With digitization on the rise, careers in the software engineering industry are booming! In 2022, more industries and companies are adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and big data solutions. In fact, software developers, quality assurance analysts, and testers should see a 25% increase in employment between 2021 and 2031, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Furthermore, the industry for software development is predicted to employ a staggering 1.3 million tech professionals by 2022.
Software engineers also earn handsomely. In the United States, a software engineer makes an average yearly salary of $94077. A Senior Software Engineer makes an average yearly salary of $116088, making it a very well-paid profession.
With huge demand, software development and the global IT outsourcing market will reach 610.12 billion by 2027.
When you think of a software engineer, you may imagine someone who spends their days in a grungy basement coding. The truth is, the field of software engineering is diverse and can offer a number of high-paying jobs. In this blog post, we will take a look at 14 of the highest paying software engineer jobs. So whether you are just starting out in your career or are looking to make a change, read on for some inspiration!
Why Should You Choose Software Engineering as a Career?
Software Engineering is known for its expeditious and inventive nature. It is also a job that is in high demand as we stated earlier. Just some of the many reasons why this career is worth having are as follows;
- You will be able to work remotely
- Outstanding salary package
- Autonomy
- Job Security
- You can code your own applications
14 Highest-Paying Software Engineering Jobs
Mentioned below are some of the highest-paying software engineering jobs, the average payout, their usual responsibilities, and the qualification and skills needed.
1. FULL STACK DEVELOPER
Average Income Per Year: $102,224
Responsibilities: In a Full stack developer role, you will be required to use your knowledge of front-and back-end development to create back-end coding and visual designs for websites.
You may also be responsible for creating mobile applications for the websites they create.
Qualifications Required: Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Software Development, or Computer Programming. They should also have advanced knowledge in a variety of coding languages including Python, JavaScript, and CSS.
2. SYSTEM ENGINEER
Average Income Per Year: $101,451
Responsibilities: The systems engineer is a key player in the multi-dimensional computer world, and their primary responsibility is to identify early in the product or service development cycle the needs of the customer or stakeholder and the core functions of the system.
They frequently collaborate with an engineering team and project manager to serve as the communication bridge between various groups. The focus of systems engineers is on performance, testing, scheduling, and budgets as they work through each stage of a process, from the initial plan to validation and implementation.
Qualifications Required: Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related area.
3. CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER
Average Income Per Year: $160,093
Responsibilities: Within a company, this is an executive position. As the company’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO), you will be in charge of managing both the IT department and the resource and development department. The primary responsibilities of the position include investigating emerging technologies and locating organizational weaknesses that could be addressed by appropriate IT procedures.
Qualifications Required: Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology, Business, or Information Systems Management. Further, you should consider a Master’s Degree in Business Administration or Information Technology as well as several years of experience in a related role.
4. DATA SCIENTIST
Average Income Per Year: $140,232
Responsibilities: A data scientist’s job is to collect a lot of data, analyze it, and extract the most important information before using tools like SAS, R programming, Python, etc. to derive insights that could be applied to boost the company’s productivity and efficiency.
Qualifications Required: A bachelor’s degree in an area related to computer science and, preferably a master’s degree in a similar area.
5. CLOUD ENGINEER
Average Income Per Year: $120,740
Responsibilities: As a cloud engineer, you would be responsible for helping a corporation move its IT methods to a cloud format. This is to ensure that they don’t lose valuable company information. Your job would be to make sure that a company’s cloud management system stays secure and updated so it regularly backs up information.
Qualifications Required: A bachelor’s degree in an area like information technology, computer science, or cyber security. You should also earn three to five years of work experience in IT to be eligible for a position.
6. SOFTWARE ARCHITECT
Average Income Per Year: $133,130
Responsibilities: A software architect is in charge of organizing and planning a software system, in the broadest sense. These professionals specify coding conventions and pick the best tools for creating customized software. Additionally, they aid in converting concepts into technical tasks and properly distributing those tasks to the development team.
Qualifications Required: A Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Programming, Software Engineering or Development, or Information Systems Management. Moreover, for those without a bachelor’s degree, significant experience in a related role, certification, or both can greatly enhance your qualifications.
