Best Online Master’s in Information Technology

Best Online Master’s in Information Technology

By James Barham and Dr. Winston Ewert

Published: Jul 6, 2021
Updated: Mar 13, 2023

Find top-ranked online master’s in information technology for students wanting to qualify for jobs as information security managers, chief information officers, and information technology directors.

Top 10 Online Information Technology Master's Degrees

Florida State University

62%

University of Cincinnati

60%

Loyola University Chicago

52%

DePaul University

49%

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

46%

Florida Atlantic University

45%

University of Texas at Dallas

45%

California State University, Fullerton

43%

University of Alabama in Huntsville

41%

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

40%

Middle Georgia State University

99%

Missouri State University

94%

Nova Southeastern University

93%

Southern New Hampshire University

92%

University of Central Arkansas

92%

Maryville University

92%

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

91%

Montclair State University

91%

Towson University

88%

University of Texas at Dallas

87%

California State University, Fullerton

27 to 1

University of Texas at Dallas

25 to 1

Florida Atlantic University

22 to 1

Northern Arizona University

22 to 1

Florida State University

21 to 1

Southern New Hampshire University

21 to 1

Missouri State University

20 to 1

University of West Florida

20 to 1

University of Cincinnati

19 to 1

University of Alabama in Huntsville

19 to 1

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

$55,731

Loyola University Chicago

$47,808

DePaul University

$42,012

Regis University

$39,610

Lawrence Technological University

$37,680

Nova Southeastern University

$34,570

Lake Erie College

$34,046

Maryville University

$27,166

Southern New Hampshire University

$15,380

University of Massachusetts Lowell

$15,078

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

$28,980

Nova Southeastern University

$21,153

Golden Gate University

$19,620

Loyola University Chicago

$18,990

Southern New Hampshire University

$18,900

DePaul University

$17,951

Lawrence Technological University

$17,836

University of Texas at Dallas

$15,088

University of Massachusetts Lowell

$14,590

Maryville University

$14,346

Middle Georgia State University

22%

Maryville University

24%

Lake Erie College

24%

Lawrence Technological University

26%

University of West Florida

31%

University of Central Arkansas

32%

Regis University

34%

Missouri State University

35%

Southern New Hampshire University

35%

Golden Gate University

35%

Florida State University

37%

University of West Florida

53%

Lake Erie College

55%

California State University, Fullerton

59%

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

60%

DePaul University

69%

University of Alabama in Huntsville

74%

Loyola University Chicago

77%

Florida Atlantic University

78%

Northern Arizona University

78%

Regis University

11 to 1

Lawrence Technological University

11 to 1

Golden Gate University

12 to 1

Lake Erie College

12 to 1

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

13 to 1

Maryville University

13 to 1

Loyola University Chicago

14 to 1

University of Central Arkansas

15 to 1

Towson University

16 to 1

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

16 to 1

Florida Atlantic University

$2,522

Middle Georgia State University

$2,728

University of West Florida

$3,735

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

$4,422

Florida State University

$4,640

California State University, Fullerton

$5,742

University of Central Arkansas

$6,870

Towson University

$7,100

Missouri State University

$7,196

University of Alabama in Huntsville

$9,730

Middle Georgia State University

$3,582

University of Central Arkansas

$5,063

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

$5,219

Florida Atlantic University

$5,467

Missouri State University

$5,760

University of West Florida

$7,088

California State University, Fullerton

$7,176

Towson University

$8,280

Florida State University

$9,684

University of Alabama in Huntsville

$10,632

Key Takeaways

Due to the rising demand for information systems management specialists, students seeking to improve their credentials and gain exciting job prospects in the future are considering an information technology master’s degree.
Information technology experts with master’s level education and expertise contribute to developing digital infrastructure and languages to help organizations advance.
With the proliferation of online programs, you can earn an online master’s degree in information technology at a top-ranked college or university.

Featured Programs

IDC’s Worldwide Semi-annual Services Tracker indicates that the IT and business services market will see a growth of 8.3% between 2021 and 2026, reaching a valuation of $20.5 billion by 2026.

Several factors have contributed to such growth, but businesses’ dependence on technology is generally never halting. If you have a passion for information technology, plan on shifting careers, or growing your expertise in this field, an online master’s in information technology is deemed a valuable weapon in the competitive industry.

Simply put, the growing and evolving tech sector can be explored deeper with an online master’s degree in information technology.

As tech now reaches into every industry, this degree option has great potential. You can sharpen your skills, explore IT management theories, and learn new tech concepts with an advanced degree in IT.

Additionally, an online master’s in information technology is important if you’d like to apply your skills in a leadership role. Degrees like this are often prerequisites for IT directorships.

Perhaps you’re already part of a tech company and plan to get promoted; earning a higher education degree will set you apart from other candidates. An online information technology master’s degree can help you gain general knowledge and expertise.

Most In-Demand Tech Jobs

Career decisions should be based on the availability of specific jobs— perhaps now more than ever. COVID-19, waves of layoffs, and the projected recession have impacted the job market, so knowing which jobs are still in demand is crucial.

The good news is that an online master’s degree in information technology comes with various employment opportunities. This could include positions at small software startups, client firms, and large tech companies.

However, it’s important to note that there can be significant differences in salaries across industries and different geographical locations.

Here are some IT-related job opportunities and career pathways:

AI Specialist

Artificial intelligence specialists develop AI and machine learning technologies for computer programs and other machines to mimic how the human brain works. The duties of an AI specialist can vary but also include those of a business intelligence developer, an AI architect, a software development expert, and a machine learning engineer.

