As virtually every industry goes through a digital transformation, there are more opportunities for people with technical skills to work in exciting, high-paying fields. Folks with IT (or information technology) expertise, in particular, are well-positioned to get hired.
The Skillsoft IT Skills and Salary survey, surveyed over 5,100 tech workers about topics like compensation, job satisfaction, professional development, and workplace challenges.
The 2024 survey findings include thought-provoking insights about what it’s like to work in tech today, including the industries where IT professionals have the highest salaries on average.
Curious which industries pay IT professionals the most? Here are the industries where IT professionals earn the highest average salaries, according to the Skillsoft IT Skills and Salary survey, one of the largest studies of IT salaries, skills, and certifications.
(Heads up: This list highlights the salaries of survey respondents from North America. To check out how salaries in industries compare around the world, download the full report.)
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1. IT software
Average salary: $139,887
Software refers to the non-tangible applications and programs we use on the computer. Our free course Introduction to IT will teach you the basics of core IT topics, including software development, operating systems and applications, databases, and cybersecurity.
2. Natural resources: Mining, oil, and gas
Average salary: $126,682
The mining sector is made up of establishments that extract naturally occurring mineral solids, like coal, natural gas, and oil. In the U.S., there are around 587,700 people in the mining, oil, and gas workforce. Oil and gas companies are using new technologies, from artificial intelligence to IoT, to innovate their operations.
3. Accounting, auditing, banking, and finance
Average salary: $126,409
Coding is used in banking fields to automate repetitive tasks, analyze large datasets, and develop financial software. For example, coding can help create algorithms for trading, manage risk, and develop applications for online banking and financial reporting. Our skill path Analyze Financial Data with Python teaches you how to process, analyze, and visualize financial data with the popular programming language Python.
4. System integrator and VAR integrator
Average salary: $125,000
A system integrator is a business that coordinates and organizes computing systems, often using automation. (System Integrator is also a role you can have within an organization, where you specialize in designing and developing computing systems.)
VAR is short for Value Added Reseller, which is essentially a company that adds features to manufacturers’ products — like hardware, installation services, consulting, or troubleshooting — and resells them as turnkey operations.
5. Professional business services
Average salary: $129,943
Professional business services are nonphysical services or products that help businesses. In tech, professional services can include things like IT support, web development, and cybersecurity management.
6. Insurance, real estate and legal
Average salary: $122,941
There are a variety of ways that insurance, real estate, and legal businesses utilize software. For example, they might use CRM (customer relationship management) software to manage relationships with customers or cloud computing to store and access large amounts of data.
7. IT hardware
Average salary: $139,128
If you want a better understanding of how the physical components of a computer — aka the hardware — work, consider taking our Computer Architecture course. You can also start with the beginner-friendly course Fundamentals of Operating Systems to learn how software and hardware interact and make computers functional.
8. Pharmaceutical, medical, biotech
Average salary: $119,563
The pharmaceutical, medical, and biotech industry focuses on developing and producing medications, medical devices, and biotechnology products to improve health and treat diseases. This industry involves extensive research and innovation to create new treatments and therapies. Coding is essential for developing and maintaining software systems that support research, data analysis, and patient care.
Read this story about a Codecademy learner who learned Python to assist with his immunology research. Or this learner who went from working as a medical doctor to data engineering.
9. Aerospace or defense
Average salary: $117,402
The aerospace sector manufactures products and services for space, commercial airlines, missiles, military aircraft, and commercial airlines. The U.S. aerospace industry employs around 500,000 people.
Fascinated by space? Read more about how astronomers use data science programming languages like Python to research and explore our planets and stars
10. IT consulting
Average salary: $117,145
“Consulting” is a very broad term that can mean different things to different organizations. An IT consulting company, for example, typically advises an organization’s IT strategies from soup to nuts.
Whether you’re considering a completely new career, or want to know how much people with your job make on average, check out the full Skillsoft IT Skills and Salary report. You can also read a breakdown of the highest-paying IT jobs from the survey here.
If you’re feeling inspired to take the next step in your career, you’re in the right place! Be sure to check out our full course catalog to start learning valuable technical skills. The free courses Introduction to IT and Introduction to Cybersecurity are great starting points for beginners. Then get job-ready with our tips for breaking into IT and helpful advice for acing an IT job interview.
This blog was originally published on November 1, 2022 and has been updated with information from the 2024 IT Skills and Salary Report.