Computer and Information Systems Managers: Job Description
Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as electronic data processing, information systems, systems analysis, and computer programming.
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What Do Computer and Information Systems Managers Perform?
The core tasks performed by computer and information systems managers cover:
- Direct daily operations of department, analyzing workflow, establishing priorities, developing standards and setting deadlines.
- Meet with department heads, managers, supervisors, vendors, and others, to solicit cooperation and resolve problems.
- Review project plans to plan and coordinate project activity.
- Assign and review the work of systems analysts, programmers, and other computer-related workers.
- Provide users with technical support for computer problems.
- Develop computer information resources, providing for data security and control, strategic computing, and disaster recovery.
- Recruit, hire, train and supervise staff, or participate in staffing decisions.
- Stay abreast of advances in technology.
Skills and Knowledge
Top computer and information systems managers rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Types of Computer and Information Systems Managers Jobs
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Application Development Director
- Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
- Computer Operations Manager
- Computer Programming Manager
- Computer Security Manager
- Computer Systems Information Director
- Computer and Information Systems Manager
- Computing Services Director
How Many Computer and Information Systems Managers Are There?
There are roughly 53,407 computer and information systems managers working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +10.2% over the projection horizon.
Computer and Information Systems Managers Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $175,079 |
| Hourly median | $84.17 |
| 10th percentile | $117,200 |
| 25th percentile | $146,139 |
| 75th percentile | $204,019 |
| 90th percentile | $232,958 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $211,340 |
| New York | $209,980 |
| Washington | $206,420 |
| Massachusetts | $203,300 |
| New Jersey | $196,480 |
| Virginia | $192,870 |
| District of Columbia | $191,880 |
| Delaware | $180,960 |
| Colorado | $180,240 |
| Oregon | $178,210 |
| New Hampshire | $177,160 |
| Minnesota | $171,750 |
| Maryland | $171,570 |
| Georgia | $169,170 |
| North Carolina | $167,550 |
| Texas | $167,320 |
| Illinois | $165,720 |
| Rhode Island | $165,030 |
| Florida | $164,620 |
| Connecticut | $164,460 |
| Ohio | $163,260 |
| Utah | $162,400 |
| Pennsylvania | $161,570 |
| Arizona | $160,900 |
| South Dakota | $160,850 |
| Michigan | $159,290 |
| Kansas | $154,830 |
| Tennessee | $149,990 |
| Wisconsin | $149,760 |
| Idaho | $149,290 |
| West Virginia | $145,430 |
| South Carolina | $142,490 |
| Vermont | $139,920 |
| Missouri | $139,740 |
| New Mexico | $139,330 |
| Hawaii | $138,020 |
| Nevada | $136,690 |
| Iowa | $136,610 |
| North Dakota | $136,300 |
| Indiana | $134,750 |
| Nebraska | $133,950 |
| Alabama | $133,500 |
| Maine | $132,930 |
| Oklahoma | $132,790 |
| Kentucky | $132,700 |
| Alaska | $130,700 |
| Louisiana | $128,230 |
| Arkansas | $118,230 |
| Mississippi | $117,350 |
| Wyoming | $117,060 |
| Puerto Rico | $91,730 |
| Virgin Islands | $88,300 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Earnings for computer and information systems managers shift depending on where you work. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $205,560 | 20.5% | 1.25 |
| Middle Atlantic | $190,730 | 18.6% | 1.31 |
| New England | $187,735 | 6.2% | 1.54 |
| Southwest | $164,550 | 14.7% | 1.22 |
| Southeast | $162,906 | 19.7% | 0.88 |
| Rocky Mountains | $161,746 | 3.7% | 0.99 |
| Great Lakes | $158,980 | 11.3% | 0.84 |
| Plains States | $150,907 | 5.1% | 0.79 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Computer and Information Systems Managers
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $221,810 | 26,640 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $212,450 | 13,900 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $212,400 | 56,180 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $207,150 | 22,280 |
| Boulder, CO | CO | $202,270 | 1,350 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | CA | $200,790 | 760 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | CA | $193,370 | 7,620 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $191,880 | 20,770 |
Top Industries Employing Computer and Information Systems Managers
The bulk of computer and information systems managers are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 205,040 | $174,010 |
| Information | 85,400 | $196,060 |
| Finance and Insurance | 78,960 | $176,570 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 71,800 | $172,830 |
| Manufacturing | 41,050 | $174,790 |
| Educational Services | 30,810 | $127,360 |
| Wholesale Trade | 27,610 | $170,400 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 20,380 | $163,100 |
Below are examples of industries where computer and information systems managers work:
Tech Stack
- Data base user interface and query software: Amazon Web Services AWS software (hot technology)
- Data base management system software: Apache Cassandra (hot technology)
- Data base management system software: Apache Hadoop (hot technology)
- Development environment software: Apache Maven (hot technology)
- Web platform development software: Apache Tomcat (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Apple macOS (hot technology)
- Content workflow software: Atlassian JIRA (hot technology)
- Development environment software: C (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: C# (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: C++ (hot technology)
- Development environment software: Eclipse IDE (hot technology)
- Enterprise application integration software: Extensible markup language XML (hot technology)
Work Environment
The on-the-job environment of computer and information systems managers tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
How to Become Computer and Information Systems Managers
Entry-level computer and information systems managers positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Project Management Specialists (Primary-Short)
- Management Analysts (Primary-Short)
- Computer Systems Analysts (Primary-Short)
- Information Security Analysts (Supplemental)
- Computer Network Support Specialists (Supplemental)
- Computer User Support Specialists (Supplemental)
- Computer Network Architects (Primary-Long)
- Database Administrators (Primary-Long)
Degree Programs
Future computer and information systems managers typically earn programs in:
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services
10 programs across 6 majors
- Computer Information Systems
- Computer Science
- Information Technology
- Information Science
- Computer Systems Networking
- Computer Software Applications
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
6 programs across 3 majors
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
5 programs across 5 majors
- Data Science
- Human Computer Interaction
- Mathematics & Computer Science
- Economics and Computer Science
- Accounting & Computer Science
About the Data
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 11-3021.00 (Computer and Information Systems Managers).
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