What names should you use for your IT job titles?

It starts with using the same language as candidates. Below is a list of IT job titles ranked by the number of times people (most likely candidates!) Google-searched the title name and the word “jobs”. Our source is the excellent SEO resource ahrefs.

Note: This list of job titles in IT does NOT include titles related to developing software. There are so many developer-related titles that we dedicated a separate article to that called The Top 50 Software Job Titles.  These articles on job titles are part of our ongoing series called Job Titles: The Definitive Guide (which includes the hugely popular The 16 Best Sales Job Titles). 

Here’s a pie chart list of the top 35 IT titles searched for by candidates. Enjoy!

 

Top 35 IT Job Titles

Pie chart of top IT job titles

 

Top IT Job Titles with Brief Job Description

Below is a list of the top IT titles with:

  • A brief job description
  • Alternative titles to use for the IT positions
  • Title Search Volume — The # of Google searches that “[job title] jobs” gets per month

Note: Some of the job titles in the pie chart above are excluded below because they are redundant (e.g. a DBA is the same as a Database Administrator so we list just the Database Administrator (the more popular IT title with candidates)). 

 

1. Data Analyst

A data analyst collects, interprets and visualizes data to uncover insights. A data analyst assigns a numerical value to business functions so performance is assessed and compared over time. The data analyst enables an organization to make more informed decisions.

Alternative IT Job Titles: Business Analyst, Business Intelligence Analyst

# of Google Searches = 20,000

 

2. Data Scientist

A data scientist is an analytical expert who uses technology and social science to find trends and manage data.  They’re part mathematician, part computer scientist, and part mathematician. A good Data Scientist often has both the technical skills to solve complex problems and the curiosity to explore what problems need to be solved.

Alternative IT Job Titles: Statistician, Data Architect

# of Google Searches =  11,000

 

3. System Administrator

A system administrator (aka SysAdmin) is responsible for the upkeep, configuration, and operation of computer systems and servers. This includes installing and managing desktop and laptop computers, servers, networks, IT security systems, and other critical components of an organization’s IT infrastructure. A system administrator is also responsible for determining appropriate IT policies for businesses, supervising technician staff, and also may be in charge of purchasing IT equipment. The system administrator’s performance is usually measured by the uptime and security of the systems they manage.

Alternative IT Job Titles: SysAdmin, Systems Administrator

# of Google Searches = 6,100

 

4. Computer Technician

A computer technician’s role is to maintain computer systems, troubleshoot problems, make fixes/repairs, and provide technical support. The “computer technician” job title might be used for any range of roles such as A) a PC technician in a retail location; or B) a member of a company’s internal IT/Help Desk Support team or C) technical support person helping customers with their computer issues over the phone.

Alternative IT Job Titles:  IT Technician, Computer Support Specialist, Help Desk Technician, PC Technician, Computer Repair Technician, Personal Computer Technician, Desktop Support Technician, IT Support Technician

# of Google Searches = 5,300

 

5. QA Tester

A QA tester’s job is to test new and existing features in software for defects or other bugs. They typically report such errors and failures to a manager of the software development/engineering team.

Alternative IT Job Titles: Quality Assurance Tester, QA Analyst, Quality Assurance Technician and Software Quality Assurance Engineer,

# of Google Searches = 4,700

 

6. Network Administrator

A network administrator’s job is to keep networked computer systems working. A network administrator installs, maintains and upgrades software or hardware required to run a computer network. The IT or computer network may extend to the Internet, Intranet, local area network (LAN) and wide area network (WAN).

Alternative IT Job Titles: Network Manager

# of Google Searches = 3,000

 

7. CIO

A CIO (Chief Information Officer) is the senior IT management job title responsible for all information technology and computer systems. The role of the CIO is to set and lead the technology strategy for an organization. The CIO acts as the bridge or interface between the IT department and the rest of the organization.

Alternative IT Job Titles: Chief Information Officer

# of Google Searches = 2,500

 

8. Database Administrator

A database administrator (DBA) uses specialized software to store and organize data. Their tasks include maintaining the data dictionary, monitoring performance, and enforcing organizational standards and security. There are 2 types of database administrators: 1) System DBAs oversee database administration, debugging code and upgrading software. Application DBAs manage specific database applications

Alternative IT Job Titles: DBA

# of Google Searches = 2,500

 

9. IT Technician

An IT Technician installs and maintains computer systems and provides end-user technical support. They are often the main point of contact for technological issues. An IT Technician may also train end-users on software and hardware.

Alternative IT Job Titles: Computer Support Specialist, Help Desk Technician, Desktop Support Technician, IT Support Technician.

