Information Technology is undoubtedly one of the fastest growing and highly-playable careers nowadays. What is also tempting, IT is a very flexible field allowing you to have a career in technology in different places like fast-paced startups, freelance posts, innovative tech companies, large corporations, and small IT departments.
For reference, IT professionals in the US made a median salary of more than $100,00 this spring, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Of course, many factors influence tech salaries, including experience, skill set, education level, portfolio, and certifications. Still, the said median IT salary is much more than the ~$47,500 average salary for other non-IT occupations.
As you probably guessed, this article will include many statistics, numbers, and facts. So, let's take on a deep dive into the most popular and well-paid tech jobs in 2022.
The Tech Market Opportunities in Different Countries in 2022
Before we delve deeper into statistics, we would like to break it down into different counties with advanced IT markets.
It shouldn't come as a surprise that we start with the USA, which can boast of tech giants like Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, and Google. Also called the Big Five, these world-known companies have set high standards in the USA tech job market, motivating other companies to keep up.
That's why IT posts in the USA are advantageous and high-demandable. Among the most popular and highest-paid jobs in the USA, we can highlight:
Big data engineers with a midpoint salary of $141,500.
DevOps engineers with a midpoint salary of $125,750.
Information systems security managers with a midpoint salary of $125,750.
Mobile application developers with a midpoint salary of $137,250.
Application architects with a midpoint salary of $150,500.
When it comes to the UK tech world, it's also an excellent environment for large companies – such international tech whales as Google, Apple, Microsoft, Oracle, HP, Amazon, Xerox, Intel, Facebook, and more which are based in the UK. As for the job posts, the most popular and highest-paid are:
Software architects with $85,190.00 average salary
Data warehouse architects with a $77.770.00 average salary
Data scientists with $77.770.00 average salary
Development operations engineer with $76,790.00 average salary
Java developer with $73,410.00 average salary
It should be amiss not to mention the fast-growing Chinese tech market, which seems to become the world leader in the AI field in the foreseen future. And as the revenue for China's software development grows and software companies in China are getting larger, China needs more and more software engineers. The top 6 include:
Development managers who make about $75,000 per year
Data security specialists who make about $71,000 per year
AI and machine learning specialists who make about $66,000 per year
C# developers who make about $58,500 per year
iOS developers who make about $57,000 per year
Java developers who make about $56,800 per year
Best Paying IT Jobs Generalized
Yet, if we look at the world IT market in general, according to Glassdoor, the top 15 best-paying IT Jobs in technology for 2022 look as follows:
1. Cloud Architect ($137,265) is the most rewarding IT job nowadays. The primary skills and requirements include:
Proficiency in IT administration and engineering.
Knowledge of cloud infrastructure and cloud architecture.
Knowledge of such programming languages as Python or Java.
Knowledge of cloud platforms, infrastructures, and applications.
2. Applications Architect ($129,000) is the second top-paying tech job. The primary skills and requirements include:
Knowledge of programming and app development.
Ability to code in a general-purpose language like C++, Java, or Python.
Good skills in optimization, load balancing, and scaling.
Understanding of the basics of marketing.
3. IT Security Manager ($125,739). Security and cyber security posts are currently among the top 3 best-paying IT jobs in the market, and this doesn't seem to change anytime soon. The main skills and requirements include:
Knowledge of modern security threats and security practices.
Knowledge of IoT, on-premise, web, and cloud-based security threats.
Certifications in IT security.
Ability to manage and maintain IT networks.
4. AI Engineer ($119,297). Artificial intelligence will "run the world," so AI engineers are now very demandable. The main skills and requirements include:
Knowledge of data-based programming languages – Python, SQL, Java, Scala, or R.
Familiarity with AI-specific processes.
Experience in the engineering, IT, or data science fields.
5. Data Architect ($118,868). The number of companies that currently use the cloud is more than the data they collected in the past, so, naturally, data architects are trendy too. The main skills and requirements include:
Knowledge of SQL databases, Python, and Java.
