New to tech? Maybe you’ve picked up some new, incredibly useful skills and are now wondering, “Okay, but what job can I actually get with these?”

Well, here’s some good news. By 2028, there will be nearly 1.5 million open jobs in the tech sector. Tech skills are in high demand — right now, 20 of the top 25 most in-demand skills on LinkedIn are tech-related. And if you scroll on Indeed, you’ll notice that most of the trending jobs are techy, too.

Regardless of what kind of career you’re looking at, we’ve got your back. Remote? Hybrid? Contract? Skillcrush is all about freelancing so naturally we have a TON of resources to get you going in that department. Maybe you want a tried and true, full-time gig? You know, the salaried kind, with benefits and the water cooler experience. Or maybe you would LOVE a remote job, but you still want to get your 40 hours of company culture in.

Don’t worry! Embracing a tech career does NOT mean throwing in the towel on your creativity or walking away from the high-powered job you always dreamed of. In fact, I have a feeling you’ll be surprised to find some unexpected jobs on this list, like Growth Hacker and Digital Marketing Manager.

The reality is that, these days, “tech jobs” exist in every department and industry. So no matter if you’re a writer, a marketer, an artist, or a data junkie, adding some extra tech skills can make your job into a tech job. Let’s look at some tech job titles to see if any of them speak to you.

Table of Contents

• Social Media + Marketing:
  • Marketing Technologist
  • SEO Specialist
  • Web Analytics Developer
  • Digital Marketing Manager
  • Social Media Manager
  • Growth Hacker
• Content:
  • Content Manager
  • Content Strategist
  • Information Architect
• User Experience:
  • UX Designer
  • UI Designer
  • Accessibility Specialist
  • Interaction Designer
• Front-End Development:
  • Front-End Designer
  • Front-End Developer
• Back-End Development
  • Mobile Developer
  • Full-Stack Developer
  • Software Developer
  • WordPress Developer
  • Frameworks Specialist
  • React Developer
  • Python Developer
• Immersive Technologies
  • 3D Designer
  • AR/VR Developer
  • Game Developer
  • Augmented Reality (AR) Designer
  • Virtual Reality (VR) Designer
• Systems
  • Business Systems Analyst
  • Systems Engineer
  • Systems Administrator
• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
  • AI Developer
  • Algorithm Engineer
  • Machine Learning Engineer
• Data
  • Database Administrator
  • Data Architect
  • Data Modeler
  • Data Analyst
  • Data Scientist
  • Cloud Architect
• Management
  • Technical Lead
  • DevOps Manager
  • Agile Project Manager
  • Product Manager
  • Technical Account Manager
• Specialists
  • Security Specialist
  • QA (Quality Assurance) Specialist
  • Computer Graphics Animator
  • Mobile App Developer

Is Tech Right For You? Take Our 3-Minute Quiz!

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Social Media + Marketing

1. Marketing Technologist

As the name suggests, a marketing technologist basically bridges the gap between marketing and technology. They use their skills to build and manage the tools and systems that help businesses reach their target audience. Think of them as working behind the scenes to make sure your favorite brands stay relevant and don’t disappear into obscurity.

Tasks:

• Manage a variety of tools and platforms (e.g. CRM systems and marketing automation software) to ensure marketing campaigns have the desired impact on target audiences
• Draw insights from analytics (website traffic, email open rates, social media engagement, etc.) to help businesses make smarter decisions
• Look for ways to improve marketing performance by tracking campaign metrics

Skills:

• Project management
• Writing and verbal communication
• HTML and CSS
• Google Analytics
• Experience with online marketing strategies (like growth hacking + headline testing)

Average US Salary: $78,455 (Salary.com)

2. SEO Specialist

SEO will always be a hot topic, but just because keyword mining might be dead doesn’t mean SEO is out of the picture. In fact, SEO specialists might be more relevant than ever given the ever-changing whims of the algorithm(s). As an SEO specialist, you’re there to make sure that great content (websites, blog posts, you get the picture!) doesn’t get lost in the other noise.

Tasks:

• Research and identify relevant keywords that people use to search for products or services online
• Create high-impact stories and headlines
• Tweak website content and HTML code to make it more search engine-friendly
• Build high-quality backlinks to your website from other reputable sites

Skills:

• Growth/data analysis
• A/B testing
• Google Analytics
• Branding and Storytelling
• Written communication

Average US Salary: $67,388 (ZipRecruiter)

3. Web Analytics Developer

If SEO is how users find your site, web analytics is all about looking at what they do once they get there. Instead of optimizing your site for the web, you’re analyzing (and optimizing) how users behave on your site(s).

