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If you are a computer science graduate or someone who is thinking to make a career in the technology, programming, and software development world or an experienced programmer who is thinking about your next career move but not so sure which field to go then you have a come to the right place.
In this article, I will tell you the top 13 highest paying tech and programming jobs you can aim for.
All you need is some programming and Computer Science experience and a passion for learning. Particularly the Machine learning, Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, and Data Science field looking very promising for both beginners and experienced programmers.
On average a machine learning specialist and Data Scientist make around anywhere from $110,000 USD to $120,000 and there is a huge demand for them and if you are interested in solving real-world problems they present an exciting opportunity.
As human beings, we are always curious about the salary of fellow programmers and technologists. Developer complains QA getting a better salary than them and QA people says Programmers getting more and doing less work :-)
It's also possible that the programmer sitting next to you might be getting a lot more than you even if he has less experience. The IT and Tech industry is like that, there is no standard rule when it comes to salary.
In fact, there are more exceptions than the rule but it's also true that some technologists paid more than others.
I used to check Glassdoor to find about the average salary of a particular job position on a particular technology before making a negotiation with recruiters and hiring managers but to be honest, they were not as accurate as you would think. They are at best provides a good baseline and an idea, nothing more than that.
On the contrary that, I trust StackOverflow Developer survey data more than anything else nowadays. I have been going through their results and I have learned quite a few things about popular technology, framework, libraries, and programming language in the current world and this article will focus on the high paying jobs you can aim to take your career next level.
13 Highest Paying Tech Jobs for Computer Engineers
Here is my list of highest paying tech and programming jobs for computer science graduates and IT professionals, which includes machine learning specialist, DevOps specialists, Web developers, Database admins, System admins, Mobile developers, Graphic Designer, QA engineers, and other software technology professionals.
I have not just listed these highest paying jobs but also suggested some online courses you can take to learn the skills needed for those jobs. If you choose to learn something valuable and join the online courses using links in this article, I'll also get paid at no additional cost to you.
1. Machine Learning Specialist
The average salary for a machine learning specialist is around $108,000 in the USA, which is the highest among all kinds of technical jobs.
Many startups like Uber and big technology companies like Google and Microsoft are looking for a machine learning specialist to support the latest innovations like a self-driving car.
To be honest it is a perfect field with both research and programming combined and I am going to spend a lot of time on this.
If you want to become a machine learning specialist, I suggest you go through Machine Learning using Python and R course. It provides a comprehensive overview of machine learning technologies.
And, If you need more choices then you can also check this list of Top 10 Data Science and Machine Learning Courses for Beginners on Dev.to.
2. Developer with Statistics and Maths Background
In today's data-driven world, it's that people with good statistical and mathematical backgrounds will be in high demand and that's visible in this survey as well.
It's the second-highest paying job in the USA. The average salary of a Developer with a statistics or maths background is around $101,000 and I believe this will grow even more in coming years.
If you are in the Data Analysis business then improving your statistics and Mathematics skill will also help you a long way in your career and if you want to improve your Mathematics and Statistic skill for Data Analytics I suggest you go through Data Science: Statistics and Machine Learning Specialization on Coursera by Johns Hopkins University which will help you to Master Statistics. Statistical mastery of data analysis including inference, modeling, and Bayesian approaches.
By the way, If you are planning to join multiple Coursera courses or specializations, then consider taking a Coursera Plus subscription which provides you unlimited access to their most popular courses, specialization, professional certificate, and guided projects. It costs around $399/ per annum but you can also get unlimited certificates.
3. Data Scientist
The much-hyped Data Science job is 3rd on the list of highest-paying jobs. It's touted as one of the most exciting jobs of this decade with both exciting work and incredible pay.
The average salary of a Data scientist is around $100,000, which is very good if you compare with application developers like Java developers and that's the reason many of my friends are learning Data Science from online courses to switch to a more rewarding Data Scientist career.
If you are in the same boat I suggest you check this Data Science course on Udemy about how to become a Data Scientist. It also provides a nice overview of what it takes to learn Data Science and get a job in this lucrative field.
If you need more choices and if you don't mind learning from free resources then you can also check this list of Data science and machine learning courses.
4. DevOps Specialist
It's another exciting career, particularly for experienced programmers. The DevOps specialist in great demand with a greater focus on automation.
The main characteristic of the DevOps movement is to strongly advocate automation and monitoring at all steps of software development from integration, testing, to deployment.
The average salary of a DevOps specialist globally is around $100,000, the highest among different kinds of programming jobs.
If you want to become a DevOps specialist then Learn DevOps: The Complete Kubernetes Course on Udemy is a good place to start with. Udemy is also running its sale now, where you can get this course for just $10.99, almost FREE.
If you need more choices, you can also see my list of 10 DevOps courses for experienced developers.
And, if you need guidance then this DevOps RoadMap is simply awesome to follow:
5. Embedded Applications Developer
This is a very specialized job but it seems there is a good demand for programmers who have good development experience in embedded Linux and embedded C.
The average salary of an Embedded applications/devices developer is $100,000 in the USA, which makes it the 4th highest salary job.
If you have interested in Embedded software development, I suggest you go through Mastering Microcontroller with Embedded Driver Development course to learn more about this field.
6. Mobile Application Developer
The average salary of a Mobile developer is around $95,000 in the USA, which is higher than a web developer but lower than Data Scientists and DevOps Specialists.
If you want to become a Mobile developer then you can either learn Android or iOS depending upon your background. I suggest Android for Java developers and iOS for C/C++ developers.
If you decide to learn Android, you can check The Complete Android N Developer Course by Rob Percival, Codestar on Udemy and if you want to become a world-class iOS developer, I suggest you take a look at this iOS 12 and Swift 4 Masterclassby Angela Yucourse by Udemy.
