Making a Career Change? These Tech Jobs are Growing Fast
Simply Hired Staff
The American tech industry is continuously evolving. Its pervasive presence in American culture, its dominance in the economy and its seemingly endless potential for invention have enabled it to weather recent economic turbulence with fewer job losses than other industries. By 2020, the Department of Labor projects a 22 percent increase in jobs across all tech fields.
President Obama’s Techhire Initiative aims to extend access to tech jobs; to that end $100 million in grants has been made available to provide training and other assistance. The president’s plan states: “America has about 5 million open jobs today, more than at any point since 2001. Over half a million of those job openings are in information technology fields like software development, network administration, and cybersecurity – many of which did not even exist just a decade ago. The average salary in a job that requires information technology (IT) skills – whether in manufacturing, advertising, retail or banking – is 50 percent higher than the average private-sector American job. Helping more Americans train and connect to these jobs is a key element of the President’s middle-class economics agenda.
Clearly, tech jobs are valued, and their prominence is only expected to grow. So what are the top jobs in the field? Simply Hired data shows that the following jobs experienced impressive rates of growth between 2014 and 2015:
Data Scientist
85% Growth
Average Salary: $107,000
A more recent addition to company technical staff, data science titles have doubled, on average, each year since 2013. This fun and fast-paced field gives you the chance to convert raw data into usable strategies. Use your flare for analysis to quantify meaningful conclusions that impact communications and practices. Put your affection for statistics to work as a data scientist.
Dev Ops
81% Growth
Average Salary: $62,000
There are a variety of ways to contribute if your interest lies in Dev Ops, and expertise on all ends of the spectrum is in demand. So whether you are just starting out or you are a senior-level manager, your knack for creating infrastructure design and developing and implementing systems and processes will earn you a great job in this field.
Site Reliability Engineer
57% Growth
Average Salary: $92,000
This is a fast-paced job that requires a high level of experience and expertise. It’s a vital role that ensures a company’s outward facing presence remains safe and user-friendly in the online marketplace. Professionals in the field need to be on their toes, but the work is exciting, rewarding and in-demand.
Site Reliability Engineer Jobs
Testers
17% Growth
Average Salary: $60,000
This is a great job for a professional who has an analytical mind and who also craves a social outlet. In addition to rigorously analyzing and evaluating products, testers often have the chance to support and train users.
Network Engineer
16% Growth
Average Salary: $70,000
Network engineers plan and oversee the various elements that enables daily operations to run smoothly. They make so much possible, and their oversight enables everyone else to get their work done and keep busy moving forward.
Tech jobs have profoundly impacted American business, and they have changed the way that work gets done. This dynamic field will only continue to grow, which is great news for those already credentialed and those contemplating future training in the tech field.
