Information Technology Project Managers
Plan, initiate, and manage information technology (IT) projects. Lead and guide the work of technical staff. Serve as liaison between business and technical aspects of projects. Plan project stages and assess business implications for each stage. Monitor progress to assure deadlines, standards, and cost targets are met.
From people doing the work
As an IT Project Manager, every day is a balancing act of deadlines, resources, and stakeholder expectations. It's about orchestrating complex technical tasks, mitigating risks, and ensuring clear communication across diverse teams. You're the central hub, constantly problem-solving and adapting to keep projects on track and deliver value.
Drawn from Project Management Institute (PMI), r/projectmanagement, The Digital Project Manager
Attribution: Composite
Composite · Synthesised from Project Management Institute (PMI), r/projectmanagement, The Digital Project Manager
A day in the life of an Information Technology Project Manager
- People interaction
- Extensive
- Team vs solo
- 95% Team / 5% Solo
- Client facing
- Sometimes
- Impact visibility
- Moderate
- Travel
- Minimal
- Schedule flexibility
- Flexible
- Remote work
- Mostly Remote
- Typical work hours
- 40-50
- Stress level
- Moderate
Information Technology Project Managers salary, education and outlook at a glance
- Median salary
- $140,910
- Entry-level
- $92,000
- Senior
- $233,000
- Growth by 2033
- +19.7%
- Demand
- Growing Fast
- Freelance potential
- High
- Salary growth potential
- 153%
- Typical student debt
- High
Skills you need as an Information Technology Project Manager
Hard skills
- Computers and Electronics
- Systems Analysis
- Web platform development software
Soft skills
- Coordination
- Management of Personnel Resources
- Critical Thinking
Technical complexity: Moderate
Tools of the trade
Core tools
- Jira (Software): Used for issue tracking, project management, and workflow automation in agile development teams.
- Microsoft Project (Software): Provides comprehensive project planning, scheduling, resource management, and reporting capabilities.
- Asana (Software): A work management platform that helps teams organize, track, and manage their work.
- Agile Scrum Framework (Framework): A project management framework that helps teams deliver value in short iterations.
Commonly used
- Slack (Platform): Facilitates team communication and collaboration through channels, direct messages, and integrations.
- Confluence (Software): A team collaboration software that helps create, organize, and discuss work in one place.
Specialist tools
- Trello (Software): A visual tool that enables teams to manage projects and workflows using boards, lists, and cards.
How to become an Information Technology Project Manager
- Minimum education
- Bachelor's Degree
- Licensing
- No
- Years to mid-career
- 4-7
- Years to senior
- 10-15
- Career switching
- Moderate
Where this career leads
How people arrive here
- Business Analyst: Often involved in defining project requirements and scope, providing a natural transition to project management.
- Software Developer: Developers with strong organizational skills and an understanding of the software development lifecycle can transition to managing IT projects.
- Systems Administrator: Experience in managing IT infrastructure and operations can lead to project management roles focused on system implementations.
- Quality Assurance Engineer: QA engineers understand project quality needs and can transition to managing projects with a focus on delivery standards.
Where you can go from here
- Program Manager: Manages multiple related projects to achieve broader organizational goals, a common advancement for IT Project Managers.
- Portfolio Manager: Oversees a collection of programs and projects, aligning them with strategic business objectives.
- IT Director: A senior leadership role responsible for the overall IT strategy and operations, often progressing from managing IT projects.
- Operations Manager: Manages the day-to-day operations of an organization, leveraging project management skills for efficiency and process improvement.
Typical progression
- Computer Systems Analysts
- Information Technology Project Managers
- Operations Research Analysts
- Architectural and Engineering Managers
- or Software Developers
Information Technology Project Managers job outlook and future demand
- Automation probability
- Low
- AI disruption risk
- Moderate
- Demand trend
- Growing Fast
Job satisfaction as an Information Technology Project Manager
- Overall satisfaction
- 7.5/10
- Meaning
- 7/10
- Work-life balance
- 7/10
- Prestige
- 8/10
- Social perception
- Very High
Where practitioners gather
Professional organisations
- Project Management Institute (PMI): A leading not-for-profit professional membership association for the project management profession.
- Association for Project Management (APM): The chartered body for the project profession, dedicated to developing and promoting project management.
Podcasts and media
- The Digital Project Manager: A publication providing resources, articles, and training for digital project managers.
Reddit communities
- r/projectmanagement: A community for project managers to discuss challenges, share insights, and seek advice.
Online communities
- ProjectManagement.com: An online resource offering articles, templates, and forums for project management professionals.