Job Growth Projections
Computer Science and Information Technology Career Opportunities
Computing studies can lead to a wide variety of career possibilities in a very diverse set of industries and agencies. Computer Science / Information Technology has consistently outperformed the overall U.S. economy in good times and bad.
Computing occupations continue to enjoy high growth and high pay, as shown in data available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In particular, according to 2016 to 2026 projections by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the fastest-growing major occupational groups are as below: [1] [2]
| occupational group title | % employment change | median 2018 wage |
|---|---|---|
| Healthcare support occupations | 23.6 | $29,740 |
| Personal care and service occupations | 19.1 | $24,420 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations | 15.3 | $66,440 |
| Community and social service occupations | 14.5 | $44,960 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations | 13.7 | $86,340 |
The table shows that computer and mathematical occupations have much higher pay than other fast-growing occupational groups; in fact, the only one of the 22 occupational groups with higher pay is management occupations, which ranks 13th in growth.
Other notable statistics reported in 2019 and 2017 include these:
- Seven out of the ten largest STEM occupations were computer-related. [3] [4]
- Ninety-three of the 99 STEM occupations had mean wages significantly above the all-occupations average. [3] [4]
- STEM occupations had above-average growth; within STEM, computer occupations had, by far, the highest increase in the number of jobs between May 2009 and May 2015 and the highest projected increase in jobs and job openings from 2014 to 2024. [4]
- While most high-paying occupations require advanced degrees, most computer/software/information occupations require only a Bachelor's degree. [5] [6]
- Illinois ranked 7th among U.S. states in the increase in the number of STEM jobs from May 2009 to May 2015. [4]
[1] United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics.Occupational employment and wages news release, March 29, 2019. Accessed 5/28/2019.
[2] T. Alan Lacey, Mitra Toossi, Kevin S. Dubina, and Andrea B. Gensler. Projections overview and highlights, 2016–2026. Monthly Labor Review, October 2017. Accessed 5/28/2019.
[3] United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment by major occupational group, April 12, 2019. Accessed 5/28/2019.
[4] SStella Fayer, Alan Lacey, and Audrey Watson. STEM occupations: Past, present, and future, January 2017. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Spotlight on Statistics. Accessed 5/28/2019.
[5] United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment projections, 2019. Accessed 5/28/2019.
[6] United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics.Computer and information technology occupations: Occupational outlook handbook, 2019. Accessed 5/28/2019.
Computer Science and Information Technology Career Opportunities
Computing studies can lead to a wide variety of career possibilities in a very diverse set of industries and agencies. Computer Science / Information Technology has consistently outperformed the overall U.S. economy in good times and bad.
Computing occupations continue to enjoy high growth and high pay, as shown in data available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In particular, according to 2016 to 2026 projections by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the fastest-growing major occupational groups are as below: [1] [2]
| occupational group title | % employment change | median 2018 wage |
|---|---|---|
| Healthcare support occupations | 23.6 | $29,740 |
| Personal care and service occupations | 19.1 | $24,420 |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations | 15.3 | $66,440 |
| Community and social service occupations | 14.5 | $44,960 |
| Computer and mathematical occupations | 13.7 | $86,340 |
The table shows that computer and mathematical occupations have much higher pay than other fast-growing occupational groups; in fact, the only one of the 22 occupational groups with higher pay is management occupations, which ranks 13th in growth.
Other notable statistics reported in 2019 and 2017 include these:
- Seven out of the ten largest STEM occupations were computer-related. [3] [4]
- Ninety-three of the 99 STEM occupations had mean wages significantly above the all-occupations average. [3] [4]
- STEM occupations had above-average growth; within STEM, computer occupations had, by far, the highest increase in the number of jobs between May 2009 and May 2015 and the highest projected increase in jobs and job openings from 2014 to 2024. [4]
- While most high-paying occupations require advanced degrees, most computer/software/information occupations require only a Bachelor's degree. [5] [6]
- Illinois ranked 7th among U.S. states in the increase in the number of STEM jobs from May 2009 to May 2015. [4]