Online Information Technology Bachelor’s Degree Jobs and Program Selection

Your job target should shape your course choices before you commit your time and tuition. An online information technology bachelor’s degree can prepare you for systems analysis, software development, network administration, or security work, but the diploma alone will not establish which of those jobs you can get. Compare online information technology programs before choosing a concentration or career plan.

• Common targets include systems analyst, software developer, network administrator, quality assurance, and information security roles.
• Employers may still ask for experience, a portfolio, certifications, or a technical screening, so completing the degree may not be the end of your preparation.
• Programming, networking, cybersecurity, and data courses point toward different kinds of work and give you different material to develop into work samples.
• A concentration can narrow your academic direction, but projects and experience help show how that coursework applies to the job you want.

Compare affordable online IT degrees

The degree does not lead to one guaranteed job. It gives you a base in technology and problem solving, then your course choices and work samples help define your direction. A student who wants software work needs different evidence from one who wants to manage networks or study business systems. Those paths may begin with the same degree, but they do not ask you to build the same portfolio or emphasize the same courses.

Systems, Software, And Network Jobs

Computer systems analysts examine how an organization uses technology. They may gather requirements, review current systems, recommend changes, and help teams adopt a solution. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says these workers typically need a bachelor’s degree; median pay was $105,850 in 2025, with 8% projected job growth from 2025–2035 and about 32,900 annual openings. The work sits between an organization’s goals and its technical systems, so strong analysis and communication matter alongside technical knowledge. Students who prefer translating business needs into workable plans may find this path more appealing than a role centered on building code.

Software development is more coding-heavy. Developers build and maintain applications, while quality assurance analysts and testers look for defects and confirm that software works as expected. Software developer, quality assurance analyst, and tester employment is projected to grow 10% from 2025–2035, with about 106,100 annual openings. These jobs also differ within the same employment category: development emphasizes creating and maintaining applications, while quality assurance emphasizes testing behavior, identifying problems, and checking whether the finished software performs as intended. Course projects that involve both programming and testing can help clarify which side of that work suits you.

Network and computer systems administrators focus on the systems that connect users, devices, and services. The occupation typically calls for a bachelor’s degree in computer or information science, and median pay was $99,130 in May 2025. Some graduates begin in technical support or junior infrastructure roles before taking on broader duties. This path is less about producing an application and more about keeping systems, access, and connections functioning. That distinction affects the electives worth considering: infrastructure, troubleshooting, and systems operations are more directly relevant than a course plan built almost entirely around application development.

• Systems analysis: best for students who enjoy business needs, process review, and solution planning.
• Software work: best for students who want regular programming, testing, and application projects.
• Network work: best for students who prefer infrastructure, access, troubleshooting, and system operations.

These roles may share a degree name, but their daily work differs sharply. A systems analyst may spend more time defining a problem and comparing solutions, while a developer works closer to the code and a network administrator works closer to the underlying infrastructure. Read several job postings before selecting electives. Note the tools, programming languages, platforms, and experience listed most often, then look for courses that let you practice those skills. If postings for the role you want consistently emphasize a tool your program does not teach, that gap deserves attention before you commit to the course plan.

A broader labor-market view is useful, but it needs careful reading. Computer and information technology occupations are projected to have about 280,000 openings annually from 2025–35, with a $109,470 median annual wage in May 2025. That figure covers many occupations and does not predict one graduate’s result. It is therefore better used as context for the field than as a salary promise for systems analysis, software work, or network administration. The occupation-specific figures above give you a narrower comparison, although they still cannot determine what one employer will offer or how a particular graduate will fare.

For another view of related technical roles, compare computer information systems careers with the job descriptions you are considering. Pay attention to whether each description emphasizes analysis, programming, testing, infrastructure, or support; those distinctions show what the degree will need to prepare you to do after graduation.

What Jobs Does The Degree Actually Support?

An information technology degree can support several job families, but employers usually look for proof that you can do the work. A systems analyst candidate might show a requirements document or process map. A software candidate might show a working application and test plan. A network candidate might show a network design, configuration exercise, or troubleshooting record. These examples do more than display technical vocabulary: they show how you apply it to a defined problem, document your decisions, and produce something another person can evaluate.

Employer requirements vary by position. In 2025, a bachelor’s degree was required for 52.3% of computer and mathematical jobs, while prior work experience was required for 71.6%. That gap matters because finishing the degree may satisfy the education requirement without satisfying the experience requirement. A working adult can build that experience through help desk work, an internship, volunteer technology projects, campus employment, or a current job that includes technical duties. The most useful experience will usually be the experience that resembles the duties of the role you plan to pursue.