And, if you need more free choices then this lits of Free Android and iOS courses are also good to start with.
7. Graphics Programming
This is one of the safest jobs you will find in the technology area because you always need a Graphics programmer on your team.
The average salary of a Graphics Programmer in the USA is around $93,000, which is very good compared to Java or Web developers.
The unfortunate thing is that learning graphics programming takes a LOT of effort: there is a wide base of background knowledge to accumulate (especially in mathematics), Lots of programming practice time to put in, and a lot of studying of graphics techniques, which add new, more devilish layers of complexity every year.
If you want to learn more about Graphics Programming and design then Graphic Design Specialization on Coursera is one of the comprehensive resources to check out.
8. Desktop Applications Developer
If you think that Web might have killed Desktop application development then you are wrong, they are still alive and kicking.
On average a Desktop application developer makes around $92,000 in the USA, which is higher than the average salary of web developers.
If you love Desktop application programming and want to become a Desktop Application Developer, I suggest you join some online courses and read books. I don't have any recommendations now but if you need a recommendation just drop a note and I will find one for you.
9. Systems Administrator
I always thought that System administrator or sysadmin paid higher than the application developer but that's not really true.
As per this survey, both System administrators and web developers make the same amount of money.
The average salary of a System administrator in the USA is around $90,000, which is similar to a Web developer.
If you are interested in becoming a sysadmin, particularly with Linux, then I suggest you go through the Linux System Administration Fundamentals course on Pluralsight. It's an excellent course to start with system administration in Linux.
10. Web Developer
Finally, the Web developers, who use the latest technologies like Angular, React as well as age-old technologies like Ruby and PHP.
The average salary of a Web developer in the USA Is around $90,000 USD which is higher than DBAs, QAs, and Graphic designers but lower than Linux and Windows System administrators and Data Scientists.
If you want to learn web development and become a web developer then the Web Developer BootCamp by @Colt Steele is a great place, to begin with.
11. Database Administrator or DBA
DBA is one of the traditional jobs with a lot of job security and not much learning challenge.
The average salary of a Database administrator in the USA is around $85,000, which is expected lower than a Web Developer but higher than a QA engineer and Graphic designer.
If you want to learn more about Database Administration, I suggest you go through Oracle DBA 11g/12c --- Database Administration for Junior DBA.
This will teach you how to become an Oracle Database Administrator (DBA) in 6 weeks and get a well-paid job as a Junior DBA.
12. Quality Assurance Engineer (QA)
The average salary for a QA engineer is around $85,000, which is higher than a Graphic designer and mobile developer in many geographic locations but in the USA, they are just above Graphic designers.
QA engineers who are also developers tend to make more than those who are just doing manual testing.
I know a couple of QA guys who have some automated testing experience and know their tools like Selenium and making good money.
So, if you are a QA engineer, I strongly suggest you move towards automation testing and at least learn Selenium, the Selenium Masterclass is a good place to start with.
13. Graphic Designer
The average salary of a Graphics designer in the USA is around $70,00, which is not quite high as compared to Data Scientist and DevOps specialist, but there is always a demand for Graphic Designer.
If you have some Graphic designing skill then you can also do a lot of online jobs which pays well.
If you want to become a Graphic designer then I suggest you go through the Become a Professional Graphic Designer course on Udemy. It will teach you what you need to break into the world of graphic design.
The list is inspired by the StackOverflow's Developer Survey but I have also adjusted it based upon my own experience. This survey provides a great insight into the software industry in general and I strongly suggest you be part of the StackOverflow survey and provide your input. This way we not only help others but also get to know what is working to make the right career decisions.
That's all about ** highest-paying programming jobs**. This is a good list for programmers who are thinking to switch jobs and want to explore more exciting areas like DevOps, machine learning, and Data Science. DevOps and machine learning specialists, along with Data scientists tend to command the largest salaries globally and if you are thinking about compensation this year, those are probably the jobs you should target.
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Top comments (5)
Very well laid out article - love it!
I'll be writing about this kind of thing as part of my dev career newsletter soon, but will add a few thoughts on the issue (not directly "at" your article) 😊.
I believe that focusing on the difference between a $90,000 vs $108,000 industry focus is not really worth being a machine learning specialist vs. a web developer, for example.
$18,000 increase, in general, after deductions, where I live (for example) would really only be something like $12,000 (probably less actually...but a round number is easier to deal with).
Divided by a bi-weekly pay period, then that's about a $460 NET gain per pay. That sounds OK.. not as much as $18,000 annually sounds up-front...
Also, I'm not taking into consideration that higher tax brackets in some countries have an even larger increase in deductions.
Also, we should consider the difference in training you will need. Chances are, becoming a machine learning dev means a lot more formal training than getting your foot in the door with web development.
That's going to be more upfront costs. More debt long term? Etc.
I think better yet, is to pick what focus you are really interested in. Something that motivates you. Then, become an expert in that field.
For example, the avg web dev salary is around $90,000 USD. What do you think industry-recognized senior/lead/architects make? Way more than the avg machine learning dev.
A large part of this is being responsible for your career, treating it as a long-term artifact to grow (much like a garden) and realizing that there's no silver bullet or "best" dev focus, in general. Becoming recognized in your field has way more value and I think should be the focus for ambitious software developers and a better long-term strategy.
Great comment @james , becoming the expert is really the most important, whatever field you choose, if you are an expert, you will earn a lot more than others.
Partitioned by a fortnightly payroll interval, then, at that point, that is about a $460 NET addition for every compensation. That sounds OK.. not quite as much as $18,000 yearly sounds front and center...
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Additionally, we ought to consider the distinction in preparing you will require. Chances are, turning into an AI dev implies significantly more conventional preparing than securing your opportunity with web advancement.
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