Online Information Technology Degree for Tradespeople in 2026
Quick answer: An online information technology degree is the practical bridge from physical infrastructure work into IT proper. The applied BSIT beats computer science for most technicians. Pay splits hard by role: network support specialists earn a median of $76,220 while information security analysts earn $129,180 and network architects $134,050 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Online Information Technology Degree at a Glance
| Item | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Typical credential | Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BSIT), 120 credit hours | Program requirements |
| Highest-paying target role | Computer Network Architects, median $134,050 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Fastest-growing target role | Information Security Analysts, +28.5% (2024-34) | BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34 |
| Common entry role | Computer Network Support Specialists, median $76,220 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Shrinking role to watch | Network and Computer Systems Administrators, -4.2% (2024-34) | BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34 |
| Programmatic accreditation | ABET Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC), where offered | ABET |
| Credentials that carry weight | CompTIA stack, (ISC)2 CISSP | Certifying bodies |
Who Is an Online IT Degree Actually For?
This page is written for people who already touch the physical layer: low-voltage and structured cabling installers, fiber splicers, tower climbers, datacenter facility and white-space technicians, and building-systems techs who ended up managing IP-connected controls. You already know what a rack, a patch panel, a fiber run, and a UPS do. What you usually lack is the layer above the cable, plus a credential that clears the resume filter.
The gap is real but narrow. Physical infrastructure people tend to underrate how much of IT they already understand, and overrate how much theory they need. A Bachelor of Science in Information Technology closes the classroom side of that gap while you keep working, because the degree is designed around applied networking, systems, cloud, and security rather than around software theory.
Be honest about the trade-off, though. Field work pays now. A support-desk or NOC seat may pay less at first than a busy cabling schedule with overtime, and the pay curve only bends upward once you get past the entry tier. If you want that comparison spelled out in general terms, read is college worth it before you enroll anywhere.
BSIT vs Computer Science vs a Cybersecurity Concentration
These three degrees get treated as interchangeable in marketing copy. They are not.
| Degree | What it teaches | Best fit | Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|
| BSIT (information technology) | Networking, systems administration, cloud, virtualization, security operations, scripting | Technicians moving into infrastructure, networking, or security operations | Lighter math and theory, so it is a poor launchpad for deep software roles |
| Computer science | Algorithms, data structures, operating systems internals, discrete math, calculus | People who intend to write production software | Math-heavy and slow if your goal is infrastructure work |
| BSIT with cybersecurity concentration | The BSIT core plus incident response, forensics, governance, and defensive architecture | Anyone targeting information security analyst work | Concentration alone is not a substitute for operations experience |
For a cable, fiber, or datacenter background the BSIT is the default answer, and the cybersecurity concentration is the highest-value variant given that BLS projects information security analyst employment to grow 28.5% from 2024 to 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34). Pick computer science only if you genuinely want to be a software engineer. If you are torn between IT and a hardware-side engineering path, compare it against the computer hardware engineer route and the broader online engineering technology degree family first.
Does ABET Accreditation Matter for an IT Degree?
Short answer: it is a genuine quality signal, and it matters less here than anywhere else in this silo.
ABET accredits computing programs through its Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC), separate from the EAC commission that accredits engineering and the ETAC commission that accredits engineering technology. A CAC-accredited program has been reviewed against outcome standards, which is worth something. But unlike engineering, where an ABET EAC degree is effectively required for the NCEES FE and PE licensure path, IT has no licensure gate at all. Nobody stamps a network design.
What you must confirm instead is institutional accreditation from a recognized accreditor: HLC, SACSCOC, MSCHE, NECHE, NWCCU or WSCUC, or a career-school accreditor such as ACCSC, ABHES or COE. That is what determines whether your credits transfer, whether a future graduate program accepts the degree, and whether employers treat the credential as real. Verify it directly with the accreditor before enrolling, not from a school’s own marketing page.
Certifications vs the Degree: Where IT Is Different
In most fields on this site the degree is the gate and certifications are garnish. IT inverts that early in a career. A technician with hands-on infrastructure experience and a solid certification stack can get interviews that a fresh graduate with no lab time cannot.
The practical sequence for someone coming off a cabling or datacenter crew looks like this:
- CompTIA fundamentals and networking. These map almost one-to-one onto what a structured cabling or datacenter technician already sees daily, so they are fast wins that translate field time into a recognized credential.
- A security-focused CompTIA credential. This is the usual screening credential for entry-level security operations work.
