The tech industry certainly has a reputation for high-paying jobs. Whether it’s a six-figure entry-level position or a billionaire CEO, the tech industry can seem awash in money, at least from the outside looking in.
But in actuality, salaries in tech range as much as they do in any other profession, and some jobs are much, much more lucrative than others.
So if you want to find out which tech jobs pay the most, then you’re in the right place. Below, we’ll tell you all about the 15 most lucrative positions in tech, and how to land one of these coveted positions.
Is It Hard To Land a High-Paying Job in Tech?
No. Every sector of a thriving economy requires tech expertise, whether it be manufacturing, agriculture, cybersecurity, health, or defense. But not all tech jobs pay equally, which is why it’s important to know which tech jobs are the most lucrative.
15 Best Paying Jobs in Tech
Here are the 15 best-paying jobs in technology:
Software Development Manager
A software development manager leads developers. They coordinate with clients in developing proprietary software.
Role and Responsibilities
A software development manager has the following responsibilities:
- Overseeing the life cycle of web or software applications
- Training software developers
- Formulating reports and documentation to share with internal and external stakeholders
- Managing the workflow of projects, product releases, and upgrades
Salary
A software development manager earns a salary in the following range:
Skills and Requirements
To work as a software development manager, you’ll need:
- A bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, or math, or have completed a software engineering bootcamp and earned some certifications
- Leadership skills like goal-setting for the team, delegation, and project management
- Technical skills like an understanding of programming languages (Java, SQL, and C++), proficiency
Data Architect
A data architect creates blueprints for data management frameworks. When data architect does their job well, data analysts and data scientists can do their job better.
Role and Responsibilities
Data architects have varying roles depending on the size of the organizations but mainly do the following:
- Developing data model designs and standards
- Implementing data warehouse systems
- Identifying data sources that are aligned with organizational data strategies
- Cooperating with other data teams to maintain enterprise data systems
Salary
A data architect’s annual salary range is:
Skills and Requirements
Critical skills and requirements for data architects include:
- A bachelor’s degree in computer science, or computer engineering, or have completed a data science bootcamp that covers data architecture, systems analysis, programming, and application design
- Technical skills and proficiencies related to data management and data mining
DevOps Engineer
A DevOps engineer works with software developers and system operators to coordinate system administration, security, and other parts of the software development cycle.
Role and Responsibilities
Engineers coordinating DevOps must:
- Build and maintain cloud and other technological infrastructure
- Support automation pipelines
- Manage service alerts and support delivery teams with releases
- Perform an inventory of technical assets
Salary
DevOps engineers earn in the following range:
Skills and Requirements
DevOps engineers should have:
- A bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering, or any IT field, or have completed a software engineering bootcamp and earned some certifications
- Technical skills, including experience with DevOps tools and multiple programming languages
- Soft skills, including presentation skills
Product Manager
Product managers see a product through its lifecycle, from manufacturing to launch.
Role and Responsibilities
Product managers are involved with:
- Creating business use cases to justify product development
- Translating user needs into product strategy
- Developing wireframes for product prototypes
- Leading product management and engineering teams
Salary
A product manager’s yearly income falls in these ranges:
Skills and Requirements
You can become a product manager if you have:
- A bachelor’s degree in business management, with specialization in engineering, technology, and marketing. Or, you can become a product manager by enrolling in a relevant bootcamp
- Technical skills like coding, familiarity with SQL, and prototyping proficiencies
- Intermediate business skills and the ability to do market research
Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
CISOs hold C-suite executive roles. They oversee the overall execution of various information security efforts and initiatives. CISOs can also operate as chief security architects, corporate security officers, and managers.
Role and Responsibilities
A CISO is responsible for:
- Facilitating the organization’s cybersecurity programs and tracking incident response
- Identifying information security goals
- Performing information security audits
- Formulating risk management frameworks
Salary
CISOs earn around:
Skills and Requirements
CISOs must possess:
- Educational qualifications, including a bachelor’s degree or masters in cybersecurity-centric fields
- Certifications like CISM, CISSP, and CEH
- Soft skills such as the ability to advocate for and work across multiple departments in the organization and align them with the vision of the business
Data Scientist
Data scientists extract and analyze data that can help solve business problems. They find meaning in data, which then powers data-driven strategies.
Role and Responsibilities
A data scientist performs the following:
- Identification of data requirements for analysis
- Application of statistical techniques to datasets
- Collaboration with data engineers to convert data models into products
- Exploratory data analysis to test assumptions
Salary
The annual salary of a data scientist is:
Skills and Requirements
Data scientists must have:
- A bachelor’s or master’s degree in computer science, data science, or related disciplines, or have completed a data science bootcamp
- Technical aptitude with Python, R, SQL, Spark, and other programming/statistical tools
- The ability to communicate technical data to laypersons (can be shown through a portfolio)
Senior Software Sales Executive
A senior software sales executive pitches and sells a company’s software products. They should be able to explain the technical aspects of the products to customers.
