The tech industry has been booming for more than three decades, and it continues to be a powerhouse for generating unique career opportunities. But technology constantly changes and evolves, creating new roles for professionals who design, develop, and safeguard products, services, and tools. What technology careers will be the most in-demand in 2024?
Image: DIW-AIgen
It’s no secret that 2023 was a turbulent year for the technology sector, but experts are looking hopefully to 2024. In fact, the best tech jobs are expected to enjoy “much faster than average” growth over the next decade, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Dust off your software developer resume, or update your Cloud Architect LinkedIn profile, and get ready to explore our top five picks for high-paying technology careers in 2024.
Experience is also needed. Even entry-level positions at this level often require several years of experience in related positions. If you’re still in school or just entering the workforce, you can set goals that guide your decisions and eventually lead to these high-paying careers.
2. Software Engineering ManagerHandling a corporation’s technology needs often requires more than one expert—teams of skilled professionals are needed. Software engineering managers oversee these teams, which often consist of software developers, data architects, and other professionals (incidentally, these tech jobs also enjoy high salaries—$70,000 to $120,000 annually—even though they didn’t make our top five).
While most of the paths on this list require a host of technical skills, software engineering management calls for something more. In addition to hard skills, managers need to have a growth mindset, leadership skills, and highly effective communication.
Software engineering managers average about $160,000 per year, with a starting pay of about $110,000. The highest-paying jobs can exceed $232,000 annually.
Because data science is so practical in so many different fields, it has become one of the fastest-growing careers in tech. The BLS predicts a 35 percent increase in job openings between now and 2032. That’s must faster than the average job growth of about six percent.
On average, data scientists can expect to make $156,000 annually. Entry-level positions start at about $100,000 per year.
Many businesses are employing machine learning models that allow systems to learn and improve without the need for explicit programming. Machine learning engineers are needed to design, develop, deploy, maintain, test, and re-train these systems.
Because the field of Machine Learning is so new, the BLS does not yet have predictions for job growth, but in 2022, LinkedIn’s Jobs on the Rise list placed machine learning engineers as the fourth-fastest growing career. Machine learning engineers can expect an average salary of $152,00, with entry-level salaries of about $100,000. Top-paying jobs may exceed $250,000 annually.
Cybersecurity engineers can expect an average salary of $150,000.
The large-scale adoption of new and ever-changing technologies drives this growth. And as companies vie for the best talent, skilled professionals benefit from six-figure salaries.
It’s no secret that 2023 was a turbulent year for the technology sector, but experts are looking hopefully to 2024. In fact, the best tech jobs are expected to enjoy “much faster than average” growth over the next decade, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Dust off your software developer resume, or update your Cloud Architect LinkedIn profile, and get ready to explore our top five picks for high-paying technology careers in 2024.
Top 5 Technology Careers for 2024
Below, we’ve outlined five of the highest-paying jobs in the tech sector in 2024. They have a lot in common. For example, for each of these jobs, you will need a strong background in programming languages, computing platforms, and mathematics. You should be self-motivated to continuously learn and familiarize yourself with emerging technologies. You will also need to be able to communicate well, both with your team members and other stakeholders.Experience is also needed. Even entry-level positions at this level often require several years of experience in related positions. If you’re still in school or just entering the workforce, you can set goals that guide your decisions and eventually lead to these high-paying careers.
1. Cloud or Database Architect
Cloud computing technologies have revolutionized businesses, touching both how they store data and access resources. But the valuable databases often require a skilled professional to design, manage, secure, and scale them. Demand for these skills has resulted in a salary of up to $175,000 per year. Entry-level architects can expect about $90,000 annually. |
| Image: DIW-AIgen |
While most of the paths on this list require a host of technical skills, software engineering management calls for something more. In addition to hard skills, managers need to have a growth mindset, leadership skills, and highly effective communication.
Software engineering managers average about $160,000 per year, with a starting pay of about $110,000. The highest-paying jobs can exceed $232,000 annually.
3. Data Scientist
The sheer amount of data that can be collected is immense, but it is useless without a data scientist to transform it into actionable insights through data cleaning, analysis, and visualization.Because data science is so practical in so many different fields, it has become one of the fastest-growing careers in tech. The BLS predicts a 35 percent increase in job openings between now and 2032. That’s must faster than the average job growth of about six percent.
On average, data scientists can expect to make $156,000 annually. Entry-level positions start at about $100,000 per year.
4. Machine Learning Engineer
Universities and other organizations have begun referring to our time as the “era of AI.” As artificial intelligence technologies have become easily accessible and readily available, the demand for jobs in AI has increased proportionally.Many businesses are employing machine learning models that allow systems to learn and improve without the need for explicit programming. Machine learning engineers are needed to design, develop, deploy, maintain, test, and re-train these systems.
Because the field of Machine Learning is so new, the BLS does not yet have predictions for job growth, but in 2022, LinkedIn’s Jobs on the Rise list placed machine learning engineers as the fourth-fastest growing career. Machine learning engineers can expect an average salary of $152,00, with entry-level salaries of about $100,000. Top-paying jobs may exceed $250,000 annually.
5. Cybersecurity Engineer
Technologies allowing for data storage and communication have also produced opportunities for criminals wishing to exploit these resources. Companies of all sizes require cybersecurity experts to guard the fortress, so to speak, by designing and implementing robust security architectures, assessing and testing for vulnerabilities, training employees to recognize potential cyberattacks, and responding effectively when incursions do occur.Cybersecurity engineers can expect an average salary of $150,000.
Key Takeaways
Tech companies have slowed hiring practices and even laid off employees in the post-pandemic ecosystem, but cloud and database architects, data scientists, software engineering managers, machine learning engineers, and cybersecurity engineers are more in demand than ever in companies outside of the technology sector.The large-scale adoption of new and ever-changing technologies drives this growth. And as companies vie for the best talent, skilled professionals benefit from six-figure salaries.
