One of the great things about IT careers is that they pay very well if you have the needed skills. Many IT jobs pay six figures to start or with some experience, and that doesn’t include stock options and bonuses that can boost your income considerably. The key to a lucrative IT career is to provide value to your employer by meeting expressed needs and doing more than just the minimum required of you.
Here are some of the highest-paying IT jobs of 2019.
1. Big data engineer.
Big data engineers headed up the Robert Half list, highlighting companies’ increasing reliance on lots and lots of data. This, in turn, leads to utter dependence on someone who understands how to take raw data and turn it into understandable metrics, or better yet, actionable information that makes decision-making clearer and helps fine-tune strategy. The median salary for big data engineers is $163,000 per year, but requires expertise in both computer science and mathematics.
2. Mobile applications developer.
Smartphones are now becoming so smart that people barely need computers anymore unless they work in tech or related fields. This means that mobile apps are overtaking every other kind of software out there. Someone has got to create all the apps phone and tablet users want, which means that mobile applications developers are highly sought after and paid well for their expertise. It is not unusual to make more than $150,000 for conceptualizing and creating the best possible mobile applications.
3. Cybersecurity specialist.
A number of jobs fall into this category, and anything that has to do with cybersecurity takes such a high level of skill in the IT field that it will be among the higher-paying jobs. Let’s face it: it’s not easy defeating the entire dark web on a daily basis. This is especially true if you wear a white hat. You ethical hackers know what I mean. You deserve to be well-compensated for that level of skill, expertise, and beating them at their own game. Expect to make a solid six figures for this kind of work, with a current midpoint being about $140,000.
Smartphone app developers are in high demand to make new apps.
4. Anything with “architect” in the title.
An architect is a high-level designer and creator, and the term has been applied to many roles that need a big-picture thinker who is brimming with creativity and can come up with new and yet-unseen tech products and systems. A few of the architect jobs common today include data architect, applications architect, solutions architect, database architect, and even salesforce architect. These jobs are solid six-figure earners with midpoint ranges that can reach close to $200,000 in some cases.
5. AI/machine learning programmer.
The fields of artificial intelligence and machine learning are developing at a rapid pace, and adoption is happening even faster. But even machines that can learn need to be programmed, and that’s where these roles come in. Of course, Elon Musk says AI is going to bring about the end of the world, but until then, you can make an easy $150,000 a year teaching the machines what they need to take over the planet. Or at least how to mess with Elon’s mind a little.
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