Role and Responsibilities
A senior software sales executive’s job includes:
- Finding and developing clientele within a specific geographic territory
- Participating in the development of software solutions based on client pain points
- Formulating technical documentation that can help an end user understand and use a product
- Identifying opportunities such as seminars and events to drive awareness about the products
Salary
Senior software sales executives earn in the following range:
Skills and Requirements
Senior software sales executives must have:
- A bachelor’s degree in business or marketing, or have completed a tech sales bootcamp
- Proficiency with sales reporting, project management tools, business reporting tools, and data visualization tools
- An understanding of corporate sales, written communication, and oral presentation skills
Machine Learning Engineer
A machine learning engineer is usually part of the data science team of an organization. Their main task is building AI systems that rely on machine learning frameworks and algorithms.
Role and Responsibilities
A machine learning engineer’s role requires that they:
- Build data pipelines that AI tools can use
- Deploy data storage and processing systems
- Collaborate with DevOps and other engineers to build sophisticated machine learning systems
- Write scalable and testable code AI projects and analyze existing code to improve it
Salary
Machine learning engineers’ annual salaries fall in this range:
Skills and Requirements
These are the skillsets a machine learning engineer should have:
- A bachelor’s degree in computer science, or have completed a machine learning bootcamp
- Familiarity with object-oriented programming techniques
- Software development experience
IT Manager
An IT manager, as the name suggests, is in charge of an organization’s short-term and long-term technology needs. They balance technical know-how and business skills to coordinate technology issues and business output related to them.
Role and Responsibilities
IT managers are expected to:
- Conduct system audits according to a schedule
- Develop and execute IT policies for the organization
- Run checks on network and data security
Salary
IT managers earn:
Skills and Requirements
IT managers must have:
- B.S. in computer science or a related field
- Familiarity with data center management and data governance
- Proficiency in information analysis
Full-Stack Developer
Full-stack developers specialize in both front-end and back-end development—the entire technology stack of a website or application.
Role and Responsibilities
Full-stack developers do the following:
- Design functional APIs
- Create databases and servers
- Coordinate with data scientists, software architects, and database managers
- Test and debug frontend and backend code
- Gather user feedback and assist with improvements related to usability
Salary
A full stack developer’s salary, on average, according to Indeed, is about $100,000 and falls in this range on Salary.com:
Skills and Requirements
A full-stack developer needs to have:
- A bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, or a related field. Or, they must have completed a full-stack development course.
- Experience with JSON, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and web technologies like MongoDB and NodeJS
- Proficiency with one or more back-end (Node, Java, Python, Ruby on Rails) and front-end technologies (Redux, React, JavaScript, etc.)
User Interface (UI) Architect / User Experience (UX) Architect
A UX/UI architect is a dual position that entails handling the flow and structure of a digital product. UX architects focus on creating wireframes and prototypes that are based on a user’s journey through an app or website. UI architects also must ensure that the interface is aesthetically pleasing and easy to navigate.
Role and Responsibilities
A UX/UI architect must be able to:
- Lead designing activities from start to finish, including marketing research and concept development
- Execute low-resolution designs, such as wireframes and prototypes, and coordinate with UX and UI designers to build the final product
- Design websites, banners, icons, and related collateral for websites and social media
- Work with technical architects, application architects, and software engineering managers to create functional user stories and user designs
Salary
This is the base salary of a UI/UX architect:
Skills and Requirements
A UX/UI architect must have:
- A bachelor’s degree in computer science, or graphic and web design. Or, they can enroll in a UX/UI bootcamp.
- The ability to create consistent user experience and prototype designs for user testing with Figma, Zeplin, Sketch, and other design tools.
- Familiarity with HTML, JavaScript, jQuery, and Dojo.
Computer Network Architect
A computer network architect builds communication infrastructures for a company. Network engineers design or implement all the tools, software, and components that an organization uses to communicate.
Role and Responsibilities
A computer network architect engages in:
- Testing, inspecting and troubleshooting networks while providing escalation support
- Upgrading the software and hardware components of a network
- Modeling network systems and presenting pre-deployment plans to external stakeholders
- Formulating technical documentation for network plans based on information security
Salary
A computer network architect’s salary falls in this range:
Skills and Requirements
Computer network architects must have:
- A bachelor’s degree in computer science, or relevant certifications such as CompTIA Network+
- Proficiency with network security design concepts and firewall technologies
- Comfortability with automation tools that are used in network environments and SDN technologies
Blockchain Developer
Blockchain developers formulate applications and protocols based on blockchain technology. This can include 3D models, designs, content, and core web architecture.
Role and Responsibilities
Blockchain developers do the following on a day-to-day basis:
- Research and test blockchain technologies and evaluate their efficacy within the organization’s business environment
- Create security protocols using blockchain technology to prevent cybercrime
- Educate other departments for optimal adoption of blockchain across various teams
- Draft documentation covering blockchain use cases and functionalities
Salary
The annual salary of a blockchain developer is:
Skills and Requirements
Blockchain developers need to have:
- A bachelor’s in computer science, information security, or equivalent certifications
- Experience with Web3-related technologies and an understanding of blockchain development networks
- A working knowledge of Python, C++, or JavaScript
Cloud Architect
A cloud architect manages the cloud technology needs of a company. They also implement cloud computing strategies that contribute to the business’s cloud infrastructure.