- The bachelor’s, started in parallel. Many CompTIA certifications carry ACE credit recommendations, which transfer-friendly schools may accept as college credit. Ask for a written transfer evaluation before you pay for a single course.
- (ISC)2 CISSP once you have the experience. CISSP has an experience requirement and is aimed at practitioners, not beginners. Paired with a bachelor’s, it is the standard senior-security combination.
Where the degree wins is the ceiling, not the entry. Architecture roles, IT management, defense contracting, and most federal-adjacent work list a bachelor’s as a hard filter. The certifications get you into the building; the degree decides how far up you go. If you have several years of documented field work, look at college credit for work experience and college credit for apprenticeship before you assume you are starting from zero.
IT Career Pay and Growth: The Four Roles That Matter
This is the table to actually read. Four occupations absorb most people who enter IT from an infrastructure background, and they behave very differently.
| Occupation (SOC) | Median wage | 10th - 90th percentile | Employment | Projected change 2024-34 | Annual openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Network Architects (15-1241) | $134,050 | $79,900 - $202,680 | 179,740 | +11.9% | 11,200 |
| Information Security Analysts (15-1212) | $129,180 | $75,090 - $199,850 | 190,650 | +28.5% | 16,000 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrators (15-1244) | $99,130 | $62,640 - $155,050 | 314,340 | -4.2% | 14,300 |
| Computer Network Support Specialists (15-1231) | $76,220 | $47,120 - $127,780 | 146,190 | +1.8% | 9,600 |
Wage and employment figures are BLS OEWS, May 2025. Growth and openings are BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34.
Three things worth flagging.
Systems administration is contracting. BLS projects administrator employment to fall from 331,500 in 2024 to 317,700 in 2034, a change of -4.2%, even though the occupation still averages about 14,300 openings a year because people retire and move on. Cloud platforms and automation are eating the routine parts of the job. Do not build a ten-year plan around classic on-premise server administration.
Security is the growth story. Information security analysts are projected to go from 182,800 to 234,900 jobs, a 28.5% change with about 16,000 openings a year. That is the strongest growth in this group by a wide margin.
Support is the doorway, not the destination. Computer network support specialists have the lowest median at $76,220 and the slowest growth at 1.8%, but the 90th percentile still reaches $127,780, which tells you the title covers a wide range of actual responsibility.
Datacenter Work as the Trade-to-IT On-Ramp
The cleanest bridge from the trades into IT right now runs through datacenter construction and operations. Buildout means electricians, low-voltage crews, fiber technicians, mechanical and controls techs, and commissioning staff all standing inside the facility that the IT organization depends on. Once the building is live, the same site needs white-space technicians, remote-hands staff, and network operations coverage.
That adjacency is the leverage. A cabling technician who has terminated fiber in a live hall, traced circuits across a cross-connect, and worked to a change-control process is not a career changer to a hiring manager. They are an internal candidate with physical-layer depth that most applicants lack. The move is usually lateral first, into a datacenter technician or network support seat, then upward once the degree and certifications land.
Two adjacent paths worth knowing about, because IT is not the only exit from the physical layer: computer network architect is the top of the networking ladder and the highest-paying occupation in the table above, and cartographer and GIS work suits technicians who like spatial data and infrastructure mapping more than they like servers. If your employer runs a large facility footprint, check whether employer tuition assistance covers an IT bachelor’s before you spend anything of your own.
Where the Pay Is: Network Architect Wages by State
State data for computer network architects is the most useful geographic signal in this group, since it is the role most technicians eventually aim at.
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $168,070 | 4,730 |
| New Jersey | $162,350 | 5,660 |
| Maryland | $159,460 | 5,860 |
| California | $158,870 | 14,870 |
| Massachusetts | $155,060 | 6,270 |
Wage and employment figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Concentration is a different question from pay. Colorado holds the largest architect workforce in the country at 16,380 with a median of $139,230, and its location quotient of 4.93 means the occupation is far more concentrated there than in the average state labor market. Virginia and Texas are the other deep markets, with 9,380 and 13,650 jobs respectively. For security analysts specifically, Virginia is the standout with 19,120 jobs and a $134,900 median, driven by federal and defense demand. Washington leads security analyst pay at a $154,940 median.
What an Online IT Program Looks Like for a Working Adult
Expect roughly 120 credit hours delivered asynchronously, frequently in 8-week terms so you carry one or two courses at a time instead of a full semester load. The coursework runs through networking, operating systems, virtualization and cloud, database fundamentals, scripting, and a security sequence, usually ending in a capstone project.
