Average Wage: $53,875 | $25.90 per hour
Annual Job Postings (2021): 8,300
Top Skills: Technical Support, Customer Service, IT and Help Desk Support, Repair, Customer Contact, Printers, Hardware and Software Installation, Microsoft Operating Systems, Microsoft Active Directory
Typical Entry-Level Education: Some college, no degree

Average Wage: $66,290 | $31.87 per hour
Annual Job Postings (2021): 3,641
Top Skills: Web Application Development, Front-end Development, Software Development, Web Site Design, JavaScript, React Javascript, SQL, Git
Typical Entry-Level Education: Associate’s degree

Average Wage: $102,062 | $49.07 per hour
Annual Job Postings (2021): 3,660
Top Skills: Information Security and Systems, Network Security, Risk Management, Penetration Testing, Security Operations, Cryptography, Project Management, Python, Linux
Typical Entry-Level Education: Bachelor’s degree

Average Wage: $92,764 | $44.60 per hour
Annual Job Postings (2021): 5,507
Top Skills: Business and Systems Analysis, Business Process, Software Development, Oracle, SQL, Project Management, Customer Service
Typical Entry-Level Education: Bachelor’s degree

Average Wage: $105,172 | $50.56 per hour
Annual Job Postings (2021): 24,387
Top Skills: Software Development, Software Engineering, DevOps, Microsoft C#, JavaScript, Java, Python, SQL, Git, Scrum
Typical Entry-Level Education: Bachelor’s degree

Overview: Computer support specialists maintain computer networks and provide technical help to computer users.
Computer user support specialists, also called help-desk technicians, usually provide technical help to non-IT computer users. They respond to requests for help in several ways, such as in person or by phone, online chat, or email.

Top Skills:

• Technical Support
• Customer Service
• Help Desk Support
• IT Support
• Repair
• Customer Contact
• Printers
• Hardware and Software Installation
• Microsoft Operating Systems
• Microsoft Active Directory

 

Top Certifications:

• IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Certification
• Certified A+ Technician
• CompTIA Network+

Typical Entry-Level Education: Some college, no degree

Average Salary: $53,875 | $26.69 per hour

Project Growth: (2021 – 2026) 9.8%

Duties:

• Analyze customers’ computer problem to diagnose it and determine the cause
• Document customers’ descriptions of their computer problems
• Guide customers through the recommended problem-solving steps
• Set up or repair computer equipment and related devices
• Install and train users on new hardware or software
• Inform team members and managers of major problems or of customers’ recurring concerns

Overview: Web developers create and maintain websites. They are also responsible for the site’s technical aspects, such as its performance and capacity, which are measures of a website’s speed and how much traffic the site can handle. In addition, web developers may create content for the site.

Digital designers develop, create, and test website or interface layout, functions, and navigation for usability. They are responsible for the look and functionality of the website or interface.

Top Skills:

• Web Application Development
• Front-end Development
• Web Development Software Development
• Web Site Design
• JavaScript
• React Javascript
• SQL
• Git

Typical Entry-Level Education: Associate’s degree

Average Salary: $66,290 | $37.12 per hour

Project Growth: (2021 – 2026) 14.1

Duties:

• Meet with clients or management to discuss the needs, design, and functionality of a website or interface
• Create and test applications, interfaces, and navigation menus for a website
• Write code for the website, using programming languages such as HTML or XML
• Work with other team members to determine what information the site will contain
• Work with graphics and other designers to determine the website’s layout
• Integrate graphics, audio, and video into the website
• Monitor website traffic
• Create prototypes and mockups of websites or applications
• Design and develop graphics

Overview: Information security analysts plan and carry out security measures to protect an organization’s computer networks and systems.

Top Skills:

• Information Security
• Information Systems
• Network Security
• Risk Management
• Penetration Testing
• Security Operations
• Cryptography
• Project Management
• Python
• Linux

Top Certifications:

• SANS/GIAC
• Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)

Typical Entry-Level Education: Bachelor’s Degree

Average Salary: $102,062 | $49.80 per hour

Project Growth: (2021 – 2026) 20.2%

Duties:

• Monitor their organization’s networks for security breaches and investigate when one occurs
• Use and maintain software, such as firewalls and data encryption programs, to protect sensitive information
• Check for vulnerabilities in computer and network systems
• Research the latest information technology (IT) security trends
• Prepare reports that document general metrics, attempted attacks, and security breaches
• Develop security standards and best practices for their organization
• Recommend security enhancements to management or senior IT staff
• Help computer users when they need to install or learn about new security products and procedures

Overview: Computer systems analysts, sometimes called systems architects, study an organization’s current computer systems and procedures and design improvements to them. In doing so, these analysts help the organization operate more efficiently.

Top Skills:

• Systems Analysis
• Business Systems Analysis
• Business Analysis
• Business Process
• Business Systems
• Software Development
• Oracle
• SQL
• Project Management
• Customer Service

Top Certifications: IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL)

Typical Entry-Level Education: Bachelor’s degree

Average Salary: $92,764 | $45.06 per hour

Project Growth: (2021 – 2026) 11.1%

Duties:

• Consult with managers to determine the role of information technology (IT) systems in an organization
• Research different technologies to decide if they would increase the organization’s efficiency
• Analyze costs and benefits of IT systems and upgrades to help managers decide which, if any, to install
• Devise ways to add functionality to existing computer systems
• Design new systems by configuring hardware and software
• Oversee the installation and configuration of new systems and customize them for the organization
• Test systems to ensure that they work as expected
• Write instruction manuals and train the systems’ end users

Overview: Software developers create the computer applications that allow users to do specific tasks and the underlying systems that run the devices or control networks.

Software quality assurance analysts and testers design and execute software tests to identify problems and learn how the software works.

Top Skills:

• Software Development
• Software Engineering
• DevOps
• Microsoft C#
• JavaScript
• Java
• Python
• SQL
• Git
• Scrum

Typical Entry-Level Education: Bachelor’s degree

Average Salary: $105,172 | $52.95 per hour

Project Growth: (2021 – 2026) 20.1%

Duties:

Software developers

• Analyze users’ needs and then design and develop software to meet those needs
• Recommend software upgrades for customers’ existing programs and systems
• Design each piece of an application or system and plan how the pieces will work together
• Create a variety of models and diagrams showing programmers the software code needed for an application
• Ensure that a program continues to function normally through software maintenance and testing
• Document every aspect of an application or system as a reference for future maintenance and upgrades

Software quality assurance analysts and testers

• Create test plans, scenarios, and procedures for new software
• Identify project risks and recommend steps to minimize those risks
• Implement software testing, using either manual or automated programs and exploratory testing, and evaluate results
• Document and report defects or problems with software
• Provide feedback to software developers and stakeholders regarding usability and functionality