Tasks:

• Set up tracking codes and tags on websites and mobile apps to ethically collect user data
• Analyze website traffic, user behavior, and conversion rates
• Design and execute A/B tests to optimize website performance

Skills:

• Data analysis and visualization
• Web analytics tools (Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or similar platforms)
• Programming languages (SQL, Python, or R)
• Tag management systems
• A/B testing and experimentation

Average US Salary: $106,868 (ZipRecruiter)

4. Digital Marketing Manager

Digital marketing managers are kind of like Peggy Olson (of Mad Men fame) in today’s world. A digital marketer’s role is to understand their customers, the stories they tell, their pain points. Instead of magazine ads and radio commercials, digital marketing managers advertise on new media platforms like social networks, email, and blogs, and they measure their success with hard data.

Tasks:

• Attract the right users and convert them into customers
• Create and execute digital marketing strategies
• Plan, execute, and analyze digital marketing campaigns (including SEO, social media, email marketing, and content marketing)
• Manage and mentor a team of digital marketing specialists

Skills:

• Email marketing
• SEO and web analytics
• Branding and Storytelling
• A/B testing

Average US Salary: $87,719 (ZipRecruiter)

5. Social Media Manager

Imagine getting paid to post on Facebook. As a social media manager, that’s just the tip of the iceberg — you’ll eat, sleep, and breathe social media interaction while keeping an eye on trends, best-practices and the oh-so-important list of ‘what not to post’.

Tasks:

• Develop and execute social media strategies to achieve specific goals, like boosting brand awareness or driving sales
• Foster a strong online community by interacting with followers, responding to comments, and building relationships
• Analyze social media metrics to measure campaign performance
• Stay on top of the latest social media trends and platforms for brand relevance

Skills:

• Deep understanding of social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tiktok, etc.) and their algorithms, best practices, and target demographics
• Data analysis
• Community management
• Branding and Storytelling

Average US Salary: $64,845 (ZipRecruiter)

6. Growth Hacker

Growth hackers? SO hot right now. If Digital Marketing Managers are all about growing brands and business with powerful stories and user engagement, growth hackers are the ones who take a closer look at the numbers. They tend to focus on rapid growth through more…unconventional marketing tactics and experiments.

Tasks:

• Running A/B tests and analyzing metrics to find what works best
• Use clever strategies like referral programs, viral marketing, and content marketing
• Improve user experience, from tweaking website design to optimizing the checkout process
• Work with product, engineering, and sales teams to ensure growth campaigns are aligned with overall business goals

Skills:

• Data analysis
• A/B testing
• Conversion rate optimization
• Traction testing
• Lead growth marketing

Average US Salary: $69,262 (ZipRecruiter)

Content

7. Content Manager

Content isn’t just about the company blog anymore! A content manager is behind a brand’s content creation, publication, and distribution. They plan what gets posted, when, and how it all fits together to grab attention and drive results. They juggle deadlines, coordinate teams, and keep everything on track so the content leaves a mark. This can also include any and all content for sales strategy, from one-pagers to white papers.

Tasks:

• Write, edit, or oversee content production
• Work with writers, designers, and other creatives to produce high-quality content
• Define and implement brand voice
• Analyze user engagement and shift strategies
• Analyze content performance metrics

Skills:

• Writing and Editing
• Branding and Storytelling
• Email marketing
• A/B testing
• Content management systems, like WordPress

Average US Salary: $131,779 (Salary.com)

8. Content Strategist

Content strategists are like content managers, but they typically work with a larger scope of projects and may do less creation/editing. They might also spend more time studying data on how their audiences engage with the content and coming up with ways to improve that engagement.

Tasks:

• Create content strategies that align with business goals
• Conduct content audits of existing content to identify gaps and opportunities for improvement
• Optimize content for search engines and analyze performance metrics
• Work with marketing, design, and development teams for content alignment

Skills:

• SEO
• Data analysis
• Content management systems (CMS)
• Digital marketing tools (Google Analytics, SEMrush, etc.)
• Written and verbal communication

Average US Salary: $76,635 (Salary.com)

9. Information Architect

Information architects live where content meets product strategy. They’re like a digital organizer that structures content to make sure users can easily navigate websites and apps. They map out everything from menus to content categories, making sure information is easy to find and flows in a way that makes sense. Part data analyst and part UI/UX design with a healthy dose of general content and marketing know-how, this can be a really unique sweet spot for marketers or designers with a knack for information design.

Tasks:

• Create site maps and user flows
• Define data flows and delivery
• Research concept and usability testing
• Create content models and classification systems for large amounts of content

Skills:

• Information architecture (IA) principles (card sorting, taxonomy, metadata)
• Wireframing and prototyping tools (Figma, Axure, Sketch, Adobe XD)
• Content management systems (CMS)
• Data analysis
• Basic understanding of HTML and CSS

Average US Salary: $98,320 (Salary.com)

User experience

10. UX Designer

Like we mentioned above, user experience (UX) designers have some overlap with information architects, only they’ll spend more time coding, mocking up designs, and working with the developers. They create digital products that are functional and easy to use. Although important, ‘easy’ isn’t their only goal. UX designers want to make sure that you actually enjoy the experience.

