National IT Professionals Day

Categories:: Appreciation
Tags:: Career Technology
Where:: United States
Date change rule:: Third Tuesday of September
Holiday emoji:: 💻

National IT Professionals Day celebrates the indispensable experts who ensure our digital world runs smoothly every third Tuesday of September. Take a moment to thank the network engineers, system administrators, and cybersecurity specialists who keep our systems secure and operational. Recognize their tireless efforts, offer words of appreciation, and support their ongoing professional development.

Deals
Platforms
Social
Hero
History
Timeline
Businesses
FAQs
Importance
Observe
Related

Expected National IT Professionals Day Deals

On National IT Professionals Day, expect appreciation programs and special offers rather than traditional sales. Many tech companies and employers will host internal recognition events, provide gift cards, or offer professional development course discounts. Look for extended discounts on software licenses, hardware upgrades, or certification exams from companies like Microsoft, Dell Technologies, and CompTIA. Some local businesses may offer special deals for verified IT professionals. We will update this page with confirmed live deals as September 15 approaches.

Platform Guide for National IT Professionals Day

Tag National Today (linkedin.com/company/nationaltoday) and use #ITProfessionalsDay. Share stories of IT heroes in your workplace.

X/Twitter

Mention @NatlToday and use #ITProfessionalsDay. Highlight an IT team’s recent achievement or a helpful tech tip.

Facebook

Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #ITProfessionalsDay. Post a thank-you message to your IT department or a favorite tech professional.

National IT Professionals Day Hero

Grace Hopper

Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper was a pioneering computer scientist and U.S. Navy officer. Born in 1906, she was one of the first programmers of the Harvard Mark I computer and developed the first compiler for a computer programming language. Her work significantly advanced computer programming and laid the groundwork for modern IT, making complex systems more accessible and efficient for professionals.

History of National IT Professionals Day

National I.T. Professionals Day was created in 2015 in an effort to show appreciation for the tech wizards who take care of the nuts and bolts so that the average worker’s station stays hooked up to the company network and operates flawlessly.

If you’re old enough, you remember when the only meaning of ‘attachment’ was an actual piece of paper fastened with a metal paper clip to a memo that had been copied physically on a mimeograph machine. Technology has practically advanced at the speed of light since then and someone has always had to keep up with the latest technical advent in order to manage any misfires in a given system. These guys and gals are nothing less than essential to successful business practices. Today, we give them a pat on the back, buy them a cup of coffee, or just say, “Thanks!” Your I.T. pros will appreciate it.

National IT Professionals Day timeline

1975

Truly Prophetic

An article in “Business Week” predicts the proliferation of the ‘paperless office,’ citing the growing popularity of the personal computer.

2000

Save a Tree

The overall use of physical paper in American offices levels off — ostensibly due to a generational shift — and begins to decline.

2015

It’s About Time

I.T. professionals get their due recognition when a holiday is created just for them.

2020

This Darn Virus

I.T. professionals have to work long hours and adapt to massive change to help their companies keep up and stay afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic.

How Businesses Can Celebrate National IT Professionals Day

Local businesses can honor National IT Professionals Day by recognizing their internal or outsourced IT teams. Consider a catered lunch, a team-building event, or personalized thank-you gifts. Companies can also highlight their IT department’s achievements on social media, showcasing how their expertise contributes to business success. Offering professional development opportunities, such as funding for certifications or conferences, is another meaningful way to invest in their growth and show appreciation.

National IT Professionals Day FAQs

When is National IT Professionals Day?

In 2026, National IT Professionals Day falls on Tuesday, September 15, providing a mid-week opportunity to acknowledge the tech experts who keep our systems running.

How many IT professionals are there in the U.S.?

As of recent estimates, there are approximately 5.5 million IT professionals employed in the United States, a number that continues to grow with the increasing demand for technology expertise.

What is the average salary for an IT professional?

The average salary for an IT professional in the U.S. varies widely by role and experience, but generally ranges from $70,000 to over $120,000 annually, reflecting the high demand for their specialized skills.

What is the difference between IT and computer science?

IT (Information Technology) focuses on the application, management, and maintenance of computer systems and networks within organizations, often dealing with practical problem-solving. Computer science, conversely, is more theoretical, studying the fundamental principles of computation, algorithms, and software design.

HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL I.T. PROFESSIONALS DAY

Treat your I.T. guy or lady to a cup of joe
Think about how many times during a typical year you call your I.T. pro to come and help you fix something on your computer or to remotely control it to solve your issue. Once? 10 times? For us, it averages about a dozen times a year. So on this day, show your appreciation with a coffee-shop gift card or other small tokens.
Post on social media
Use the hashtag #ITProDay to draw attention to the holiday — and the tireless computer geniuses it honors. Encourage your friends and online followers to do the same.
Try to solve a technical issue on your own...
…Or at least think about what might happen if you were to. Do you see visions of irreparable damage? Permanently lost files? Weeks of work, down the drain? Notice that, and give a mental nod to the I.T. pros who prevent those disasters from happening.

5 AMAZING FACTS ABOUT THE APPLE TECH COMPANY

Doubling down
Apple as a corporation has roughly twice as much money as the U.S. Treasury.
How many?
Apple employs about 90,000 people, roughly equal to the population of Albany, New York.
Don’t light up
Users that smoke cigarettes while using an Apple computer automatically void its warranty.
Compare and contrast
In the first quarter of 2014, Apple made more money than Facebook, Google, and Amazon combined.
Modest to a fault
In his last 15 years with Apple, the late Steve Jobs only paid himself a dollar a year, so he could qualify for the company’s health plan.

WHY WE LOVE NATIONAL I.T. PROFESSIONALS DAY

Those guys can do things we can’t
I.T. pros exercise a specialized set of skills that make them seem like magicians to us. Sort of like your auto mechanic who can diagnose and fix things in your vehicle that you’ve never even heard of. Except — if your company has an in-house I.T. staff — you don’t have to pay 80 bucks an hour out of pocket for a complicated fix!
I.T. pros deserve recognition like anyone else
The people that keep things going — garbage collectors, postal carriers, truck drivers, and especially I.T. professionals — need to hear from everybody else that we consider them essential and indispensable because, without them, things would come to a screeching halt.
A chance to get to know an acquaintance
Say you do take your I.T. pro out for coffee, who knows what you could learn about them and their lives? You might even find out you have interests in common and make a new friend out of someone who has only been another face up to that point!