• Systems path: requirements, analysis, databases, process improvement, and business technology.
• Development path: programming, software testing, applications, and automation.
• Infrastructure path: networks, operating systems, cloud services, and technical support.
• Security path: access control, risk review, monitoring, and incident response.

These paths can lead to different first jobs, even though they share some foundational coursework. A program with substantial programming and testing work gives you different evidence to show than one centered on networks or technical support. Review the required courses, labs, and projects closely enough to see whether the program produces work samples connected to the job descriptions you are considering. A broad degree title does not tell you which of these four directions the coursework supports most strongly.

Information security can be a strong target when the curriculum includes real security work rather than only general technology courses. Information security analyst employment is projected to grow 29% from 2024 to 2034, and the typical entry-level education is a bachelor’s degree. Security roles may also value certifications and hands-on practice. Coursework that covers access control, monitoring, or incident response gives you a clearer foundation for this path than a transcript made up mostly of general technology courses, although the degree alone does not show how you handle security work in practice.

Do not treat a salary figure as a promise. Workers with a computer and information technology degree had a median wage of $100,000 in 2023, but that field-wide number includes different occupations, experience levels, and education histories. Compare a program with the entry-level roles it actually prepares you to pursue. A salary figure tied to the entire field cannot tell you what a new graduate will earn in a help desk, development, systems, infrastructure, or security position, so the job target and the evidence supporting it matter more than the broad degree statistic.

For a useful contrast between technical study options, read this comparison of computer information systems and computer science careers.

Match The Program To Your Target Role

Program titles can look nearly identical while the course mix differs substantially. A networking concentration may spend more time on infrastructure, operating systems, and security, while a software engineering concentration may emphasize programming, design, and testing. A general information technology degree may give you more room to combine those areas, but that flexibility shifts more of the planning onto you. If you already have a target role, a broad program can leave you sorting through electives and projects to build a coherent set of evidence for that job.

Review the actual curriculum before applying. Purdue Global‘s online B.S. in Information Technology requires a minimum of 180 quarter credit hours and develops skills in computing-problem analysis and computing-based solution design. The credit requirement tells you how much study the program involves, while the stated outcomes show the kind of work the curriculum is meant to prepare you for. Those details matter more than a broad title because two programs with similar names can require very different courses and produce different opportunities to practice.

Arizona State University‘s online B.S. in Information Technology is ABET-accredited and covers software development, networking, cybersecurity, and data management. That range can help students who have not settled on one area, but it does not automatically create depth in every area listed. A focused project, related electives, or a concentration can make the connection between a broad curriculum and a specific job easier to demonstrate. Otherwise, the degree may show general preparation while leaving employers to guess where your strongest skills are.

Southern New Hampshire University‘s online B.S. in Information Technology includes 40 courses, 14 IT-specific major courses, and eight-week terms. The shorter terms may suit some working adults, but they also make the pace of each course part of the academic workload. Review how the major courses are distributed, whether important subjects must be taken in sequence, and how much room remains for projects or electives. The course count and pacing deserve a close review before enrollment, particularly if a concentrated subject requires more time than the calendar suggests.

• For software jobs, look for programming, software design, testing, and application projects.
• For network jobs, look for networking, systems, operating systems, cloud services, and security.
• For analyst jobs, look for databases, systems analysis, business process work, and communication.
• For security jobs, look for access controls, risk, monitoring, incident response, and lab work.

These categories describe different kinds of preparation, so a course title alone may not tell you how much practical work is included. A security course with monitoring and incident response addresses a different need than a course limited to general security concepts. Likewise, programming coursework becomes more useful for a software job when it includes design, testing, and a finished application rather than only introductory exercises. Compare the listed assignments and projects where the program provides them, not just the names of the courses.

Ask whether you can complete a portfolio project. A finished application, network plan, database project, or security assessment gives employers something concrete to review and helps you show how several courses fit together. A portfolio can also expose a gap before graduation: if you cannot point to work related to the job you want, the program’s broad coverage may not be enough by itself. Course labels are useful clues, but finished work tied to a target job is stronger evidence.

After reviewing the program mix, compare available bachelor's information technology programs against several current job postings. Look for repeated requirements rather than one employer’s unusual wish list. If postings consistently emphasize a subject that appears only once in the curriculum, that is a meaningful difference between a degree that covers the topic and one that gives you sustained practice. The comparison also helps you decide whether a broad program needs a concentration, elective, or portfolio project to support the role you intend to pursue.

