Chief technology officers (CTOs: Salary, career path, job outlook, education and more
Chief technology officers (CTOs) evaluate new technology and determine how it can help their organization. When both CIOs and CTOs are present, the CTO usually has more technical expertise.
The CTO usually reports directly to the CIO and is responsible for designing and recommending the appropriate technology solutions to support the CIOs policies and directives. CTOs also work with different departments to implement the organizations technology plans.
When a company does not have a CIO, the CTO determines the overall technology strategy for the firm and presents it to top executives.
- Education Required
- Computer and information systems managers normally must have a bachelors degree in a computer- or information sciencerelated field. These degrees include courses in computer programming, software development, and mathematics. Management information systems (MIS) programs usually include business classes as well as computer-related ones.
- Job Outlook
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The projected percent change in employment from 2016 to 2026: 12% (Faster than average)
(The average growth rate for all occupations is 7 percent.) - Advancement
- Most computer and information systems managers start out as lower-level managers and advance to higher positions within the IT department. IT directors or project managers can advance to become CTOs. A CTO or other manager who is especially business-minded can advance to become a chief information officer (CIO), the person in charge of all IT-related decisions in an organization. CIOs can advance to become top executives in an organization.
- Median pay: How much do Computer and Information Systems Managers make?
- $135,800 Annual Salary
- $65.29 per hour
Careers for Computer and Information Systems Managers
- Application development directors
- CIO
- CTO
- Chief information officers
- Chief information officers (CIOs)
- Chief technology officers
- Computer operations managers
- Computer security managers
- Data operations directors
- Data processing managers
- IT directors
- IT security managers
- Information systems directors
- Information systems managers
- Information technology directors
- Information technology systems directors
- Internet technology managers
- MIS directors
- Management information systems directors