Tasks:

• Conduct user research through surveys, interviews, and usability testing
• Develop prototypes and create mockup designs
• Research and analyze user experience and behavior
• Work closely with developers, product managers, and other stakeholders

Skills:

• User research and testing
• Programming languages (HTML, CSS, JavaScript)
• Wireframing and prototyping tools (Figma, Axure, Sketch, Adobe XD)
• Version control (Git + Github)
• Data analysis

Average US Salary: $106,224 (ZipRecruiter)

Is Tech Right For You? Take Our 3-Minute Quiz!

You Will Learn:

☑️ If a career in tech is right for you

☑️ What tech careers fit your strengths

☑️ What skills you need to reach your goals

11. UI Designer

User interface (UI) designers work closely with user experience (UX) designers, but rather than focusing on analysis, user interface designers are all about the look and feel of a site. Some consider themselves both UI and UX, but for this listing we’re just focusing on the UI!

Tasks:

• Create visually appealing and user-friendly interfaces, including layouts, typography, and color schemes
• Develop UI kits with reusable design elements
• Build interactive prototypes to test user flows
• Test and tweak designs based on feedback and user testing

Skills:

• Visual design principles (layout, typography, color theory, branding, etc.)
• Wireframing and prototyping tools (Figma, Axure, Sketch, Adobe XD)
• Design tools (Adobe Photoshop)
• Responsive design
• Version control tools (Git + Github)

Average US Salary: $70,686 (Salary.com)

12. Accessibility Specialist

Accessibility specialists focus on creating interfaces and user experiences that work towards making digital products accessible to everyone.

Tasks:

• Conduct audits of websites and applications to identify compliance issues
• Ensure compliance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
• Provide training and guidance to developers, designers, and content creators on accessibility best practices
• Work closely with development teams to implement accessibility features
• Test products and services for accessibility

Skills:

• Knowledge of WCAG guidelines
• Accessibility testing tools (JAWS, Axe, NVDA, ChromeVox)
• Assistive technology (screen readers, text-to-speech software, voice recognition software, etc.)
• HTML and CSS
• Attention to detail

Average US Salary: $62,671 (ZipRecruiter)

13. Interaction Designer

You know how the X (née Twitter) feed continually loads? That’s just one example of a feature you could design and build as an interaction designer. You’ll focus on designing how users interact with digital products, making sure that their every click, swipe, and scroll is intuitive, useful, and smooth.

Tasks:

• Create wireframes, prototypes, and screen flows
• Develop user personas, site maps, and mood boards
• Create interactive web designs

Skills:

• UI Design and UX Principles
• Wireframing and prototyping
• Frameworks
• Version control (Git + Github)
• Programming languages (HTML, CSS, JavaScript)

Average US Salary: $105,565 (Salary.com)

Front-End development

14. Front-End Designer

Ah, front-end (sometimes written as frontend or front end) designers. This is the job where all that HTML and CSS you’ve spent time learning gets to be center stage. You’ll handle the visual layout and interactive elements of a website or app that users directly engage with, making sure that it looks great and works across different devices and screen sizes.

Tasks:

• Transform mockups into web pages
• Create visually appealing and user-friendly graphics and interfaces for the web
• Write clean and efficient code
• Test and optimize designs
• Work closely with UX designers, back-end developers, and others to create a cohesive user experience

Skills:

• Programming languages (HTML, CSS, Sass, JavaScript)
• Front-end frameworks and libraries (React, Angular, Vue, jQuery)
• Design tools (Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD)
• Cross-browser compatibility
• Version control (Git + Github)

Average US Salary: $109,375 (ZipRecruiter)

15. Front-End Developer

Front-end developers don’t just create static sites – they also know how to code up interactive pages and web apps. As the name might imply, while front-end developers might interact with design, they are primarily focused on usability. They use programming languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to build the parts of websites and apps that you directly interact with.

Tasks:

• Build fully functional web pages
• Collaborate with UI/UX designers, as well as back-end developers, to make sure front-end works seamlessly with server-side logic and databases
• Optimize website performance
• Test and troubleshoot across different browsers
• Maintain and update code to fix bugs, add new features, and make sure the website is up-to-date

Skills:

• Programming languages (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Sass)
• Frameworks and libraries (jQuery, Bootstrap, Node.js, AngularJS, and Ember.js)
• Automation tools (Grunt/Gulp)
• Version control (Git + Github)
• Problem-solving

Average US Salary: $101,548 (ZipRecruiter)

Backend Development

16. Mobile Developer

Have you ever wondered how websites become apps? That’s the superpower of mobile developers! They specialize in creating apps for smartphones and tablets that function smoothly across different devices and operating systems, like iOS or Android. This role can include native app development as well, although typically that role would function a little differently.