# of Google Searches = 2,200

 

10. Information Security Analyst

An information security analyst designs security countermeasures to defend against cyber threats and cyber-attacks.  The main goal of an information security analyst is to protect an organization’s data. They do this by using software, such as firewalls and data encryption, conducting penetration testing (aka pen tests) and monitoring for, and investigating security breaches.

Alternative IT Job Titles: Cyber Security Analyst, Information Security Consultant

# of Google Searches =  2,000

 

11. QA Analyst

The QA Analyst applies software quality assurance practices to the development of software. Software Quality Assurance covers the testing of software to detect errors or discrepancies between the software’s requirements and actual results. A QA Analyst may also fix the process that caused software errors. A QA Analyst differs from a QA Tester in that a QA Analyst is usually involved in a wider range of the software development cycle.

Alternative IT Job Titles: Quality Analyst, Quality Assurance Analyst

# of Google Searches = 1,800

 

12. IT Manager

An IT manager is responsible for the coordination of computer and information systems. An IT manager, also known as an information technology manager, coordinates the installation and maintenance of network hardware and software. An IT manager is also tasked with monitoring operational requirements and researches technology strategies and solutions.

Alternative IT Job Titles: Information Technology Manager

# of Google Searches = 1,800

 

13. Systems Analyst

A Systems Analyst is responsible for maintaining and upgrading existing technological systems in an organization. A Systems Analyst also designs new computer systems and frameworks, provides troubleshooting for technical issues, and creates system guideline manuals for training purposes.

Alternative IT Job Title: Computer Systems Analyst, System Analyst

# of Google Searches = 1,700

 

14. Computer Support Specialist

A computer support specialist provides technical support for a company’s customers or employees. A computer support specialist tasks include assisting users with issues related to computers, software, and printers. A computer support specialist can provide either in-house or customer support.

Alternative IT Job Titles: Computer User Support Specialist, Technical Support Specialist, IT Specialist, Computer Technician

# of Google Searches =1,700

 

15. Computer Engineer

A computer engineer is responsible for testing, evaluating and developing the software for computer programs. A computer engineer, also known as a software engineer, is tasked with the development of new computer games and business applications. A computer engineer also designs and develops new operating systems.

Alternative IT Job Titles: Software Engineer

# of Google Searches = 1,600

 

16. Salesforce Administrator

A salesforce administrator is in charge of overseeing the setup and implementation of the Salesforce suite of products.  A salesforce administrator is the point of contact for Salesforce users within a company in need of training or troubleshooting. A salesforce administrator is typically employed by large corporations using the Salesforce suite.

Alternative IT Job Titles: Salesforce System Administrator

# of Google Searches = 1,600

 

17. Oracle DBA

An Oracle DBA (Database Administrator) is proficient in Oracle database architecture. Their tasks include installation, administration, performance tuning, and troubleshooting. An Oracle DBA also manages the upgrades of Oracle servers and application tools. Oracle database systems can be large, so Oracle DBA’s often share the responsibility of managing databases with other database administrators.

Alternative IT Job Titles: DBA, Oracle Database Administrator

# of Google Searches = 1,400

 

18. Sales Engineer

A sales engineer uses both technical knowledge and sales skills to sell scientific and technological products or services to businesses. A sales engineer must have extensive knowledge of technical products and how they function. A sales engineer is tasked with delivering a unified vision of the engineering, strategic, and market value of a technical product to the customer and their business.

Alternative IT Job Titles:  Technical Sales Engineer

# of Google Searches = 1,400

 

19. IT Director

An IT Director is responsible for the management, strategy, and execution of IT (information technology) of an organization. Their tasks include directing the effective delivery of networks and data recovery systems. An IT Director oversees technical projects based on organizational goals. The IT Director supervises a department of technical employees while also working closely with external vendors, advisors, and the management team.

Alternative IT Job Titles: Chief Information Officer, Director of Information Technology

# of Google Searches = 1,400

 

20. Cyber Security Analyst

A cyber security analyst plans and executes security measures to protect a business’s computer systems and networks. A Cyber Security Analyst monitors threats to organizational networks and creates contingency plans for cyber attacks. A Cyber Security Analyst is also tasked with reporting breaches and weak spots, researches IT trends, and installs software and encryption to protect the company’s network.

Alternative IT Job Title: CyberSecurity Analyst, Information Security Analyst

# of Google Searches = 1,200

 

21. Devops Engineer

A DevOps Engineer works with IT developers to oversee code releases. A DevOps Engineer aims to help better coordination among operations, development, and testing functions by automating and streamlining the integration and deployment processes. Their goal is often to better align IT operations with the rest of the organization.

