11 Best Technology Jobs in the U.S.

Secure a great future with a technology job.

Can you make an app for that? Do you understand how cloud computing works? If so, you could make a lot of money. The tech industry is attractive for workers for a variety of reasons. For starters, there’s a lot of demand for tech-skilled employees, with all of the computers, tablets, smartphones and other devices our society depends on. It’s also an industry in which you are often well-compensated and can work remotely. Take a look at the 11 best tech jobs, drawn from the U.S. News 2021 Best Jobs rankings. Data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Software Developer

Median Salary: $107,510
Expected Job Growth by 2029: 21.5%

Software developers affect virtually every part of our lives — and definitely our virtual lives. If you listen to music through a streaming service or you organize photos on a laptop, you can thank a software developer.

Some software developers get their start in childhood, teaching themselves how to create computer code. That said, usually future software developers go to college and get a bachelor’s degree in computer science.

This is a well-paying job in which you may work for a software publishing company or a company that designs computer systems.

Learn more about software developers.

Data Scientist

Median Salary: $94,280
Expected Job Growth by 2029: 30.9%

Data scientists study data, as you would expect. Instead of a microscope, these data scientists use technology as their tool for sifting through the vast amounts of numbers and research that they collect.

Their goal is to determine what all the data means. If a company, university or organization collects a lot of research, hoping to come up with some groundbreaking findings, they may need a data scientist to make sense of all of it.

It’s a job that requires quantitative reasoning and computer programming skills. If you’re a talented communicator, all the better, since you’ll be able to explain in reports and to people and the public what all of the data means.

Learn more about data scientists.

IT Manager

Median Salary: $146,360
Expected Job Growth by 2029: 10.4%

An information technology manager is also sometimes referred to as an information systems manager.

Managing information technology is an important job with a lot of responsibilities, especially in larger companies that oversee lots of data, which is why it pays so well. For instance, you’ll need to keep hackers at bay and make sure computer systems don’t go down. In other words, you’re the person making the big decisions about your employer’s technology.

Learn more about IT managers.

Information Security Analyst

Median Salary: $99,730
Expected Job Growth by 2029: 31.2%

An information security analyst is essentially a high-tech security guard. But instead of standing on your feet for hours on end and chasing the occasional thief, you’ll be protecting your employer’s information systems from hackers and cyberattacks.

Unfortunately, malware, hacks and cyberattacks are more common than ever. Entire city governments occasionally find themselves at the mercy of cybercriminals who shut down computer systems until a ransom is paid.

If you take on a job such as this, you might work for a government office, health care organization, bank, retail corporation or any company that depends on keeping its information systems safe from cyberattacks.

Learn more about information security analysts.

Computer Systems Analyst

Median Salary: $90,920
Expected Job Growth by 2029: 7.4%

If you’re a computer systems analyst, you’re designing more efficient computer systems and processes for clients. It’s a job that requires a lot of skills. You need to understand how the business operates and thus what type of technology it requires. You’ll need to find the best technology to help the company’s computer system. You’ll oversee the installation of the new system, and after that, test the system and train people to use it.

You may work for a computer system design firm or perhaps the city government. You might wind up in finance or at a health care company. And given how computers are always evolving, you’ll likely never get bored or find yourself out of a job.

Learn more about computer systems analysts.

Computer Network Architect

Median Salary: $112,690
Expected Job Growth by 2029: 5%

The digital world you live in? Computer network architects design, build and maintain that. They create numerous types of data communication networks, such as cloud infrastructures to smaller intranets.

This job requires a lot of technical skill — but also a lot of business acumen, since you need to understand your company’s goals and how to meet those objectives. You will also have to stay within a budget and manage a staff. You’ll probably come to this job with a bachelor’s degree in something related to computers — or experience as perhaps an IT manager or a computer systems analyst.

Learn more about computer network architects.

Database Administrator

Median Salary: $93,750
Expected Job Growth by 2029: 9.7%

Database administrator isn’t a term you hear a lot, but there are a lot of them, and there’s demand for more. DBAs organize a company’s database. They essentially run the digital side of an office. They work with computer programmers and managers and may function a bit as an IT manager, making sure that a database isn’t compromised by hackers.

In this occupation, generally, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree, preferably in computer science or perhaps information technology. You’ll probably work full time and for a large company that needs to protect a sizable database, such as a university or insurance company.

Learn more about database administrators.

Web Developer

Median Salary: $73,760
Expected Job Growth by 2029: 8%

When you go to a website and think, “Wow, nice website,” that’s due to a web developer.

Your employer will probably prefer that you have a college degree, but you can often get by with an associate degree.

That said, this is the type of job you can often do as a freelancer, and so you may be able to start a web design business without any degree — provided you have the chops to design websites, of course.

It’s also a career that requires a lot of training or at least constantly learning. There’s no being complacent. The job changes as technology and gadgets change.

Learn more about web developers.

Computer Systems Administrator

Median Salary: $83,510
Expected Job Growth by 2029: 4.3%

A computer systems administrator sets up and maintains a company’s or organization’s computer servers. This professional also works with the hardware and software that runs the company’s local area and wide area networks. If there’s a problem that would take down the computer servers, the computer systems administrator will fix it — and ideally prevent problems from occurring in the first place.

In short, the computer systems administrator’s main function is to make sure the computer servers are running so everybody else can do their work.

Learn more about computer systems administrators.

Computer Support Specialist

Median Salary: $52,270
Expected Job Growth by 2029: 8%

If you’ve had trouble logging into a computer — if the software has gone haywire, for example, or if your operating system is down — you may have called a computer support specialist. If that’s your job, you’ll be helping a lot of frustrated folks, maybe on the phone and maybe in person, depending where you work. You might be at a call center. You might be in an office at a large organization helping all of its employees or members.

It’s an in-demand job. After all, technology is always changing, which means computer users are likely to always be a little frazzled and in need of advice.

Learn more about computer support specialists.

Computer Programmer

Median Salary: $86,550
Expected Job Growth by 2029: -9.4%

Just as a book wouldn’t exist without an author, a software program wouldn’t get very far without a computer programmer. Computer programmers write directions in computer languages, and the computer carries out the orders of the computer programmer, who often receives the instructions from a software developer or engineer.

It takes a lot of skill to be a computer programmer, the job pays well and many programmers work for themselves or telecommute. The only downside for computer programmers in the U.S. and Canada is that many of these positions are being outsourced to other countries where the pay is lower. They’re excellent jobs, but they can be in short supply.

Learn more about computer programmers.

These are the best technology jobs:

— Software Developer.

— Data Scientist.

— IT Manager.

— Information Security Analyst.

— Computer Systems Analyst.

— Computer Network Architect.

— Database Administrator.

— Web Developer.

— Computer Systems Administrator.

— Computer Support Specialist.

— Computer Programmer.

See the full rankings.

More from U.S. News

25 Best Jobs That Pay $100K or More

20 Best Jobs You’ve Never Heard Of

25 Best Jobs for High School Graduates

11 Best Technology Jobs in the U.S. originally appeared on usnews.com

Update 05/03/21: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.

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