Firms in the IT services industry commonly create both computer programs and complex computer systems and networks tailored specifically to meet clients’ needs.
The industry has recently devoted significant resources to technologies that are expected to contribute to employment growth over the next decade, such as cloud computing and mobile applications. Cybersecurity, health care IT, and data management also may contribute to employment growth in the near future.
Computer and Mathematical Occupations
The high demand for these services has created a large number of fast-growing and high-paying jobs. Today’s The Daily Leap post is the first of three installments on computer and mathematical occupations, which comprise about 56 percent of the industry’s workforce.
Job Duties
Software developers create computer programs and oversee the entire design process, from planning stages to future upgrades. There are two different types of developers: applications software developers and systems software developers.
Applications software developers design a wide range of programs, from spreadsheets used by accountants, to electronic maps that help give people directions, to increasingly popular mobile games. Applications developers often design software that is offered through cloud computing.
Systems software developers create and upgrade operating systems, the software that supports a computer's basic functions, such as scheduling tasks, executing applications, and controlling peripherals.
Growth / Wages / Education
The following table shows projected growth rate between 2010 and 2020, and median annual wage and typical entry-level education requirements in May 2011.
| Occupation | Projected Growth Rate | Median Annual Wage | Typical Education Needed for Entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applications software developers | 57% | $88,120 | Bachelor’s degree |
| Systems software developers | 72% | $94,570 | Bachelor’s degree |
The rapid increase in both types of software developers is attributable to an increased demand for new and updated software. Examples include:
- Many consumer electronics include their own computers that need operating systems.
- Mobile computing and health care IT also require new software applications.
- The need for stronger cybersecurity will drive the demand for developers to design new software to detect, contain, and prevent viruses.
For more detailed information on these computing and mathematical occupations in the IT services industry, click the Occupational Outlook Handbook link.
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