If you enjoy technology and have a strong knack for computer operations and networks, then you’ll find a lot of options in the current employment market.
Let’s explore the amazing and ever-evolving technology career field and learn about some of the highest-paying tech jobs, according to Robert Half Technology’s 2020 Salary Guide:
Big data engineer
Big businesses need people who can transform vast amounts of data into actionable information for strategy-setting, decision-making, and innovation. With a median national salary of $163,250, one can easily say big data engineers get paid really well. These professionals typically develop, maintain, test and evaluate software and hardware architecture, along with the systems needed to work with the data within organizations. They usually have a computer science degree and expertise in mathematics and databases.
Mobile applications developer
If one just takes a look at their smartphone apps, it’s pretty easy to tell why mobile apps developers are in so much demand. These IT pros need expertise in developing apps for popular platforms, such as iOS and Android. They must also have experience coding with mobile frameworks and mobile development languages, along with the knowledge of web development languages. The median national salary for these professionals is $146,500.
Information systems security manager
Along, with a technical background in systems and network security, and information systems security manager must also have great interpersonal and leadership abilities. Sometimes called IT security managers, they coordinate and execute security policies and controls, as well as assess vulnerabilities within an organization. Certifications such as Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) or CompTIA Security+ are often requested by employers. The salary midpoint for information systems security managers is $143,250.
Applications architect
These tech professionals, who have a mean salary of $141,750, play an important role in the design and analysis of applications. They create new apps or improve existing ones, run app tests, develop product prototypes and create technical documents and manuals relating to app development. Strong technical abilities are key, as are excellent communication abilities; they need to be able to work well on teams. They may be involved in training other team members in areas of programming and software development. It’s one of the highest-paying IT jobs because just about every other organization wants to improve existing apps or create new ones.
Data architect
These tech pros are responsible for the complicated processes essential to making strategic business decisions. They define how the data will be stored, consumed, integrated and managed by different data entities and IT systems, as well as any apps using or processing that data in some way. The mean salary for data architects is $141,250.
Some of the skills required of a Big Data architect include:
- Understanding Hadoop, Spark, and NoSQL, as well as data warehousing technologies
- Programming skills
- Data visualization skills
- Excellent communication skills
Data security analyst
A data security analyst (also known as an information security analyst) must have a thorough understanding of computer and network security, including firewall administration, encryption technologies, and network protocols. In demand in all types of data-driven industries such as consulting, computer systems design, and financial services, the mean salary for data security analysts is $129,000.
Excellent communication and problem-solving skills along with knowledge of trends in security and government regulations are also required. A professional certification, such as a Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) designation, is beneficial.
Wireless network engineer
Computer networks are critical parts of almost every organization, one of the primary reasons why these pros are in demand. A Wireless network engineer must have expertise in every aspect of network technology and have a background in wireless equipment and standards, as well as WLAC design.
They are responsible for organizing, installing, and supporting an organization’s computer systems, including local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), network segments, intranets, and other data communication systems. Analytical and problem-solving skills are required, and certification like the Certified Wireless Network Professional (CWNP) is also valuable. The mean national salary for wireless network engineers is $123,750.
Data scientist
These IT professionals analyze and interpret complex data use their knowledge of statistics and modeling to help organizations make better and timelier decisions. A data scientist should be able to:
- Understand Machine Learning algorithms
- Create data models
- Code in languages like Python, Java, R, SAS and other analytical tools
- Identify business issues and provide appropriate solutions
The midpoint salary of a data scientist is $141,000.
Site reliability engineer
These tech pros monitor the performance of an app and must have a thorough understanding of the app and code. They can also write code like any application developer, essentially bridging the gap between development and operations in applications production, a reason why this role is one of the highest-paying IT jobs — with a midpoint salary of $122,000. They often work within technical support teams and help with support tickets or defects, as well as emergency support.
Systems engineer
Systems engineers manage and monitor all installed systems and infrastructure at a company. When a system fails, they’ll debug and reconfigure that system, if necessary, ensuring the highest levels of systems and infrastructure availability, thus making knowledge of the development process important to the job as well. Having strong communication skills is a must, as they have to translate technical information to non-technical users. The mean national salary for systems engineers is $106,000.