Compare Cost With Career Fit

Career fit does not erase tuition. GetEducated’s affordable online bachelor’s ranking report lists total program costs, including mandatory fees, of $28,160 for Western Governors University’s Bachelor of Science in Information Technology. The same report lists $36,900 for American Public University System’s Bachelor of Science in Information Technology / General for in-state or out-of-state students, and $30,100 for military students. That difference is large enough to affect borrowing, employer reimbursement, and how much room you have for other education costs.

The report lists Southern New Hampshire University’s Bachelor of Arts in Information Technologies at $38,550 for in-state or out-of-state students and $27,150 for military students. The military rate is lower than the standard rate for both American Public University System and Southern New Hampshire University, while Western Governors University’s listed total provides a separate comparison point. Residency, military eligibility, transfer credit, and fee rules therefore deserve attention before you compare program names.

Cost should be considered alongside the job plan. A cheaper program is not a bargain if it lacks the programming, networking, or security courses your target postings require. A higher total may be reasonable for a better fit, but only if the added courses or services matter to your career decision. The useful comparison is between what each program costs and what it lets you study, practice, and show an employer.

Course titles alone do not settle that comparison. Review whether the curriculum gives you work you can discuss in an interview, such as a programming project, a networking exercise, or a security-focused assignment, when those subjects match your target role. Also separate services included in the program from costs you may face outside the listed total, such as certification preparation or other requirements. Those details can change the practical value of a lower or higher price.

Write down four items before enrolling: the job title you want, the courses that support it, the projects you can complete, and the total program cost. Then ask whether employers in that job usually expect experience, a portfolio, or an additional certification. Compare those expectations with the curriculum and with your available time for independent projects. This review can reveal a mismatch before you commit.

Students who want a direct comparison can use related online technology degree comparisons, then return to the curriculum and cost questions that matter for information technology.

Frequently Asked Questions

What jobs can you get with an information technology degree?

Common targets include computer systems analyst, software developer, network and computer systems administrator, quality assurance analyst, and information security analyst. Your courses, projects, and experience affect which roles are realistic, because the degree title alone does not show how much practice you have in a particular area. A program with stronger programming work may support developer applications, while networking and security coursework points toward different starting roles.

Can an online information technology degree lead to software development?

Yes, especially when the program includes programming, software design, testing, and substantial project work. Those elements give you evidence to discuss beyond the course title, particularly if you can explain what you built or tested. Some coding-heavy employers may prefer computer science coursework, so compare job postings with the curriculum and note whether their required skills appear in your planned courses.

Can the degree lead to network administration?

Yes. Networking, operating systems, infrastructure, cloud services, and security courses can prepare you for network-focused work. Technical support or junior infrastructure experience may still be expected, since employers often want evidence that you can troubleshoot systems in practice. The degree can establish the academic foundation, but it does not automatically replace hands-on experience.

Can an information technology degree lead to cybersecurity work?

Yes, but security courses, labs, projects, certifications, and experience can strengthen your application. These details show whether you have practiced applying security concepts rather than only completing general information technology coursework. Check that the curriculum covers security rather than relying on the degree title alone, especially if the positions you want list specific security skills.

What does a systems analyst do?

A systems analyst studies how an organization uses technology, gathers requirements, reviews current systems, and recommends improvements. The work connects technical decisions with business processes, so it is different from a role focused only on building software or maintaining infrastructure. Strong preparation includes analysis, databases, communication, and business process work.

Do information technology jobs require experience?

Many do. Employers may look for internships, technical projects, prior support work, certifications, or experience with the tools used in the job. A portfolio can help show ability when paid experience is limited, but its value depends on whether the projects demonstrate skills related to the position. Coursework is more useful when it produces work you can explain clearly.

Is an online information technology Bachelor’s degree worth it?

It can be worthwhile when the total cost, course plan, schedule, and target job fit together. The same degree may be a sensible route for one student and a poor investment for another if their intended roles require different preparation. It is a weaker choice if you cannot identify the work the degree is meant to prepare you for, or if the required courses leave little room for relevant practice.

How should you choose an online information technology program?

Start with the job you want. Compare required courses, electives, projects, delivery format, total cost, and employer expectations. Then decide whether the program gives you enough focused practice to compete for that role. A program built around networking and infrastructure will not provide the same preparation as one with substantial programming or security work, even though both award an information technology degree.

Sources

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Computer Systems Analysts
• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Software Developers
• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Network and Computer Systems Administrators
• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Computer And Mathematical Occupations
• O*NET: Computer Systems Analysts
• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Computer And Information Technology Field Of Degree