Tasks:

• Write code to create apps for iOS or Android platforms
• Make sure apps run smoothly by optimizing load times, reducing bugs, and improving overall performance
• Test apps on different devices and troubleshoot problems
• Maintain mobile apps by adding new features, updating them to the latest software version, fixing bugs, and ensuring compatibility with new devices

Skills:

• Programming languages (Swift, Kotlin, Java)
• Mobile frameworks and libraries (SwiftUI, UIKit, Jetpack Compose, React Native, Flutter, Xamarin)
• API integration
• Mobile testing tools (Xcode, Android Studio, Visual Studio Code, Espresso, or Appium)
• Testing and debugging

Average US Salary: $114,431 (ZipRecruiter)

17. Full-Stack Developer

Have you ever heard the term “the whole enchilada?” Full-stack developers can see projects through from start (prototyping, planning) to middle (designing, building) to end (deploying, managing).

Tasks:

• Handle user-facing (front-end) and server-side logic (back-end) of a website or app
• Design and implement APIs
• Manage databases
• Test and troubleshoot front-end and back-end code
• Collaborate with designers, project managers, and other developers for app integration

Skills:

• Front-end languages and frameworks (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, Vue.js, Angular)
• Back-end languages and technologies (Python, Java, C#, Node.js, Express.js, Django)
• Database systems (MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, MongoDB, Redis, CouchDB)
• DevOps (CI/CD pipelines and tools, cloud platforms, version control)
• UI design and UX principles

Related: The 10 Most Essential Skills for Full-Stack Developers in 2025

Average US Salary: $117,880 (ZipRecruiter)

18. Software Developer

Software developers design, build, and maintain apps and programs. Microsoft Word? Adobe Photoshop? That’s all software developers! Whether you need an app for online banking or software that can manage inventory in a warehouse, a software developer can do it all.

Tasks:

• Write code to build apps, websites, or systems
• Identify and fix bugs
• Collaborate with other designers, product managers, and programmers
• Run automated tests or manually test software
• Maintain and update software

Skills:

• Programming languages (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Sass, Ruby, Python)
• Frameworks and libraries (jQuery, Bootstrap, Node.js, AngularJS, and Ember.js)
• Version control (Git + Github)
• Responsive web design
• Problem-solving

Average US Salary: $117,845 (ZipRecruiter)

19. WordPress Developer

WordPress currently powers more than 20% of the world’s websites. A WordPress Developer builds and customizes websites using the WordPress platform, which hosts a huge chunk of the web thanks to a fairly back-end. Far past a drag-and-drop website hosting option, WP developers are skilled at coding, themes, plugins, and knowing how to make sure sites run smoothly and look great, all while keeping things user-friendly for site owners. This puts WordPress developers in high demand for freelance jobs and full-time positions.

Tasks:

• Build and customize themes
• Install, configure, and develop plugins
• Maintain website performance
• Manage site security
• Collaborate with designers and content teams

Skills:

• Programming languages (PHP, HTML, CSS, JavaScript)
• WordPress Core
• Custom Theme and Plugin Development
• Database Management Systems (MySQL)
• Version Control (Git + GitHub)

Average US Salary: $84,542 (ZipRecruiter)

20. Frameworks Specialist

A Frameworks Specialist focuses on choosing, implementing, and maintaining the right development frameworks for building software applications. They help teams choose the best tools for the job and ensure everything runs efficiently by managing the technical structure behind the scenes. When you’re coding, you don’t always start from scratch. Frameworks like AngularJS, Ember.js, and Node.js, provide just that — a framework to work in.

Tasks:

• Recommending and choosing the best frameworks for web or app development
• Integrating frameworks with existing systems
• Tweaking and fine-tuning frameworks to improve performance
• Identifying and resolving any issues related to framework integration
• Maintaining and updating frameworks so they’re up-to-date

Skills:

• Programming languages (PHP, Python, Java, JavaScript)
• Frameworks (Django, Flask, Ruby on Rails, Spring Boot, Node.js)
• Database Management (SQL + NoSQL)
• API Development
• Version Control (Git + GitHub)

Average US Salary: $144,213 (Indeed)

Is Tech Right For You? Take Our 3-Minute Quiz!

You Will Learn:

☑️ If a career in tech is right for you

☑️ What tech careers fit your strengths

☑️ What skills you need to reach your goals

21. React Developer

Ah…React, we love you! And guess what? Companies love paying you to use it. As a React Developer, you’ll mostly be designing and building user interfaces for web applications using the React JavaScript library. You’ll also focus on creating reusable components and managing the flow of data within the app.

Tasks:

• Develop and maintain React components
• Create interactive and dynamic user interfaces
• Implement and manage the application’s state
• Write and implement testing to ensure code quality
• Collaborate with designers, product managers, and backend developers

Skills:

• JavaScript libraries and frameworks (React, Next.js, Gatsby,js, Redux, Zustand)
• Programming languages (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, JSX)
• React fundamentals (State management, props, virtual DOM, etc.)
• RESTful APIs
• Version Control (Git + GitHub)

Average US Salary: $107,961 (Salary.com)

22. Python Developer

Similar in spirit to Ruby, Python is a great code for beginners that’s all about simple syntax that makes sense to programmers but is still robust enough for some impressive development. A Python Developer specializes in writing code to build software apps, automate tasks, and analyze data — all using the Python programming language. They can write code for everything from websites to machine learning models.

