Best Paying Tech Careers in 2018

As we look for a job, our first thought is to go to the one with the best salary. The main dream of the most people is to earn one day those big bucks that some of us can only dream about. In today’s job market there are quite a few jobs that offer that salary. Time magazine classifies anything above $100,000 as a big salary. Some of the most prestigious jobs nowadays are mainly in the Information Technology sector. This sector has seen a rapid rise in both the number of jobs and also the salary they come with. Below are some of the best paying tech careers in 2018.

Chief Information Officer

This is the individual who is at the top of the list. The CIO is the person who reports directly to the CEO of the company. The main job of the CIO is to ensure that all Information Technology assets of an organization are functioning properly and helping in achieving company’s goals. To achieve this level of employment, one requires a Master’s Degree in Computer Science and ten years of Management in an Information Technology environment. The salary of CIO ranges from about $140,000 – $230,000.

Chief Technology Officer

This role is quite similar to the CIO’s role mentioned above. The main role of the CTO is to develop technologies that will help the firm to grow externally. The main difference between the Chief Information Officer and the Chief Technology Officer is that the latter is mainly concerned with developing technology while the former one is more of a managerial role that they play. The salary of a CTO ranges from $135,000 to 230,000 according to salaries.com

Chief Security Officer

This position has gained its popularity by the fact, that nowadays the number of cyber-attacks has increased. This necessitates the need to have an expert in terms of computer security. The main job of a security officer is to ensure that a firm’s data stored on computer systems are safe from unauthorized access, modification or leakage. Individuals who are eyeing this jobs are encouraged to be certified professionals that have mastered their skills. Courses like Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and Certified Ethical Hacker(CEH) are ideal. According to payscale.com, they earn about $170,000 annually. Though, the more professional you are, the better salary you get.

Information Technology Auditor

This job is on the rise due to the high demand for accountability from both systems and personnel in a company. The role of an Information Technology Auditor is to check whether the Information System infrastructure implemented by a company is working as it should be. The auditor is also responsible for ensuring that the individuals working with the system do what they are supposed to do. This role has been expanded to include risks. The auditor is responsible for finding out the risks concerned with using IT to achieve a company’s goal. He or she is also supposed to come up with solutions to the risks. This is also one of the careers that requires a certification, such as Certified Information System Auditor (CISA). The salary of CISA certifies ranges from $60,459 to $122,326.

Mobile Application Developers

Since the dawn of the 21st-century, mobile technology has risen rapidly in its use. This, in turn, has led to a new job called mobile application development. They are responsible for developing mobile applications and technology. The most used mobile programming environment is Android. A mobile developer should be proficient in at least one programming language. Although it is relatively a new line of job, it is well paying because of the fact that a lot of people use mobiles thus there’s a demand for Android apps as well as developers. According to salaries.com, they earn $140,000 yearly.

Web Application Developer

This is a professional who is responsible for building and creating websites. The popularity of the career has really grown recently, as nowadays it is the norm for any company to have a website. This career can also be divided into two front end and back end developers. A front-end developer is a person whose main job is to create the interface of the website. They are also responsible for ensuring that the website is aesthetically pleasing. Front-end developers normally use HTML, CSS and a bit of JavaScript. Back-end developers are responsible for handling the data part of the website. They ensure that the website is connected to a database and data can be transferred to and from that database. The main technologies used by back-end developers include PHP, Ruby on Rails, MYSQL, and Java. The annual salaries of web developers are $120,000 according to usnews.com

Network Administrator

This is a career that has, for the past few years, been among one of the best paying tech jobs. A network administrator is responsible for installing, maintaining and repairing the networks of a firm. This individual is also involved along with the chief security officer in ensuring that the network is reliable and secured. Personnel in this line of work are also encouraged to take up certification courses like Cisco Certified Network Associate. The average annual salary of a network administrator is $100,000 according to salay.com.

Database Administrator

This is a job whereby the individual is responsible for designing and implementing databases in an organization. Nowadays most companies store their data in databases, this means that there is a very high need for database administrators. They are responsible for ensuring that the firms can always access their data and the specified data is safe from unauthorized access. This career requires an individual to partake in certification courses. One of the leading providers in this field is Oracle. The annual salary of this career is around $120,000 according to payscale.com.

Conclusion

To sum up, the IT field is one of the most growing sectors with some of the best paying jobs available. Anyone considering a career in IT should have a look at the available opportunities, find out the field one has skills or passion for and choose from the ones listed above.