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Are you considering a career in tech? For the third year in a row, data scientist roles have been declared the best job currently on offer in the United States, according to Business Insider’s rankings based on job satisfaction, median base salary and the current number of job openings. Computer science and IT graduates stepping into an entry-level data scientist position could expect to earn an annual starting salary of $89,000.
Careers in the IT industry are dominating Business Insider’s list of the top 50 jobs in the U.S., with development operations engineer positions coming in at #2 and mobile developer landing at #8. Other IT-related positions featuring in the top 50 include front end developer, software engineer and hardware engineer.
How Much Can I Expect To Earn In The IT Sector?
Because the IT sector demands professionals with a host of specific technical and analytical skills, IT salaries in the United States typically are higher than salaries in other sectors. However, salaries in IT are also dependent on geographic location and can vary greatly from industry to industry.
The average salary for entry-level graduates in the American IT sector is $60,600, and the average annual salary for more experienced professionals is $84,600, with certain occupations earning significantly higher salaries at both experience levels.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment within the IT sector is projected to grow 13% and create a total of 557,100 new jobs in the U.S. by 2026.
Which IT Jobs Pay The most?
According to salary statistics obtained from PayScale.com, data and information scientists earn the highest average entry-level salaries ($89,000 for 0-5 years of experience) in the American IT sector. Computer network architects have the highest earning potential in the IT sector, with experienced computer network architects earning an average salary of $122,000 per year. Network and computer systems administrators have the lowest annual salaries, making an average of $50,000 per year at entry level and $64,000 per year after ten plus years of experience, as well as the lowest earning potential across their careers.
Average Salaries For Popular Occupations in the American IT Sector:
| Occupation | Average entry-level salary (0-5 years experience) | Average experienced salary (10+ years experience) |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Network Architect | $85,000 | $122,000 |
| Computer Programmer | $52,000 | $78,000 |
| Computer Support Specialist | $37,000 | $46,000 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | $54,000 | $73,000 |
| Database Administrator | $60,000 | $91,000 |
| Data & Information Scientist | $89,000 | $120,000 |
| Information Security Analyst | $63,000 | $89,000 |
| Network & Computer Systems Administrator | $50,000 | $64,000 |
| Software Developer | $65,000 | $92,000 |
| Web Developer | $51,000 | $71,000 |
Do I need a university degree to work in tech?
Generally speaking, a career in the American IT sector will require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in a field related to IT or computer science, but this is not always the case. According to PayScale.com, while 98% of computer scientists in the United States hold a bachelor’s degree in computer science, only 30% of cybersecurity analysts hold a bachelor’s degree. You can check out a full breakdown of occupations vs. percentage of workers who hold a bachelor’s degree at minimum below:
| Occupation | % Workers with bachelor’s degrees |
|---|---|
| Computer Scientist | 98% |
| Software Development Director | 88% |
| Software Developer | 86% |
| Software Architect | 83% |
| Mobile Applications Developer | 81% |
| Software Development Manager | 80% |
| Application Developer | 68% |
| Development Operations (DevOps) Engineer | 62% |
| Programmer Analyst | 61% |
| Web Developer | 59% |
| Support Engineer, Information Technology (IT) | 48% |
| Database Administrator (DBA) | 45% |
| Computer Repair Technician | 39% |
| Information Technology (IT) Support Specialist | 37% |
| Desktop Support Engineer | 35% |
| Network Engineer, IT | 35% |
| Security Architect, IT | 35% |
| Support Technician, Information Technology (IT) | 33% |
| Network Analyst | 33% |
| Computer Help Desk Representative | 32% |
| Network Technician, IT | 32% |
| Information Technology Specialist | 32% |
| Network Administrator, IT | 32% |
| Systems Administrator | 31% |
| Cyber Security Analyst | 30% |
| Computer Support Specialist | 29% |
| Information Technology Supervisor | 29% |
| Information Security Analyst | 26% |
| Security Engineer, Information Systems | 26% |
| Cyber Security Engineer | 26% |
Amanda works for educations.com, a search portal dedicated to international education and study abroad programs. Their mission is to help students across the globe find the right program in the right university in the right country for them.
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