from the CampusPin Editorial Team. Career and wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages, and link to each career page. Program availability comes from CampusPin's free institution search; CampusPin does not assert that any specific school offers this exact major until that program data is verified. Last reviewed 2026-06-15. How CampusPin sources data · Report a correction.