Last Updated on February 23, 2021 by Guest
What IT Professions I will be especially in Demand In The Coming Years?
We finally have a companion for every aspect of human life from the cradle to the grave: the digital world. Economies, jobs, personal lives – all patterns are changing under the influence of the IT industry.
However, the IT industry encompasses such a vast and growing field that it has become somewhat confusing to readily understand exactly what is included within this umbrella term.
A Statista report offers a detailed peek into the salary structures in the U.S.A.’s IT industry. As of October 2019, the headcount in the U.S. IT sector was 2.82 million, with 1.1 million new employments in 2018 alone.
- The average annual salary of IT professionals in the U.S. and Canada was US$ 85,310 in 2017.
- The average annual salary of the decision-makers in the IT sector in the U.S. was US$ 138,972 in 2018.
- The highest-paid jobs in IT consist of executives at the levels of directors, vice presidents, C-level, etc.
Top IT Jobs In 2020 And Beyond
A 2016 survey-based report by the World Economic Forum had predicted that the IT sector would be one of the major areas to witness job growth in 2020. The market scenario discussed above indicates the accuracy of that prediction.
However, a growing IT sector does not necessarily mean that all the sub-sectors within the industry have an equal opportunity for future growth. We carried out systematic research of several authoritative websites to gain an understanding of which IT jobs will be in high demand in the 2020s.
We present our findings below. However, a disclaimer first: we’ve arranged the jobs alphabetically. They do not reflect any comparative prioritization.
1. Blockchain Developers
Source: computerworld.com
On May 20, 2020, Bitcoin’s third halving will happen. Mining will generate half the number of bitcoins every 10 minutes. This same procedure in 2016 had immensely impacted the uptake of bitcoins and their price. The same effect is likely in 2020 also.
That entails that the cryptocurrency infrastructure will need significant investments in sourcing and engaging blockchain developers, as also in oversight. Blockchain developers will be in high demand, therefore.
Industry heads seem to have anticipated this need already. A 2019 report states that software professionals with blockchain development skills were already in high demand globally. Job openings for blockchain professionals increased by 517% during 2018-2019!
Blockchain development is among the top three job openings in every single global region, the report says. A LinkedIn report also ranks blockchain development as the number one job in 2020. In the U.S. a blockchain developer can earn as high a salary as US$ 157,000 per year.
2. Computer Support Specialists
Computer support specialists provide support and advice to computer users at both organizational and individual levels. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a 10% annual growth rate of job openings during 2018-2028. That is considerably higher than the average projected growth rate of 5% for all jobs.
During this decade, 83,100 job openings are likely to be created in the U.S. alone. The median annual pay package for computer support specialists in 2018 was US$ 53,470. The average hourly pay rate was US$ 25.70.
While the salary structure is not as high as in some other high-demand jobs in the IT industry, the growth rate is promising. The other important factor is that the position does not necessarily need a post-secondary degree in the U.S.
3. Computer Systems Analysts
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts a 9% annual growth rate in computer analyst jobs between 2018 and 2028. That is an above-average growth rate. Finance and healthcare are two key sectors where the demand for computer systems analysts will be the highest.
BLS predicts the total number of job openings during 2018-2028 to be 56,000 for these professionals. The median salary in 2018 was US$ was 88,740 per annum. The hourly average income was US$ 42.66.
4. Cybersecurity Specialists
There have been several massive data breaches and corporate scandals that have rocked the world in recent times. Stringent data protection laws like the EU’s General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) have come into force as a result.
Cyberattack patterns are getting more sophisticated on the one hand. On the other, security efforts are transforming from reactive to preventive mode. Cybersecurity professionals are in high demand and will continue to be.
A report by Cybersecurity Ventures projects 3.5 million job opportunities in the cybersecurity space by 2021. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there will be 35,500 job openings in the U.S. alone during 2018-2028.
The BLS predicts a 32% job growth for cybersecurity professionals against an average job growth of 5% for all other jobs collectively. The median salary for IT security specialists in the U.S. was US$ 98,350 annually in 2018. The per-hour rate was US$ 47.28.
5. Database Administrators
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics also predicts the above-average 9% annual growth rate for data administrators. The need to use specialized software to organize and store data will grow across most businesses. That is what database administrators (DBAs) do.
The total number of jobs likely to be created during 2018-2028 is 10,500. The median annual pay for this position in 2018 was US$ 90,070. The hourly average pay rate was US$ 43.31.
The education and insurance sectors are likely to be where demand for DBAs will be the highest. However, other industries will also need to employ database administrators. Going by the current employment patterns, these five states in descending order will offer the maximum number of jobs for this position:
- Texas
- California
- New York
- Florida
- Virginia
6. Computer and Information Systems Managers
It really means working as an IT manager, supervising a variety of IT workers engaged with myriad technical jobs like app development, cloud computing, data management, networking, etc. An IT manager’s job is to plan, coordinate, and direct all IT related activities in a business.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects one of the highest annual growth rates in this position during 2018-2028: 11%. That is significantly higher than the average growth rate of 5% for all jobs collectively.
This is also one of the higher-paid job opportunities within the IT industry. The median pay per annum in 2018 for this position was US$ 142,530. US$ 68.53 was the average hourly pay rate. As many as 46,800 positions are likely to be created during 2018-2028 in the U.S.
7. Mobile App Developers
This has been one of the fastest-growing employment areas for some years now and will continue to be. Smartphones and tabs are changing many aspects of our lives from communicating with each other to doing business, accessing the news to seeking entertainment, and more.
The need for developing innovative and captivating apps is not likely to wane soon. The demand for mobile app developers will continue to be high as a result. According to a recent report, the average annual salary for this profession ranges between US$ 107,000 and 144,000.
8. Software Engineers
An annual growth rate of 21%, says the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That is how high the demand will be for software engineers. Compared to the average growth rate of 5% collectively for all jobs, this job market is one of the brightest ones.
There will be 284,000 new jobs created during 2018-2028 for software engineers, says the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The average median pay for these professionals in 2018 was US$ 105,590 per year. The hourly pay rate was US$ 50.77 on average.
9. Video Game Developers
Source: daxx.com
A recent article in Forbes mentions that there are 2.5 billion gamers around the world. The video gaming industry has been growing so fast that it may generate US$ 300 billion in revenues by 2025. The demand for video game developers is proportionately high as well.
The industry has shifted its revenue model from selling games to free-to-play games for revenue generation. That has not slowed down its growth at all.
10. Web Developers
Source: newitalliance.com
With businesses and services increasingly going online, personnel involved in web development and design have inviting job opportunities waiting for them. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts an annual growth rate of 13% for this job market. That is considerably above average.
Despite the fact that the market has shifted towards ready-made solutions in the form of a website builder platform, the profession of web developer is still very popular. All kinds of SaaS services and developers of turnkey solutions are new employers for web developers and programmers.
Some may become regular job holders in the computer systems and related services industry. Many web developers prefer working on their own. Advertising, management consulting, and publishing are other businesses that employ web developers.
BLS projects 20,900 new job openings during 2018-2028. The median per year pay for this position in 2018 was US$ 69,430. The hourly average pay rate was US$ 33.38.
By Way Of Signing Off
Employment opportunities in the IT sector are growing rapidly. Many experts are of the opinion that a number of jobs will vanish in the next five to ten years as the world adopts increasingly more digitalized ways of living.
We have only presented a list of the top 10 job areas within the IT sector. There are other areas that come close behind these. There’s no reason for IT professionals to worry, really.