How to become an Information Technology Project Manager

Official title: Information Technology Project Managers

Also called: Cloud Product Director, Cybersecurity Project Manager, Data Center Product Director, Information Systems Project Manager (IS Project Manager), IT Manager (Information Technology Manager), IT Program Manager (Information Technology Program Manager), IT Project Manager (Information Technology Project Manager), Scrum Master, Transition Program Manager

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.

Main tasks

• Manage project execution to ensure adherence to budget, schedule, and scope.
• Confer with project personnel to identify and resolve problems.
• Monitor or track project milestones and deliverables.
• Submit project deliverables, ensuring adherence to quality standards.
• Assess current or future customer needs and priorities by communicating directly with customers, conducting surveys, or other methods.
• Initiate, review, or approve modifications to project plans.
• Schedule and facilitate meetings related to information technology projects.
• Direct or coordinate activities of project personnel.

How to become one

Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree

Ways in

• Apprenticeship: It Project Manager.
• College: Computing & IT degrees, Offered by 34 universities in the US

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $116,580 a year The middle half earn $79,370 to $157,500.
• About 471,200 people work in this job now, and about 495,300 are projected by 2035. (+5.1%)
• People already use generative AI for a good share of this work, which usually changes the job more than it replaces it. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as high.

Related jobs

• Web Administrators
• Geographic Information Systems Technologists and Technicians
• Document Management Specialists
• Penetration Testers
• Information Security Engineers
• Digital Forensics Analysts

Not sure this is for you? Take the 2-minute career quiz

Questions people ask

How do I become an Information Technology Project Manager?

Ways in include: Computing & IT degrees; It Project Manager.

How much does an Information Technology Project Manager earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $116,580 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $79,370 to $157,500.

Is an Information Technology Project Manager a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5% by 2035, from about 471,200 to about 495,300 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become an Information Technology Project Manager?

Not always. 57% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Computing & IT degrees; It Project Manager.

Will AI change the work of an Information Technology Project Manager?

People already use generative AI for a good share of this work, which usually changes the job more than it replaces it. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as high.

Sources

• Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.