In our modern age, computers impact practically every aspect of daily life. But before we can type an address into our smartphone or book a restaurant reservation online, a programmer was necessary to create the software these programs rely on. Still, programmers arent as in demand as they once were. Following the programming hiring boom of the pandemic, fewer programmers are now needed in the workforce, especially as programming becomes increasingly automated in the age of AI.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates a 11% decline in employment for computer programmers between 2022 to 2032. Still, BLS projects that there will be about 6,700 job openings per year over that decade because of workers transferring to other occupations or retiring. The amount of code that you write is going down, but the impact that you have with that code that you write is going up, explains George Heineman, an assistant professor of computer science at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, Massachusetts, of the current need for programmers.
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For those who are interested in pursuing programming jobs, here are 10 of the fields top-paying roles.
Highest-paying cities: San Diego, Calif. ($298,291), New York, N.Y. ($225,432), Phoenix, Ariz. ($216,956), according to Indeed.
Description: This C-suite position oversees a companys IT department and research and development department. Part of this job includes researching new technology and finding weaknesses that can be fixed with new IT technology.
Heineman says this C-suite position carries a huge amount of responsibility, and that its more about hiring people than actual programming. You dont get to do the good stuff. You hire people who get to do the good stuff, Heineman explains. Its understanding the mission of the company and how to translate that mission into action.
Education: Its common for chief technology officers to have a bachelors in IT, business or cybersecurity; an MBA can provide business acumen and leadership skills.
Highest-paying cities: New York, N.Y. ($188,965), Cupertino, Calif. ($183,159), Santa Clara, Calif. ($182,851), according to Indeed.
Description: Machine learning engineers create software that can run automatically and contend with problems it encounters by learning to improve upon its tasks without assistance from humans. This wide-ranging skill can be applied to virtual assistants like Amazons Alexa, self-driving cars and recommendation algorithms.
You dont have to be a programmer to be a machine learning engineer, although a lot of programmers go in that direction, Heineman says. They really understand how to take that very specific domain and model it and run these machine learning algorithms through their paces.
Education: Machine learning engineers are usually required to have at least a bachelors in a related field; most job postings require a masters in computer science, data science, software engineering or a similar field.
Highest-paying cities: Bolinas, Calif. ($181,995), Kensington, Ky. ($178,838), Summitview, Wash. ($173,838), according to ZipRecruiter.
Description: AI engineers research and develop machines that simulate the thinking patterns and behavior of humans. Using machine learning and artificial intelligence, AI engineers create applications and systems that assist companies to increase profits and efficiency, cut costs, and make better business decisions.
Education: AI engineers typically hold a bachelors in a related field such as IT, computer science, data science or statistics. Though not usually required, its also common for AI engineers to hold a masters degree in a field like data science or computer science.
Highest-paying cities: San Jose, Calif. ($170,922), San Francisco, Calif. ($159,685), Washington, D.C. ($154,236), according to Indeed.
Description: Cloud computing allows companies to access large-scale storage without maintaining their own physical servers. Cloud architects set up these clouds for companies, maintain systems and communicate with third-party cloud servicers. Cloud architects must be deeply knowledgeable about security to protect the cloud.
You cant just start off as a cloud architect. You need experience, Heineman says. There is no single cloud. Theres not just one programming language, or theres not just one computer architecture.
Education: Earning a bachelors degree in computer science or a related field is often preferred by employers. A cloud architecture certification can also be helpful.
Highest-paying cities: Palo Alto, Calif. ($169,540), Bellevue, Wash. ($167,827), Redmond, Wash. ($141,286), according to Indeed.
Description: Data science professionals can take large sets of raw data, revise it, and analyze it to reveal actionable insights. Prevalent in industries like finance, health care, and technology, this role is especially useful for its ability to take data that was once incomprehensible and turn it into something constructive
Information is data with meaning, and thats the job of a data scientistget the data to be meaningful, says Paulus Wahjudi, chair and professor of the Department of Computer Sciences and Electrical Engineering at Marshall University.
Education: Its not strictly necessary, but a bachelors degree in computer science is useful for this role.
Highest-paying cities: San Diego, Calif. ($168,874), Herndon, Va. ($160,279), Chicago, Ill. ($156,416), according to Indeed.
Description: Requiring both IT and business skills, an enterprise architect ensures that a companys technology is in line with its business goals. Enterprise architects set IT standards, buy software or get an IT department to create it, based on their analysis of an employers business goals.
Education: Enterprise architect jobs usually require a four-year degree in data science, computer science, or a similar field. These roles often require five to 10 years of experience and a masters degree in a related field.
Highest-paying cities: Palo Alto, Calif. ($159,261), San Francisco, Calif. ($151,315), and Herndon, Va. ($151,190), according to Indeed.
Description: DevOps engineers work to improve software development processes by coordinating all teams involved with a products development. This role updates and maintains software processes with the aim of fixing bugs and improving user experience.
Education: Employers usually prefer DevOps engineers who have a bachelors degree in computer programming, software engineering, or a related field.
Highest-paying cities: San Francisco, Calif. ($154,204), Irving, Texas ($144,535), Charlotte, N.C. ($139,145), according to Indeed.
Description: A full stack developer can do pretty much anything related to computer programming. With the back-end team, they help manage servers and create databases; with the front-end team, they assist with the creation of parts of the project that are client-facing. Full stack developers are in high demand because of their ability to assist at any stage of a project.
Education: Full stack developers usually have at least a bachelors in computer engineering, information technology, computer science, or a related field. Some have certificates or specialized degrees in AI, web development, information security, or database management.
Highest-paying cities: Washington, D.C. ($124,316), New York, N.Y. ($121,596), and Boston, Mass. ($120,549), according to Indeed.
Description: As the name of the role suggests, database developers oversee developing databases. In modern times, most companies constantly record and store data thats used to conduct data analysis, record the companys history, and comply with regulations. Databases and data warehouses are necessary to securely store this data and must be crafted to meet the needs of each individual business. After creating these databases, a database developer must constantly maintain them.
The databases, in some ways, are so optimized that they can run themselves, but you still need someone to know how to model the data, and thats what a database developer does, Heineman says. They could have moderate programming skills, [but] thats not really the strength. Its modeling skills.
Education: Database developers usually have a bachelors degree in computer science, software engineering, or a similar field.
Highest-paying cities: Tallahassee, Fla. ($121,435), San Francisco, Calif. ($118,145), and Washington, D.C. ($98,807), according to Indeed.
Description: It is the job of a systems administrator to keep a companys hardware and software up and running securely. From managing operating systems and servers to updating and installing new software to providing tech support, a systems administrator must be able to take on any task required of them.
Having good people skills is a boon for this role, as systems administrators must often help non-technical employees. Theyre the one that gets called 24/7, says Wahjudi. If anything goes wrong, its your responsibility to get it back up.
Education: To be a systems administrator, most jobs require a bachelors in a field related to information or computer science. Some positions may require an associates or postsecondary degree.
Though the need for programmers has fallen since the boom of the pandemic, both Heineman and Wahjudi say that programming skills are useful and transferable. While demand may have slowed for these positions, people are still being hired for high-paying jobs that use programming.
We tell our students that a computer is stupid, Wahjudi says. Its only as smart as the programmer.
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10 of the highest-paying programming jobs right now - Fortune
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