Tasks:

• Write and test code
• Build web applications
• Write scripts to clean, analyze, and visualize data
• Develop automation tools to streamline processes
• Write Python scripts to interact with databases

Skills:

• Programming language (Python, duh!)
• Data structures and algorithms
• Frameworks (Django, Flask, Pyramid)
• Database Management (SQL + NoSQL)
• RESTful APIs

Average US Salary: $121,932 (ZipRecruiter)

Immersive Technologies

23. 3D Designer

Two dimensions are so last year, am I right?! 3D designers bring concepts to life in three dimensions, whether it’s for video games, movies, virtual reality, or product design.

Tasks:

• Create detailed 3D models
• Apply textures and shaders to make models look realistic
• Set up skeletons so 3D models can move realistically when animated
• Optimize designs for different platforms

Skills:

• 3D modeling software (Blender, Maya, 3ds Max)
• Texturing and shading
• UV mapping
• Rigging and skinning
• Animation (Keyframing, Motion Capture)

Average US Salary: $96,274 (Salary.com)

24. AR/VR Developer

AR/VR (Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality, respectively) developers spend their days building immersive experiences that blend the digital and physical worlds by using augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies. Not just for video games, AR and VR is seeing increased popularity in the training and development fields as well! Imagine learning complex electrical engineering or even practicing surgical procedures in VR. All of these use-cases need developers!

Tasks:

• Design and implement AR/VR experiences
• Develop interactive 3D models and assets
• Optimize performance across devices
• Test and debug applications
• Integrate sensors and hardware so they work with software

Skills:

• Programming languages (C#, C++, JavaScript
• 3D modeling and animation
• Game engines (Unity, Unreal Engine)
• Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) platforms (Oculus, HTV Vive, HoloLens)
• 3D rendering and lighting

Average US Salary: $109,230 (Salary.com)

25. Game Developer

Candy Crush fans, Call of Duty MVPs, and Roblox devotees, rejoice! You can earn a living playing — well, at least making — games to be played on a variety of platforms, whether that’s on itch.io, Steam, Playstation, or the iPhone.

Tasks:

• Write code to bring game designs to life
• Create core game mechanics, level design, and overall gameplay experience
• Develop game assets, such as characters, environments, and animations
• Identify and fix bugs and glitches
• Work with other team members — artists, designers, and sound engineers — to create a cohesive game

Skills:

• Programming languages (C++, C#, Python)
• Game engines (Unity, Unreal Engine)
• 3D modeling and animation
• Cross-platform development
• Game design principles

Average US Salary: $108,471 (ZipRecruiter)

26. Augmented Reality (AR) Designer

Unlike AR/VR developers that focus on the technical foundations and code that makes them possible, AR designers focus more on the look, feel, and usability of it. They blend digital elements with the real world — think features like social media filters that layer designs on your face through your phone’s camera.

Tasks:

• Create intuitive and engaging user experiences for AR applications
• Design and model 3D objects and environments for AR experiences
• Set up lighting and rendering techniques to create visually appealing scenes
• Create interactive prototypes to test and iterate on AR designs

Skills:

• 3D animation
• 3D modeling software (Maya, Blender, 3ds Max)
• User interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design
• Real-time rendering
• AR/VR platforms (ARKit, ARCore, Oculus)

Average US Salary: $88,085 (Salary.com)

27. Virtual Reality (VR) Designer

VR designers create immersive, fully digital environments that users experience through VR headsets. While AR designers build on what’s already there in the world around you, VR designers create worlds from scratch.

Tasks:

• Create immersive VR experiences that engage users and provide realistic, lifelike experiences’
• Work with developers to develop design prototypes and 3D models
• Conduct user testing, gather feedback, and adjust designs to improve usability and overall experience
• Implement interaction design and mechanics — how users navigate, manipulate, and respond to the virtual environment

Skills:

• 3D animation
• 3D modeling software (Maya, Blender, 3ds Max)
• User interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design
• Game engines (Unity, Unreal Engine)
• VR Platforms (Oculus, HTC Vive, PlayStation VR)

Average US Salary: $92,566 (Salary.com)

Systems

28. Business Systems Analyst

As a business systems analyst, you’ll be like a technology matchmaker. But, instead of helping people find love, you’ll be helping your company get the technology that’ll help them find customers and profits! (and maybe love?)

Tasks:

• Collaborate with stakeholders to understand business needs
• Analyze current systems, identify inefficiencies, and recommend improvements
• Document and map out business processes
• Ensure developed systems or software meet requirements

Skills:

• Requirements gathering and analysis
• Business process mapping and modeling
• Data analysis and reporting
• Business intelligence (BI) tools (Power BI, Tableau)
• Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software

Average US Salary: $99,997 (Talent.com)

29. Systems Engineer

Ever wonder who’s responsible for getting and setting up all the computers and programs your company uses? That’s a systems engineer’s job!