IT Manager

Managing an organization’s technology needs is the responsibility of IT managers. A typical job description involves working with upper management on technology matters, managing IT departments, ensuring updated software and hardware systems, making purchasing decisions, stabilizing vendor relationships, and performing general IT tasks.

Computer Systems Analyst

A computer systems analyst, who is expected to be proficient in data science, designs computer systems for a client organization. Professionals in this field study their client’s business models and determine the technologies best suited to their specific needs.

Computer systems are designed to meet the budget and requirements of the customer organization with appropriate hardware, software, and networks. Among other industries, such as banking, healthcare, and technology, computer systems analysts work for client service firms or in-house.

Software Developer

Engineers who develop software programs, applications, networks and operating systems are known as software developers. Most software developers write code, analyze user needs, plan technical features, document, and test their programs.

Software developers may work on front-end applications or the back-end, including program code, depending on the position.

Network Architect

Data communication networks are designed and constructed by computer network architects for organizations. A WAN, a LAN, and an intranet are examples of these types of networks.

Network architects are in charge of performing simple connections between offices and creating multi-customer cloud architectures. A computer network architect has a broad range of tasks.

Computer network architects are responsible for creating and presenting detailed networking plans to management and maintaining and upgrading network hardware and software.

Frequently Asked Questions About Information Technology Degrees

Pursuing a master’s degree in information technology can be a great way to qualify for leadership roles and update your technical skills.

Students typically complete this 30- to 45-credit degree in about two to three years and can take classes online or in person.

Many programs also allow students to choose a concentration, like cybersecurity or cloud computing, letting students tailor their learning goals to their professional needs. Although programs will vary, core courses typically cover advanced topics in business intelligence, software design, and network administration. Students will also build their leadership and management skills.

Upon graduation, individuals will qualify for jobs as information security managers, chief information officers, and information technology directors.

Learn more about what you can do with a master’s in computer science.

Best Online Master's in Information Technology Degree Programs

How do we determine the best online information technology master's degree programs?

Pursuing your degree online doesn’t mean you need to settle for an inferior school. Today, most universities and colleges offer online degrees, and many respected schools are seeing significant growth in their numbers of online students.

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. This is why influence — i.e., the academic impact of faculty and alumni associated with a school — gets at the heart of what is truly best in education. The combined influence score of a college or university’s top academic influencers is the best indicator of academic excellence. For our online degree rankings, we focus on the academic influence of faculty and alumni in the specific disciplines we’re ranking.

If you are serious about finding the best online colleges, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching, and whether their graduates themselves are advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence. Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Influence, as measured by our InfluenceRanking engine, provides a ranking that is free from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

Best Online Master’s in Information Technology Degree Programs

Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require some adjustment. While you’ll generally learn the same content and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, the medium will likely require you to manage much of this experience independently. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, your ability to harness the technology at your fingertips, and your ability to focus on the lectures, lessons, and assignments at hand. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take it upon yourself to build relationships with your instructors and classmates. With online college, your goal is to find a balance between independence and engagement.

No. The only part of online education that’s easier is actually getting there. Taking the commute out of the equation means getting to class should be a lot more manageable. But that’s where it ends. In general, your online courses will incorporate the very same materials, concepts, and testing methods as would a traditional classroom.

And in many cases, you’ll even have the same instructors as your on-campus counterparts. In fact, if you are adjusting to the experience of independent learning or working with remote learning technology for the first time, online college may even be a little more challenging for you. For a few insights on how to manage this new experience, check out our 10 Tips for Adjusting to School Online.

Accreditation is especially important when it comes to online college. This is because the online education landscape is a mix of highly-reputable institutions and less-than-reputable for-profit schools. Accreditation gives you the power to differentiate between the two. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent accrediting agency which indicates that a college or university is meeting standards of quality, credibility, and currency. School-wide accreditation falls into two major categories: regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditors generally hold jurisdiction only over schools in the states comprising their region, whereas national accreditors hold jurisdiction over schools in all states. Regional accreditation is widely regarded as a more rigorous standard of quality and credibility than national accreditation.

Attending a college or university which is not regionally accredited could limit your opportunities. When seeking an online education, we strongly recommend that students opt for regionally accredited schools. Regional accreditation ensures eligibility for federal loans and grants, ensures your college credits can be transferred between schools, and ensures that your degree credits can be accepted if you wish to earn an advanced degree.

As long as your online college degree is regionally accredited, you should have little difficulty transferring most of your credits or credentials to another regionally accredited undergraduate school. Every school carries its own standards and procedures for granting a transfer. In many cases, you will be required to navigate a bureaucracy in which some of your credits will be transferred and others will be jettisoned. However, provided that you have attended an online school with the proper regional accreditation, you should have plenty of options for transfer.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript or resume differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

While some employers may express concern about making the adjustment from online education to in-person workplace collaboration, many other employers will view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st Century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

If you are a student who thrives on the dynamic energy of in-person discussion, who requires the physical surroundings of a classroom to feel engaged, or who considers the social aspects of education to be of equal importance to the actual content of your courses, online education will require some adjustment.

While there is much that can be supplanted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing which can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual classroom setting. As you make the adjustment to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face is overcoming this difference in order to the get the most out of your classes. Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.

The advantages of online classes are many. First and foremost, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities-educational experiences that you can complete on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

Whether you’re just getting started on your college search, you’re looking for survival tips on your way to a bachelor’s degree, or you’re preparing for the transition into grad school, we’ve got guides, how to’s and tons of other valuable resources to keep you moving forward in your educational journey.