Published 14 July 2022 Updated 14 July 2022 / Career Advice

10 High-Paying Jobs In IT To Consider If You Want To Work In Tech

When you’re looking for a job in Information Technology — a.k.a. “IT” — there are plenty of factors to think about, like the company culture, remote work flexibility, benefits, and salary.

While salary isn’t everything, it likely is a key consideration as you examine which career path is best for you. And even though certain jobs have standard salary ranges, your individual pay will depend on many things, like your experience level, location, and the company itself.

So what do IT jobs actually pay? Ahead, we’ll take a look at some of the higher paying jobs in the industry to give you a rough idea of the field as you work out which job is right for you.

1. Cybersecurity Engineer

The constant increase in cybercriminals targeting businesses means that a Cybersecurity Engineer is a must-have for any organization hoping to protect their consumer data and keep their employees secure and productive. These engineers design, develop, and implement network security measures and work to prevent hacking attempts and other threats to network security.  The average Cybersecurity Specialist in the U.S. earns $93,000, according to Glassdoor.

If you’re looking to get started in cybersecurity, check out our Introduction to Cybersecurity course, and then dive into our full list of cybersecurity courses.

2. IT Manager

Earning just about $90,000 a year on average according to Indeed, an IT Manager plays an important leadership role. The IT Manager often communicates with the leadership team and coordinates the efforts of the developers, engineers, and cybersecurity experts to ensure that IT is working to meet the organization’s ultimate goals. This role combines management skills with an understanding of how everything technical is working and where improvements may need to be made. As Deanna Christy, an IT manager at Urban Outfitters and Free People put it, “What I really like is you can be involved in IT without actually coding. You have to understand what each team can do to get your project out the door and how to test it for them.”

For a primer on IT, take a look at our Introduction to IT course.

3. Enterprise Architect

An Enterprise Architect is charged with a large portion of setting up and creating a network, including deciding how and when to allocate and deploy resources. With the overall IT strategy decided, the work of setting up and deploying these resources can be delegated to other team members. The enterprise architect makes important high-level strategic decisions and communicates with leadership. The average pay for this position is just about $130,000 annually, according to Glassdoor.

Want to get started on this path? Our IT courses can give you a jumpstart on the Information Technology networks and services you’ll need to know in order to be an Enterprise Architect.

4. Information Security Engineer

The Information Security Engineer’s job is to secure company data against hackers and cybercriminals. With threats increasing and data breaches becoming more common, a robust security program is a high priority for all organizations that handle sensitive customer information. This is typically done by combining protective measures like firewalls and anti-virus programs with monitoring the network’s traffic to help detect any threats or unusual activity early on. On average, information security engineers in the United States make an annual salary of around $96,000, per Glassdoor.

To learn more about information security, check out our cybersecurity courses.

5. Full-Stack Web Developer

The job of a Full-Stack Developer is to balance everything that makes up the everyday use of a computer or mobile device, including apps, servers, and databases. Full-Stack Developers develop software for web and mobile apps, and have knowledge of front-end and back-end development to help assess a network’s resources and keep each app running smoothly. According to Indeed, a Full-Stack Developer in the United States makes an average of about $100,000 annually.

Our Full-Stack Software Engineer career path courses can show you the ins and outs of front-end and back-end development, as well as building and styling interactive sites.

6. Computer Software Engineer

Earning just over $92,000 annually, per Glassdoor, a Computer Software Engineer does more than just code and build applications. These engineersalsowork with both the management and executive team of an organization, as well as their team of IT professionals, to ensure the right apps and websites are built. Combining interpersonal skills with knowledge of multiple coding languages, the Computer Software Engineer deals with both people and machines, keeping the job varied and interesting.

If you’re interested, take a look at our Front-End Engineer, Back-End Engineer, and Full-Stack Engineer career paths to get into software engineering.

7. DevOps Engineer

As a DevOps Engineer, you’ll be charged with creating code for development and operations, which might include front- and back-end programming. While Software Engineers build digital products and computer systems, DevOps Engineers make sure applications are developed efficiently. Since they work to maintain software, DevOps Engineers have to be ready to develop code in the relevant languages quickly to solve issues and get the operations back on track. According to Glassdoor, the average American DevOps Engineer earns $119,000 each year.

To get started in this career path, take a look at our Intro to DevOps course.

8. Data Engineer

Data Engineers are tasked with analyzing the large volume of data that businesses have coming in constantly. They’re also responsible for developing and maintaining the infrastructure that collects and processes this data. With website analytics, e-commerce figures, and consumer data in play, it can be difficult and time-consuming for the executive team to look at the raw numbers. Analysis of this information helps direct everything from marketing strategy to website development. The business can also use this data to make informed decisions on the best way to move forward. On average, Data Engineers earn over $125,000 annually in the U.S.

Our Data Science courses can help you build out the skills you need, including programming languages like Python 3 and SQL.

9. Computer Programmer

With the increasing need for skilled people who can code new websites, games, and apps, Computer Programmers are in high demand. Computer Programmers specialize in distinct areas, and may work on an operating system’s performance, website development, or app and game creation. They write and test code, and fix software bugs as well as plan development projects. While the average Computer Programmer makes $86,500 each year, the top programmers in the field can make over $100,000 by choosing one of these specialties and gaining experience and certifications.

If you’re interested in computer programming, our course catalog can help you get started in learning the skills you need for the job.

10. Enterprise Architect

An Enterprise Architect is charged with determining which existing apps the business should use to solve issues and which are better handled by creating a new app. By balancing these apps so that they work efficiently without taking up too much space, the Application Architect keeps the pace of business moving. The average Enterprise Architect working in the United States is paid $150,000 each year, according to Glassdoor.

Our courses on computer science can help you build your foundation to become an Application Architect.

Choosing from the available jobs in IT

If you aren’t sure which of these career paths is the right one for you, take our sorting quiz to help figure out which languages and technical courses you’re likely to enjoy based on your skills and interests. Once you’ve identified your programming personality, you can start there and always shift gears if you find another language or IT job you’re more interested in.