Boston IT Jobs Have High Potential

Posted on August 1, 2008

There is one high-tech occupation that currently accounts for a high number of Boston IT jobs, and is only expected to grow.

Network systems and data communications analysts are one of the fastest growing occupations nationwide. Network systems and data communications analysts design, test, and evaluate systems such as local area networks, wide area networks, the Internet, Intranets and other data communication systems. Systems can range from a connection between two offices in the same building to globally distributed networks.

In Boston, according to an article by the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, there are currently 8,230 positions for network systems and data communications analysts. There are expected to be 3,540 new jobs and 970 replacement jobs available by 2014, an increase of 43 percent.

“Employment of network systems and data communications analysts is projected to be the most rapidly growing occupation in Massachusetts through 2014, increasing at a rate significantly faster than the average for all occupations,” the article states. “Opportunities are expected across a wide array of industries, as more firms increase their use of the Internet, the World Wide Web (the graphical portion of the Internet), or electronic commerce (doing business on the Internet).”

In order to become a network systems and data communications analyst, you will need a certificate, associates degree or bachelor’s degree. Workers in this position make an average annual salary of $77,680.

Most workers in the Boston area find jobs in:

Those who are experienced administrators in the profession can become supervisors, managers or project leaders, or can change careers to become computer programmers, computer software engineers, computer systems analysts and database administrators.