Alternative IT Job Title: Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)

# of Google Searches = 1,200

 

22. Network Technician

A Network Technician, also known as a Computer Network Technician, is responsible for building and troubleshooting computer networks. A Network Technician tasks include setup, installation, and repair of hardware, software, equipment, and wiring components. A Network Technician may also perform data backups, disaster recovery operations, and conduct tests for security and quality control.

Alternative IT Job Title: Computer Network Technician

# of Google Searches = 1,200

 

23.Help Desk Technician

A Help Desk Technician is vital to the IT workforce because they provide technical customer support and troubleshooting services to end-users needing help with their computer hardware or software. A Help Desk Technician also writes training manuals and train computer users on various technical products. A Help Desk Technician does daily performance checks to keep technologies up to date and running smoothly.

Alternative IT Job Title: Customer Support Technician

# of Google Searches = 1,100

 

24. PC Technician

A PC technician is responsible for identifying, troubleshooting and resolving computer issues. A PC technician is tasked with repairing and maintaining computer hardware, software, and network issues. A PC technician also installs new power systems, upgrades firmware and repairs computer hardware. Their tasks also include troubleshooting and installation of software, computer applications, and virus scanning.

Alternative IT Job Titles: Computer Repair Technician, PC Repair Technician

# of Google Searches = 1,100

 

25.Computer Hardware Engineer

A Computer Hardware Engineer builds and tests various types of computer models. A Computer Hardware Engineer researches, designs, and develops computer systems and components such as circuit boards processors, networks, routers, and memory devices.  Computer Hardware Engineers use complex problem-solving skills to evaluate and improve existing models. They often work in a research laboratory.

Alternative IT Job Title: Hardware Engineer

# of Google Searches = 1,000

If you’re curious about IT position titles at either the entry-level or leadership levels, here are 2 more rankings that might interest you:

 

Entry Level IT Job Titles

The top 10 entry level IT job titles that candidates search for when they are just starting out are:

  1. Entry Level Data Analyst (2,000)
  2. Junior Dev Ops Engineer (600)
  3. Entry Level Data Scientist (500)
  4. Entry Level QA Tester (500)
  5. Entry Level Dev Ops Engineer (400)
  6. Junior Data Scientist (350)
  7. Entry Level Network Administrator (350)
  8. Junior Salesforce Administrator (250)
  9. Entry Level Computer Engineer (200)
  10. IT Intern (150)

Tip for Entry Level IT Job Titles: Using qualifiers like “Entry Level” and “Junior” can be effective when you want to attract ONLY entry-level candidates (e.g. if you have a hierarchy of IT job titles such as Entry Level Data Analyst, Data Analyst, Senior Data Analyst, etc.). If, on the other hand, you don’t use a hierarchy, then you’re better off going with the most-searched job title  (e.g. “Data Analyst” instead of “Entry Level Data Analyst”)). 

 

Top IT Management Job Titles

And which IT titles are used for leadership positions?

The top 10 IT management job titles searched for are:

  1. CIO (2,500)
  2. IT Manager (1,800)
  3. IT Director (1,400)
  4. CTO (600)
  5. Chief Information Officer (350)
  6. Director of Technology (200)
  7. Chief Technology Officer (200)
  8. Chief Information Security Officer (150)
  9. Director of IT (150)
  10. Interim CIO (100)

Tip for IT Manager titles: Candidates prefer to search for acronyms like CIO, IT, CTO versus spelling out the longer phrases they stand for. 

 

Funny IT Job Titles

You might be tempted to use a clever or funny IT job title such as the examples below found on the Web.

Don’t! A general rule of thumb with IT titles (and any job titles) is to keep it clean and simple. Those avoid confusion and get you the most search queries

  • Digital Overlord
  • Señor System Administrator
  • Social Media Sith Lord
  • Digital Sorcery/Sorceress
  • Chief Geek
  • Head Unicorn Wrangler
  • Lord of All Things Technical
  • Director of Spam Reception
  • Wiz Kid
  • Techno-Bull
  • Interwebs Mechanic
  • Codeling
  • C3PO – Chief Power Plugs & Patches Officer
  • Electromagnetic Wrangler Extraordinaire
  • Mass Bit Manipulator
  • Logic Gate Operator
  • Computational Wizard
  • King of Signals
  • Emporer of Bit-Land
  • Professional Technology Manipulator
  • Mr Computer
  • Dr Fix IT

Special thanks to Beep Translator on Reddit and Blaine L. Pardoe for so many of the funny IT job titles above. 

I hope you enjoyed our research on IT department job titles. Please ping me if you feel like I missed something.

 

Why I wrote this?

My team and I at Ongig are on a mission to transform job descriptions. One way we do this is to have our software optimize your job descriptions to give you insights on the most effective job titles to use. Check out Ongig and please ask for a demo if you’d like to learn more.

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