Tasks:

• Create and design scalable and reliable system architectures
• Set up and configure hardware, software, and network systems
• Monitor system performance, identify issues, and perform regular maintenance on systems
• Diagnose and fix system malfunctions or outages
• Ensure system security by applying patches, configuring firewalls, and implementing other security measures

Skills:

• Networking protocols (TCP/IP, HTTP, DNS) and infrastructure
• Operating systems (Windows + Linux)
• Server hardware
• Programming languages (PowerShell or Bash)
• Cloud computing (AWS, Azure, GCP)

Average US Salary: $127,215 (ZipRecruiter)

30. Systems Administrator

While similar to a systems engineer, SysAdmins are a little more focused on the day-to-day operations and are always hard at work behind the scenes making sure that your machines and applications are running as smoothly and safely as they should. They manage and maintain an organization’s IT infrastructure as they handle everything from installing software updates to troubleshooting technical issues.

Tasks:

• Install, configure, and maintain physical or virtual servers to support business applications and services
• Monitor the health and performance of systems and networks
• Create, modify, and manage user accounts and permissions
• Implement and manage regular backups and make sure data recovery plans are in place

Skills:

• Operating systems (Windows + Linux)
• Server hardware
• Networking protocols (TCP/IP, HTTP, DNS) and infrastructure
• Scripting languages (PowerShell or Bash)
• Security principles

Average US Salary: $88,927

Is Tech Right For You? Take Our 3-Minute Quiz!

You Will Learn:

☑️ If a career in tech is right for you

☑️ What tech careers fit your strengths

☑️ What skills you need to reach your goals

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

31. AI Developer

As an AI developer, you’ll design and build intelligent systems that can learn and adapt from data. Sure, it’s great if machines are faster, but you’d be making them smarter, ideally working with ethical best-practices and ensuring AI is sustainably scaled for the future.

Tasks:

• Build and refine machine learning models that can process data and make predictions or decisions
• Clean, organize, and prepare data for training AI systems
• Develop and implement machine learning algorithms
• Test and evaluate AI models
• Deploy and implement AI models into systems or applications

Skills:

• Programming languages (Python, R, Java)
• Machine learning algorithms
• Deep learning frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch)
• Natural language processing
• Computer vision

Average US Salary: $109,795 (Salary.com)

32. Algorithm Engineer

If you like solving complex puzzles and want your work to impact pretty much everything in AI, look into being an algorithm engineer. These are the folks who design and refine the algorithms that power everything from search results to recommendation engines.

Tasks:

• Create algorithms that solve real-world problems
• Tweak and refine algorithms to make them faster and more scalable
• Work with large datasets to uncover patterns and insights to improve algorithms
• Identify and fix issues in algorithm code
• Implement machine learning techniques to train algorithms

Skills:

• Programming languages (Python, C++, Java)
• Data structures and algorithms
• Machine learning algorithms and frameworks
• Statistical analysis
• Big data technologies (Hadoop, Spark)

Average US Salary: $130,128 (Salary.com)

33. Machine Learning Engineer

Machine learning engineers take massive amounts of data and build algorithms that help computers learn and adapt on their own, without needing humans to program every move. Their job is part coding, part data wrangling, and all about finding ways to make machines get ‘smarter’ with experience.

Tasks:

• Design, test, and tweak machine learning algorithms
• Clean and process data for training algorithms
• Tune and improve algorithms so they’re fast and scalable
• Create pipeline systems that allow data to flow through processes
• Assess the performance of AI models and run experiments to fine-tune them

Skills:

• Programming languages (Python, R)
• Machine learning frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch)
• Big data technologies
• Data visualization
• Machine learning operations (MLOps) practices

Average US Salary: $111,573 (Salary.com)

Data

34. Database Administrator

If you are meticulous about naming and tagging your photos and are the kind of person who always keeps your files backed up, you might have the soul of a database administrator. A database administrator (DBA) manages and maintains databases so they’re secure, efficient, and readily available.

Tasks:

• Set up database management systems and configure them for optimal performance and security
• Monitor and improve the performance of databases by optimizing queries, indexes, and configurations
• Ensure regular backups of databases and implement disaster recovery plans to protect companies from data loss
• Manage access controls and encryption to make sure databases are secure from unauthorized access

Skills:

• Database management systems (MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQL Server)
• Database security
• Scripting and automation
• Database design
• Backup and recovery procedures

Average US Salary: $101,510 (BLS)

35. Data Architect

Being a data architect is much like being the architect of the virtual house that an organization’s data will live in. They’re the ones who design and build the frameworks that allow organizations to collect, store, and analyze data efficiently. As a data architect, your boss would expect you to create data models, structure databases, and make sure that the flow of data across their systems is smooth and secure.