7. SOFTWARE ENGINEERING MANAGER
Average Income Per Year: $134,363
Responsibilities: Being a software engineering manager, you would work in an IT department for a company or as part of an IT firm itself. You would be required to use your expertise in software engineering to direct a team of entry and mid-level software engineers in creating and maintaining software programs.
Qualifications Required: A Bachelor’s Degree in Software Engineering, Information Technology, Computer Programming, or another area. In addition to a bachelor’s degree, it may be beneficial to get a master’s degree in an area like business administration or software engineering.
8. SOFTWARE ENGINEER
Average Income Per Year: $127,169
Responsibilities: Being a software engineer, your job includes using your knowledge of coding and applications to create software for companies and individuals. You would typically be required to create software programs, mobile applications, and communication channels or content management systems (CMS) that are specific to a company and its needs.
Qualifications Required: A Bachelor’s Degree in Software Engineering or Development, Information Technology, or Computer Programming. You should also have great communication skills to work with clientele.
9. MOBILE APP DEVELOPER
Average Income Per Year: $123,764
Responsibilities: You would be in charge of creating mobile applications if you worked as a mobile app developer. It might be necessary for you to develop an app for a video game or restructure company websites to fit a mobile format. You have the option of working solely for businesses or selecting clients to hire your services.
Qualifications Required: A Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology, Computer Programming, Information Systems Management, or a related area. You should also have previous work experience in the IT industry.
10. SITE RELIABILITY ENGINEER
Average Income Per Year: $133,379
Responsibilities: Being a Site Reliability Engineer, it would be your responsibility to coordinate with software engineers and development operation engineers to address any potential website errors or unclear messaging that might reduce the user’s effectiveness.
Qualifications Required: A bachelor’s degree in an area like software development, information systems management, or computer programming. You should also have a few years of experience working in the role of a software developer, system engineer, or a related area.
11. DEVOPS ENGINEER
Average Income Per Year: $108,000
Responsibilities: You would be in charge of the interaction between the business, the software team, and IT when working in the role of a DevOps Engineer. Your core responsibility would entail facilitating automation.
Qualifications Required: A bachelor’s degree in an area like information systems management, computer programming, or computer science. You may also benefit from having previously worked as a coder or network administrator.
12. TECHNICAL PROGRAM MANAGER
Average Income Per Year: $119,219
Responsibilities: Being a Technical Program Manager, you would be responsible for overseeing a team of software and hardware professionals within the IT department of a corporation.
Qualifications Required: A Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Information Systems Management, Information Technology, or a related area.
13. PYTHON SOFTWARE ENGINEER
Average Income Per Year: 110,931
Responsibilities: A Python Software Engineer codes, designs, and debugs development projects. They may also be responsible for spearheading analytics and data collection.
Qualifications Required: A Python Software Engineer may have a bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering, information management systems, or a closely related field. Other than that, they require to have ample know-how of web frameworks like Django, HTML, and CSS, as well as the Python programming language.
14. JAVA DEVELOPER
Average Income Per Year: $98,821
Responsibilities: As the name suggests, a Java Developer’s role is to design, develop, and manage Java-based applications. Depending on the organization, the Java developer could be working on one application or on several at one time.
Qualifications Required: A Java developer will be required to have a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field, but having experience is just as important. Some individuals are self-taught and yet, have mastered Java just like degree holders.
Conclusion
As the world gets more digitized and information technology takes over the globe, there is an increasing need for computer and IT specialists. Computer and software engineering are a couple of fields where you can enter the workforce and start earning well immediately after completing your bachelor’s course. You would still need to constantly learn, as the industry is evolving at a fast pace.
In this blog, we discussed the average salaries of highest paying software engineer jobs in the United States. We have also listed the qualifications and skills required for you to master these software engineering-related jobs. See what interests you, and you can pursue that. Even if something doesn’t stand out to you immediately, you can start learning a few of the skills required and see where that leads you.
If you have any more questions or need further guidance, you can reach out to us or surf our website.