An understanding of data concepts.
Experience with cloud systems, database systems, AI, and machine learning.
6. Data Scientist ($117,212). Data scientists typically have a little-to-no IT background and move into IT from another scientific field. Yet, the primary skills and requirements include:
Knowledge of data-based programming languages – Python, SQL, Java, Scala, or R.
Experience in statistical analysis.
The ability to identify data that is actionable.
7. DevOps Engineer ($105,107). DevOps tech jobs have recently entered the top 10 best-paying IT careers, and it's predicted to continue to rise within the nearest future. The main skills and requirements include:
Experience in the DevOps field.
Experience in Engineering and IT.
Knowledge of CI/CD applications and systems and the ability to support CI/CD processes.
8. Big Data Engineer ($104,463). Big data specialists are also becoming highly popular since many companies now collect large volumes of information. The main skills and requirements include:
Ability to work with extra-large data sets.
Knowledge of non-relational database systems.
Deep knowledge of data science.
Ability to perform statistical analysis.
9. Mobile App Developer ($103,009). It's impossible to imagine our life without mobile phones and apps today. Needless to say, this IT sphere is lucrative. The main skills and requirements include:
Knowledge of iOS or Android.
Proficiency in programming languages like Python, C#, or Java.
Understanding of front-end app development.
Knowledge of systems like React.js or jQuery.
10. Full-Stack Developer ($99,274). Working on both front-end and back-end programming, Full-Stack Developers are very prized not without reason. The main skills and requirements include:
Experience in front-end and back-end development.
Knowledge of user experience and user interface design.
Knowledge of programming languages like Java, JavaScript, PHP, or Python.
As you see, people need to know Java in almost all top IT careers, so with some other extra computer skills and good soft skills, Java specialists will remain high-demandable and well-payable.
How to Gain Those Skills?
Well, now, when you know the clear picture of the IT market, probably, you have set your mind on what you would like to become. And, most likely, you're wondering where you can get the skills needed for your future career.
Self-learning. Many programming languages can be easily self-taught through online courses. According to the new survey by Stackoverflow, over this year, learning to code online increased from 60% to 70% – respondents older than 45 years are most likely to learn from books. In contrast, younger students rely on online resources and online certifications.
Certifications. Importantly, getting a certificate is a tangible way to show your proficiency and ensure your abilities meet professional standards.
Bootcamps. Bootcamps, lasting for several weeks or months, can help you acquire specific skills required for a particular career. They are similar to traditional courses but more intensive.
Degrees. Getting a degree is more time-consuming than the previous options. Yet, some tech giants still hire only IT professionals with college degrees. So, getting a degree is likely to boost your career and income.
How to Put Your Skills Into Action?
What's next? You will likely start applying for jobs after gaining the necessary skills with GodeGym and/or additional sources. It's better to start with creating or updating your resume and LinkedIn profile with your achievements and credentials. If you've got some projects behind your belt, great! Add them to your portfolio to show how you can apply your theoretical knowledge to practice. Once you get an invitation to your first interviews, come prepared and ready to describe what you accomplished.
Conclusion
How to get the highest-paying jobs in IT? It combines the following things - education, real-world experience, and portfolio (certifications will be an obvious bonus too). And the CodeGym course can assist you with all of these aspects. In addition, it'll teach you one of the most-demandable programming languages, Java, help you create your projects, and give extra tips and hints on how to apply for the job of your dream faster. So, let's learn, make money, and enjoy the process!
For reference, IT professionals in the US made a median salary of more than $100,00 this spring, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Of course, many factors influence tech salaries, including experience, skill set, education level, portfolio, and certifications. Still, the said median IT salary is much more than the ~$47,500 average salary for other non-IT occupations.
As you probably guessed, this article will include many statistics, numbers, and facts. So, let's take on a deep dive into the most popular and well-paid tech jobs in 2022.