Tasks:

• Create scalable and efficient data models that structure how data is stored, accessed, and processed across systems
• Plan and implement processes to integrate data from various sources into a unified system
• Design and build comprehensive databases and systems that make sure data is easily accessible, secure, and high-performing
• Establish and enforce policies and standards for data quality, security, privacy, and compliance (data governance)

Skills:

• Data modeling
• Database design
• Data warehousing
• ETL (extraction, transformation, and loading) processes
• Cloud platforms

Average US Salary: $135,220 (Salary.com)

36. Data Modeler

Can you understand both the “big picture” and the details behind it? As a data modeler, you’ll need to wrap your head around both theoretical and practical concepts about the data that’s important to your business/industry/company.

Tasks:

• Create detailed data models that define how data is stored, organized, and structured within databases
• Work closely with business analysts, data architects, and developers
• Make sure data models are optimized for performance, scalability, and data integrity
• Develop processes for converting data between different formats
• Document the design, structure, and logic behind data models to ensure clarity for future development or troubleshooting

Skills:

• Data modeling
• Database design
• Database management (SQL)
• Data warehousing
• Data integration

Average US Salary: $102,000

37. Data Analyst

A data analyst is sort of the living historian for a company’s information. They gather the facts about data and can then relate the stories it tells. Taking raw data and transforming it into meaningful insights so businesses can make informed decisions is one of the most important parts of this role.

Tasks:

• Gather data from various sources and clean it for analysis
• Analyze data to uncover patterns, trends, and insights
• Query databases to retrieve data, perform calculations, and update records
• Create dashboards and reports to visualize data findings and communicate insights to stakeholders

Skills:

• Data analysis and tools (Pandas, Numpy)
• Database management (SQL)
• Data visualization and tools (Tableau, Power BI, Matplotlib, Seaborn)
• Statistical analysis
• Machine learning algorithms and techniques

Average US Salary: $82,640 (ZipRecruiter)

38. Data Scientist

Predictions, anyone? Instead of using data to tell what’s happened to a company in the past, a data scientist uses data to tell a company what to do in the future. (If you’re guessing that there are roles that blend this job with Data Analyst, you’d also be right and you’re already making great predictions!)

Tasks:

• Gather data from multiple sources
• Clean and transform data into a usable format for analysis
• Use machine learning algorithms to build models that predict future outcomes
• Apply statistical techniques to analyze data, test hypotheses, and extract meaningful insights that inform business decisions
• Create clear and insightful data visualizations

Skills:

• Programming languages (Python, R)
• Statistical analysis
• Machine learning
• Data mining
• Big data technologies (Hadoop, Spark)

Average US Salary: $122,738 (ZipRecruiter)

39. Cloud Architect

If you’re like most of us, you couldn’t live without your Dropbox or Google Drive account nowadays. Companies need cloud storage to compete and scale, so cloud architects help them make the most of cloud services.

Tasks:

• Create scalable, secure, and efficient cloud systems to meet business needs
• Oversee the setup and management of cloud infrastructure
• Implement data security, privacy, and compliance best practices
• Monitor cloud usage and optimize costs
• Design and implement disaster recovery solutions in the event of cloud outages or system failures

Skills:

• Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP)
• Cloud security
• Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools (Terraform, CloudFormation, Ansible)
• Networking design and concepts (VPCs, load balancing, DNS, VPNs)
• DevOps

Average US Salary: $154,717 (Talent.com)

Management

40. Technical Lead

In short, a technical lead is the leader of a group of developers, but don’t let that simplicity fool you. They have the critical task of keeping the team focused, working with product managers and other stakeholders, and turning plans into reality. Easy, right? Plus, they’ll often be doing some of the programming themselves.

Tasks:

• Define and oversee the technical direction of projects
• Provide guidance and support to junior developers to help them grow their skills
• Review team members’ code to ensure quality, consistency, and adherence to best coding practices
• Create and validate technical architectures
• Identify areas where existing code or systems need refactoring or improvement

Skills:

• Programming languages (Java, Python, JavaScript, C#)
• Software architecture
• Version control (Git + Github)
• Cloud Platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud)
• Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CICD) tools (Jenkins, GitLab, CircleCI)

Average US Salary: $156,348 (ZipRecruiter)

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41. DevOps Manager

A DevOps Manager is the bridge between development, quality, and technology teams — crucially, the person helping them understand each others’ tasks and situations so that they can work together to get the best results.

Tasks:

• Automate the deployment pipeline, from code integration to production
• Set up, maintain, and scale infrastructure using cloud platforms
• Build and maintain continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines
• Enforce security protocols and compliance requirements

Skills:

• CI/CD pipeline management
• Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud)
• Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools
• Containerization and Orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes)
• Monitoring and logging tools (Prometheus, Grafana, Datadog, ELK stack)

Average US Salary: $163,000 (Salary.com)

42. Agile Project Manager

Agile management is a specific management style, and it’s is all about being responsive and interactive to get what’s necessary done as soon as possible. So fast and flexible teamwork is the name of the game — and that includes “scrums”! As an agile project manager, you’d focus on removing obstacles, supporting collaboration, and making sure projects stay on track, all while adapting to changes quickly to meet the business’s evolving needs.