Role and Responsibilities
Cloud architects are involved in:
- Producing design solutions for cost-efficient and scalable cloud environments
- Formulating architectural blueprints for cloud security goals
- Translating the needs of the organization into technical solutions that can be executed in a cloud ecosystem
- Performing risk assessment on cloud native technology and workflows
Salary
Cloud architects’ salaries fall in this range:
Skills and Requirements
As a cloud architect, you should have a:
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, or related fields, along with certifications such as Security+
- Working knowledge of cloud environments like Google Cloud, Azure Cloud or AWS
- Command over Java, Go, Python or Shell
Mobile Applications Developer
Mobile application developers come up with software for mobile devices. They create apps or adopt pre-existing apps for mobile users.
Role and Responsibilities
Mobile applications developers do the following:
- Manage end-to-end development of customer-facing mobile apps, including brainstorming, research, design, execution, and deployment
- Design front-end and API integrations, and then improve apps based on customer feedback
- Develop new features in collaboration with mobile development and marketing teams
- Resolve bugs as and when reported
Salary
Mobile applications developers earn in the following range:
Skills and Requirements
Mobile applications developers must exhibit:
- A strong understanding of android or iOS architecture
- Experience with Objective-C, Swift, Java, or Kotlin
- Ability to build a complete app using Flutter or other SDKsBe
Tips To Land a High-Paying Tech Job
These six tips will help you land a high-paying tech job in under a year:
Determine Your Ideal Career Path
Think about where you want to be, find the people who have already gotten there, and then figure out whether their career path is right for you.
Upskill
If you work in tech, then you’ll need to always be upskilling. It’s vital to learn new tools to keep up with the rest of the industry.
Pursue Certifications
Certifications are highly-recognized credentials that show that you have the requisite knowledge in the niche. This increases your marketability, and with the right certifications, you can command a higher salary.
Find a Mentor
If you cannot find a relevant mentor in your organization, you can follow and engage with professionals online (check out LinkedIn!). Interact with them, and eventually, you will find a mentor within your network.
Leverage Your Network
The benefits of networking cannot be understated. Your network can be the shortcut to skipping tedious resume submissions and interview rounds. Tap into your network to look for opportunities and referrals. You’ll find your dream job in no time.
Update Your Resume and Prepare for the Interview
Ensure that you update your resume frequently. We suggest having a master resume and using that as a basis to draft company-specific resumes.
Getting a Job in Tech: How They Did It
We’ve some inspiring success stories of people who landed a job in the tech industry in non-conventional ways.
Zita
Meet Zita. After completing college, they had an Economics degree they didn’t want to use, a love for machine learning, and a desire to get into data science. This led to them taking over 30 online courses. They engaged with the faculty, got feedback, and mastered the fundamentals of data science.
Next, Zita participated in hackathons to build their network and test their knowledge. They also built a bunch of personal projects to build their portfolio. After a year, they landed a job due to their self-taught skills. Now, they are working as a data scientist for an international consulting firm.
Monica Chieffo
Chieffo worked in the music industry before transitioning to tech sales. She enrolled in Springboard’s bootcamp, and now works full-time as a sales development representative a.
Charlie Jeppsson
After Charlie Jeppsson burned out on investment banking, he attended a 9-week bootcamp in Barcelona. Charlie wrote code every day, used Github, and read every software resource he could get his hands on. He then built an app that he could show to hiring managers, and after 30 applications, found a job he enjoyed.
FAQs About Landing a High-Paying Tech Job
We’ve got the answers to your most frequently asked questions:
Do You Need To Know How To Code for a Job in Tech?
Not necessarily. Many tech careers do not require coding at all. For example, product managers, UX architects, network architects, and IT managers do not need to code. Some data scientist roles don’t require coding either. Although coding is not necessary for many technology jobs, it’s still a good idea to familiarize yourself with at least 1-2 programming languages.
Do You Need a Degree To Land a High-Paying Tech Job?
No. Companies today recognize candidates with the requisite knowledge and skills obtained through self-study, certificates, and bootcamps. As some of the above success stories show, you can land a coveted position with a high technology salary.
What Is the Easiest High-Paying Tech Job?
What’s easy for one person is difficult for another. Consider your own strengths, and how your expertise aligns with different positions.
Since you’re here…
Were you one of the tens of thousands of workers impacted by this year’s tech layoffs? Springboard wants to help. Our new Career Reboot Scholarship is intended to assist job seekers from tech looking to upskill, reskill and stand out in a competitive hiring environment. Get $1,000 off any Springboard bootcamp in software engineering, data analytics, UX design, cybersecurity, tech sales, and more. Visit this page for eligibility requirements and to apply.