Before you commit, get four things in writing: the institutional accreditor, the written transfer credit evaluation for your prior college and certifications, the total remaining credit count, and whether any residency or on-campus requirement exists. Costs vary widely by institution and delivery model, and public in-state online options are generally the value benchmark, but you should compare the actual per-term commitment against your work schedule rather than against a marketing brochure. If you are weighing an associate degree first, associate vs bachelor degree covers that decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an online information technology degree worth it?
For someone already pulling cable, racking gear, or working a datacenter floor, it mainly unlocks roles that screen on a bachelor's. Information security analysts earn a median of $129,180 and computer network architects $134,050 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Network support specialists, the common entry title, sit at $76,220, so the degree pays off on the way up rather than on day one.
What is the difference between a BSIT and a computer science degree?
A Bachelor of Science in Information Technology is applied: networking, systems administration, cloud, security operations, and support. Computer science is theory and software: algorithms, data structures, compilers, heavy math. Field technicians moving into infrastructure work usually fit the BSIT better. Choose computer science only if you intend to write production software rather than run infrastructure.
Do employers care about ABET accreditation for IT degrees?
Less than in engineering. ABET does accredit computing programs through its Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC), and it is a real quality signal, but most IT job postings never mention it. Regional accreditation from HLC, SACSCOC, MSCHE, NECHE, NWCCU, or WSCUC matters more, because it governs credit transfer and whether a graduate school will accept the degree.
Can certifications replace an IT degree?
Early on, often yes. IT is the one field where CompTIA certifications and hands-on work will get interviews without a bachelor's. The ceiling appears later: architecture, management, and many government and defense roles list a degree as a screening filter. The common play is to earn certifications first, then finish the degree while working.
How long does an online IT bachelor's take while working full time?
A bachelor's is typically 120 credit hours, or four years full-time. Working adults commonly take five to six years part-time. Transfer credit shortens it: prior college, CLEP and DSST exams, ACE credit recommendations attached to certifications, a Joint Services Transcript, and DOL Registered Apprenticeship coursework can all count at transfer-friendly schools.
Which IT job pays the most without a graduate degree?
Computer network architects post the highest median at $134,050, with the 90th percentile at $202,680 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Information security analysts follow at a $129,180 median and $199,850 at the 90th percentile. Both are typically reached after years in networking or systems work rather than hired straight out of a bachelor's program.
Is systems administration a dying job?
Shrinking, not dying. BLS projects network and computer systems administrator employment to change by -4.2% from 2024 to 2034, from 331,500 to 317,700 jobs, while still averaging about 14,300 openings per year from replacement needs (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34). Cloud and automation absorb routine administration, so the surviving roles skew toward automation and security skills.
What IT job should a low-voltage or fiber technician target first?
Computer network support specialist is the natural bridge, with a median of $76,220 and employment of 146,190 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Physical-layer experience with structured cabling, fiber termination, and rack builds maps directly onto the job. From there the usual moves are network engineering, then architecture or security operations.
Related Guides and Degree Paths
- Computer Network Architect - the highest-paying destination role in this table, and the natural top of the networking ladder
- Computer Hardware Engineer - the hardware-design alternative if you prefer silicon and systems to networks
- Cartographer and GIS - a spatial-data path for technicians who map infrastructure rather than run it
- Online Engineering Technology Degree - the applied engineering sibling of the BSIT
- Online Project Management Degree - for technicians who want to run the buildout rather than work it
- Online Degrees for Tradespeople - the full catalog of online paths in this silo
- Trade Careers That Require a Degree - every occupation on this site that screens on a bachelor’s
Information Technology Degree Programs by State
State pay, licensing and metro-level data for this degree. Wage and employment figures on every state page come from BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Alabama * Alaska * Arizona * Arkansas * California * Colorado * Connecticut * Delaware * District of Columbia * Florida * Georgia * Hawaii * Idaho * Illinois * Indiana * Iowa * Kansas * Kentucky * Louisiana * Maine * Maryland * Massachusetts * Michigan * Minnesota * Missouri * Montana * Nebraska * Nevada * New Hampshire * New Jersey * New Mexico * New York * North Carolina * North Dakota * Ohio * Oklahoma * Oregon * Pennsylvania * Rhode Island * South Carolina * South Dakota * Tennessee * Texas * Utah * Vermont * Virginia * Washington * West Virginia * Wisconsin * Wyoming
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Computer Network Architects (SOC 15-1241), Information Security Analysts (SOC 15-1212), Network and Computer Systems Administrators (SOC 15-1244), Computer Network Support Specialists (SOC 15-1231)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.