IT Management at Kirkwood Community College

Cedar Rapids, IA · Public · Associate Degree · Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management

with a mid-sized student body of 7,438 in Cedar Rapids, IA.

Program Analysis

Kirkwood Community College's IT Management program produces graduates earning $41,575/yr — within striking distance of the $43,065 national average for this trade.

With a 49.4x return on tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.

Career paths for IT Management carry above-average AI exposure (68% of tasks). The 31% scenario spread means the difference between optimistic and pessimistic outcomes is substantial.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $12,585 in median debt clears fast against $41,575 in annual earnings.

A #38 ranking among 132 IT Management programs places Kirkwood Community College in the middle-to-upper range. Solid, not exceptional.

A 41% earnings increase from $41,575 to $58,598 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.

For students considering alternatives, 2 registered apprenticeship programs align with IT Management careers — offering paid training instead of tuition costs.

70 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
60
Low End
70
Score
73
High End
Earnings $41,575/yr (-3% vs median)
AI-Proof Exposed (32% shielded)
Job Market Very Large (386,000 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$630K
9.0% annual growth
Earnings Multiple (In-State)
52.7x
10-year earnings ÷ tuition
Viable Career Paths
13 of 13
Occupations with strong AI resilience

Projected 10-Year Earnings

Based on actual graduate salary data and Bureau of Labor Statistics growth projections.

Program Tuition (In-State)
$11,960
Out-of-state: $15,936
Median Debt at Graduation
$12,585
3.6 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$58,598
41% growth from Year 1

Top Career Paths

Top career paths for IT Management graduates by median salary.

Career Path Median Salary Growth AI-ProofAI
Computer and information systems managers $171,200 +15.2% 47%
Managers, all other $136,550 +4.5% 53%
Database architects $135,980 +8.7% 6%
Computer and information systems managers
$171,200
+15.2% growth 47% AI-proof
Managers, all other
$136,550
+4.5% growth 53% AI-proof
Database architects
$135,980
+8.7% growth 6% AI-proof

View all 13 career paths with full salary data →

IT Management Career Guide

IT Management opens doors to multiple career tracks. Our pillar guide covers every mapped occupation with salary data and AI resilience ratings.

Read the full IT Management career guide →

Compare & Explore

IT Management Overview

IT Management at Other Schools

Other Majors at Kirkwood Community College

Trade Certificate vs. Bachelor's Degree

Weigh shorter time-to-career against higher earning ceilings. The numbers tell the story.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the TradeSchoolOutlook Score for IT Management at Kirkwood Community College?
At 70/100, this is a high-performing trade program. The TradeSchoolOutlook Score combines earnings, AI resilience, and ROI — and this program delivers on all three.
How vulnerable is IT Management to AI automation?
With 68% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $434,968 in decade earnings vs $630,408 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
What apprenticeship pathways exist for IT Management graduates?
Beyond Kirkwood Community College's classroom route, 2 registered apprenticeships map to IT Management careers — including Health Information Management Privacy And Security Officer. Apprenticeships trade shorter program length for longer on-the-job training, typically 2-4 years.
Will IT Management graduates from Kirkwood Community College find jobs?
The career paths mapped to IT Management have roughly 386,000 combined annual openings nationally, making this a very large job market. Demand is driven by ongoing digital transformation and technology adoption.
Data from College Scorecard, BLS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →