The tech industry is booming today. In the US, tech’s estimated economic output is $2 trillion, representing 10.5% of the national economy. The number of tech industry specialists grows every year because an online presence is vital for any business. Creating websites, building apps, developing technologies—whatever you may need, the tech industry can create for you.
The tech industry has many sub-sectors from development up to support and maintenance. IT specialists are in high demand today, and they will be in demand for the next few decades. Among the employees, IT employees make among the highest paying technology salaries. As of 2021, the top 5 most demanding programming languages are:
- JavaScript
- HTML/CSS
- Python
- SQL
- Java
The full list of top programming languages for jobs is as follows:
Source: Statista
Obviously, programming languages are all different. As Chris Heilmann once said, “Java is to JavaScript what car is to carpet.” And it’s true: if you know one of the languages, it does not mean that you automatically know all the programming.
Programming languages are vital in development. But today, it’s also important to apply AI/ML technologies in programming. They are cost- and time-saving, and therefore, extremely popular. For instance, pay attention to:
- rapid prototyping (ML helps to reduce time by developing algorithms)
- AI development assistant (helps with code debugging)
- AI code refactoring (perfect for big updates)
What IT specialist do you need for your business? What kind of IT specialist are you planning to be? What is the top paying technology in 2021? We will help you to answer these questions with our article. Let’s read on to know the details.
What IT position to choose for 2021: A brief guide on IT positions
Planning to join the tech industry in 2021? Then you probably want to become a profitable programmer. In IT, your salary will depend on the:
- hard skills you have
- your knowledge
- technologies you use
- years of relevant experience
- leadership/management skills
Of course, you should also analyze the market to get an idea of what could be interesting to you. For example, according to Monster, salaries depend on title and education, and you should also remember this when choosing a job.
We’ve prepared a list of high paying jobs in IT depending on your level. Obviously, the salaries of entry-level specialists will be lower than experienced developers.
Highest paying computer programming jobs for entry-level IT
- Help desk analyst
- Computer operator
- Trainee or junior software developer
- Trainee or junior front-end web developer
- Trainee or junior QA
Most lucrative programming jobs for Mid level IT
- Software developer
- Information technology specialist
- Middle back-end developer
- Middle QA
- Middle front-end developer
The highest paying development stack positions
- Senior automation QA
- Senior software specialist
- Technical lead
- Software architect
- CTO
If you are planning to hire an IT specialist, you should always remember: for some businesses, there’s no need to hire a CTO; a mid level software developer will be enough. However, if you already have a team of developers and a complex product to work on, consider hiring senior level specialists with good management skills.
Most profitable programming languages: from Javascript to Objective-C
As we have already mentioned, the average pay for programmers also depends on the programming languages they use for coding.
The demand for different languages is different. At the same time, the number of specialists who are working in certain languages also varies. For instance, if a programming language is in demand, but there are few specialists who work with it, their expected salaries will be large.
However, there are many programming languages that are not in demand and command smaller salaries. And demand is subject to change over time; even the best server side language may lose its popularity and, at some point, the salaries may go down. However, there will be a floor as different technologies are always needed.
Proxet Senior Software Developer says: “Of course, the popularity of programming languages is important to us. But what’s even more important is the ability of the specialist to adapt to different situations.”
“We must be sure that no matter how popular (or not) a programming language is, we can provide the whole range of software development services to our clients’, ” he adds.
Accordingly to Business Insider, the top paying coding jobs is as follows:
Scala
When we compare Scala and Java salaries, junior Scala developers earn more.
Go
An average Go programmer salary can be up to $117k in the US.
Objective-C
A senior software engineer working with Objective-C is one of the high paying jobs in IT.
Kotlin
Kotlin is similar to Java, but the salaries are higher.
Perl
One of the families of programming languages that attracts young talent due to high salaries.
Best way for IT careers: how to become a software developer
According to PayScale, the average developer salary in the US is $72,583. Obviously, that is attractive to many young people entering the workforce. Many of them decide to change their lives and start a career in IT.
Is it easy? No. Is it possible? Absolutely! The tech industry, like any other industry, has certain requirements for the candidates and expectations for hard and soft skills. If you meet them, – you’re on the team.
We’ve developed a brief checklist of what you need to do to become a software developer. Follow it, and you’ll succeed with your goal.
- Choose the most popular coding languages
We’re sure you have already compared Java and C++ salaries. And you’ll know exactly how much specialists of different levels can earn.
The more popular the coding language, the easier it will be to get a job. - Never postpone practice
If you are planning to read books to learn coding, you will never become a good programmer. You need to practice as much as possible.
Code whenever you have time! It will be a good idea to become a trainee in a major company to learn from mid and senior specialists.
Start using AI and ML in your coding process. This is one of the biggest trends today, and it will help you find a better job. - Focus on one language first
And only start to learn other languages when you reach at least mid level,. If you know at least the top 3 programming languages, you increase your chances of getting a better job.
Additionally, if some of the languages are no longer in demand, you can change your main working language quickly. - Remember soft skills
Obviously, your hard skills are important for employers. However, many companies also pay attention to soft skills.
If you are easy going and results-oriented, you have more chances to the job offer of your dreams. - Choose best paying companies
A good job is the one that helps you to become a better specialist and brings you money. If you are an entry-level specialist, your python coder salary may be low, but for mid and senior specialists, the salary will be high.
It’s always a good idea to choose companies that have a salary higher than the market offers.
Average software engineer salary by region, city, and country
How much can a software engineer earn?
The main factors that influence software developer salaries are the level of specialist, the company, and the region where the developer plans to work.
Salary rates for IT specialists differ not only across countries, but also across states.
For example, the average salary for a mid level software developer from the UK is $66,896. The same level specialist from Australia will get $59,764. The US equivalent have even higher salaries: $97,956.
In the US, salaries vary across states and cities. The salary will also depend on positions.
Here are the highest paying states as of 2021:
- Wyoming with an average salary $107,820
- Massachusetts with an average salary $102,606
- Montana with an average salary $101,598
- Arizona with an average salary $100,553
- Hawaii with an average salary $100,468
Here are the highest paying cities as of 2021:
- San Mateo, CA with an average salary $105,098
- Berkeley, CA with an average salary $101,423
- Daly City, CA with an average salary $101,138
- Richmond, CA with an average salary $98,722
- Irvine, CA with an average salary $98,122
Annual salary also depends on the position a specialist takes. Here are the examples:
Development stack compares: what stack to choose for your business
Are you planning to empower your business using technology? Hiring a software developer is a great idea. However, if you are not sure what kind of developer you need or how to manage software development, it’s always better to hire an outsourced software development team.
No matter what development stack you may need: Ruby, C++, or Python, we have it all!
Proxet is a great option for small and medium businesses ready to introduce or expand technology in their operations and customer interactions and relationships. Our team of professionals is ready to help you with any development process. Contact us to get more details on cooperation.