There’s a high-paying, in-demand space of tech that you just is perhaps overlooking: data expertise, or IT.
Broadly talking, IT is expertise that shops, organizes, and processes data and communication. There are tons of fascinating careers that you could have in IT — from Laptop Data Techniques Supervisor to Cybersecurity Analyst — with rewarding salaries.
The Skillsoft IT Expertise and Wage survey is among the largest research of IT salaries, abilities, and certifications. In 2024, greater than 5,100 individuals who work in expertise answered nameless questions on their salaries, how they really feel about work, the certifications they need to get, and extra.
Listed below are the roles in IT with the highest highest annual salaries, based on the survey. Be taught what it takes to get employed in these roles, plus uncover assets and related programs and ability paths that can assist launch your profession in IT.
(FYI: This listing focuses on the salaries of survey respondents in North America. To see how IT salaries pan out world wide, obtain the complete report.)
DevOps
Common wage: $112,762
DevOps (quick for “Growth Operations”) is an industry-standard method to constructing software program that prioritizes collaboration. DevOps practices allow companies to be responsive, develop merchandise shortly, and repeatedly enhance them. IT professionals who focus on DevOps assist organizations put DevOps practices, instruments, and platforms in place.
DevOps Engineers must know how one can work with information administration, cloud structure, automation, and programming languages. You may grasp DevOps practices and get an summary of contemporary infrastructure administration in our free course Introduction to DevOps. As you prep your DevOps resume and begin making use of to jobs, be sure you overview this information to answering DevOps interview questions.
Utility improvement, programming
Common wage: $113,195
An app developer or programmer is answerable for designing, coding, and sustaining software program purposes. They work on creating user-friendly and environment friendly apps for varied platforms, like cellular gadgets, desktops, or net browsers. Their position entails writing code, debugging points, and collaborating with different group members to make sure the appliance meets person wants and performs properly. If one of these job excites you, get began with our Entrance-Finish Engineer, Again-Finish Engineer, and Full-Stack Engineer profession paths — you’ll be taught the entire abilities you want for this profession from the bottom up.
Information Science, Analytics, and Enterprise Intelligence
Common wage: $116,463
If you happen to’re fascinated by information science and revel in translating information into actionable enterprise insights, you may thrive as a Enterprise Intelligence Analyst. In a lot of these jobs, you’d use applied sciences like SQL, Python, or R to carry out superior information evaluation and querying; you’d additionally work with information visualization dashboards like Tableau and Looker. You may be taught all of those technical abilities and get job-ready with our profession path Information Scientist: Analytics Specialist.
Wish to be taught extra about information and enterprise? Take a look at our Enterprise Intelligence Information Analyst profession path to start out analyzing information for business-advancing insights. And be sure you browse all of our information science programs to fill out your data gaps — you may even begin studying totally free with Be taught SQL and Getting Began Off-Platform for Information Science.
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Cybersecurity, Data Safety
Common wage: $120,449
There’s an enormous demand for cybersecurity professionals who can shield a company’s pc programs and networks from dangerous actors, assaults, and safety breaches. Data Safety (aka “InfoSec”) is a extremely sought-after cybersecurity specialty that focuses on defending data and information from unauthorized entry and assaults.
Model new to cybersecurity? Begin with our beginner-friendly free course Introduction to Cybersecurity. If you wish to discover additional and be taught to establish cyber assaults (and stop them from occurring), you may try the trail Fundamentals of Cybersecurity. And if you happen to’re interested by pursuing a certification in cybersecurity, we simply launched a number of take a look at prep ability paths that put together you for the highest {industry} exams.
Enterprise Operations
Common wage: $127,324
Enterprise Operations Managers deal with an organization’s most essential logistics and administrative programs, usually reporting to the Chief Operations Officer (COO). A Enterprise Operations Supervisor focuses on streamlining a company’s inner operations and actions so that they’re environment friendly and productive.
IT Auditing or Governance, Threat, and Compliance
Common wage: $128,355
Governance, Threat, and Compliance (or “GRC”) is the a part of a company that establishes greatest practices and safety frameworks, and makes positive that group members comply with them. An IT audit is actually an investigation of a company’s applied sciences and programs to guarantee that they’re protected and meet regulatory necessities. Threat administration just isn’t solely a profitable specialty inside cybersecurity, however it’s additionally in demand. To be taught extra about how firms set up safe practices and insurance policies, strive our path Fundamentals of Cyber Resilience and Threat Administration.
Venture Administration
Common wage: $129,750
A Venture Supervisor in a tech firm oversees the day-to-day duties required to make initiatives profitable, guaranteeing that groups meet deadlines and work inside price range constraints. They carry a mix of exhausting and gentle abilities, like danger administration, communication, and management, to information their groups in the direction of attaining particular targets and deliverables. Venture Managers usually transition from different roles inside the tech {industry}, however it’s additionally attainable to enter the sector with a willingness to be taught new abilities and instruments.
You can begin studying venture administration abilities by taking the course Introduction to Venture Administration. If you happen to determine to pursue a Venture Supervisor profession, you too can take our new ability path Licensed Affiliate in Venture Administration, which prepares you for an industry-recognized certification examination.
Cloud
Common wage: $142,902
The huge world of cloud computing entails storing and accessing information and packages on the web. There are many job alternatives for folk with technical abilities to work with the cloud. A number of the highest-paying cloud careers embody Cloud Engineer and Laptop and Data Techniques Supervisor. We’ve numerous cloud computing programs for all ranges that you could take, from free video-based programs to in-depth certification prep ability paths.
IT Structure and Design
Common wage: $156,147
Enterprise Architect is a high-paying management position that offers with general IT structure and design. These IT execs are answerable for making high-level selections about a company’s general IT technique. An Enterprise Architect’s duties can embody issues like organising and making a community infrastructure, sustaining software program and {hardware}, speaking with enterprise stakeholders, and managing cybersecurity programs.
You want a good quantity {of professional} expertise beneath your belt to turn into an Enterprise Architect. Impressed to start out working in the direction of this profession? Check out the beginner-friendly IT programs to be taught the important thing abilities utilized in IT structure and design. Elements of pc science and IT usually overlap, so think about taking our Laptop Science profession path — you’ll learn to code like knowledgeable and perceive the speculation behind programming.
Government
Common wage: $163,611
Dream of operating a tech firm sometime? Unsurprisingly, C-Suite Executives — like Chief Government Officer and Chief Data Officer — had the very best salaries in Skillsoft’s 2024 IT Expertise and Salaries survey. Executives are answerable for calling the pictures, making main selections for the corporate, and sometimes performing because the face of a company (suppose Apple’s Tim Prepare dinner or Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg). Briefly, that’s why they receives a commission the large bucks.
Wish to learn extra of the survey findings? Obtain the 2024 Skillsoft IT Expertise and Salaries report right here.
If you happen to’re undecided which tech profession is best for you, begin by taking our programming character quiz. You’ll reply questions on your private preferences and get customized suggestions for programming languages and programs you may need to strive.
This weblog was initially printed on November 1, 2022 and has been up to date with data from the 2024 IT Expertise and Wage Report.