Tasks:

• Lead meetings (daily standups, sprint planning, retrospectives, and sprint reviews) to ensure smooth communication and progress
• Oversee the sprint cycle and make sure that tasks are properly prioritized to help teams meet deadlines and deliverables
• Identify and address obstacles or issues that may slow down productivity
• Track project metrics (task completion, team performance, overall progress) using management tools

Skills:

• Agile frameworks (Scrum, Kanban, Lean)
• Project management tools (Asana, Trello, Jira)
• Sprint planning and management
• Risk management
• Resource allocation

Average US Salary: $120,784 (Talent.com)

43. Product Manager

Consider yourself a multitalent? A product manager could be a great role to consider, something that brings your different interests together since they all intersect to bring together business, technology, and user experience.

Tasks:

• Set a clear vision for products and align them with the company’s strategic goals
• Manage product backlogs, prioritize features, and make sure the team is working on the most valuable tasks
• Work closely with developers, designers, marketers, and other team for smooth execution from concept to delivery
• Develop and maintain product roadmaps to align the team’s efforts with long-term goals
• Set key performance indicators (KPIs) to track the success of products

Skills:

• Product management methodologies (Scrum, Kanban)
• Market research
• Data analysis
• Product road mapping
• User experience (UX) design principles

Average US Salary: $126,770 (Salary.com)

44. Technical Account Manager

Extroverts rejoice, you don’t have to give up working with customers just because you go into tech. As a technical account manager, you’ll be key to meeting customers’ needs and winning sales. Not a true sales-job, account management is great for folks who don’t want to be cold-calling all the time and would rather focus on nurturing great relationships.

Tasks:

• Lead the onboarding process for new clients so they understand the products or services
• Offer ongoing technical assistance to clients
• Bridge the gap between the customer and internal teams for alignment on project goals
• Build and maintain strong, long-term relationships with clients by understanding their needs
• Advise clients on maximizing the value of their product or service

Skills:

• Technical knowledge (IT infrastructure, software development, network technologies)
• Customer relationship management (CRM) tools
• Cloud technologies
• Data analysis
• Problem-solving

Average US Salary: $107,247 (Talent.com)

Specialists

45. Security Specialist

It should go without saying just how important security is in tech. So, if you want to be in-demand in the tech industry, consider the job of security specialist. Security has a ton of branches and options for cybersecurity specializations, too, so this is really just the starting point!

Tasks:

• Identify potential security risks in systems, networks, and apps
• Design and deploy security protocols, firewalls, encryption techniques, and other protective measures
• Monitor networks and systems for unusual activity for real-time detection of potential security breaches or malware attacks
• Conduct regular security audits to make sure systems meet standards and comply with industry regulations

Skills:

• Network security (firewalls, VPNs, intrusion detection/prevention systems)
• Cryptography
• Security information and event management (SIEM) and tools (Splunk, SolarWinds)
• Operating systems (Windows + Linux)
• Regulatory compliance frameworks (GDPR, HIPAA, PCI-DSS, NIST) and standards

Average US Salary: $78,808 (ZipRecruiter)

46. QA (Quality Assurance) Specialist

Here’s a chance to be nitpicky and get paid for it! Working as a QA specialist, you’ll be expected to find all the flaws and glitches in software and apps and come up with the tests to detect them.

Tasks:

• Develop detailed test plans and strategies to make sure products meet both functional and non-functional requirements
• Create test cases based on product specifications and identify any issues or bugs throughout execution
• Perform manual and automated testing to check the performance of software products
• Identify, document, and track bugs in the system

Skills:

• Test automation tools (Selenium, Appium, JUnit)
• Testing methodologies (black-box, white-box, integration, system, acceptance)
• Test case design
• Bug tracking tools (Jira, Bugzilla)
• API testing

Average US Salary: $71,279 (ZipRecruiter)

47. Computer Graphics Animator

You can’t see a movie or commercial nowadays without seeing computer animation. So, just think — you could be the animator who brings a character as lovable as Groot to life, or execute special effects as realistic as “Godzilla: Minus One.”

Tasks:

• Design and produce 2D and 3D animations
• Build 3D assets (characters, objects, and environments)
• Rig and prepare assets for animation
• Work with designers, directors, writers, and producers to make sure work aligns with creative direction

Skills:

• 3D modeling and software (Maya, Blender, 3ds Max)
• Animation (Keyframing, motion capture, etc.)
• Rigging
• Rendering principles and software (Arnold, V-Ray, Redshift)
• Game Engines (Unity, Unreal Engine)

Average US Salary: $81,438 (Zippia)

48. Mobile App Developer

The “We’ve got an app for that” campaign is 14 years old and mobile apps are still one of the hottest things in tech. So, if you’re hoping to create the next Instagram or want to have a part in the next rage in social media, consider a career as a mobile developer!

Tasks:

• Write clean, efficient code to build the app’s user interface and user experience
• Connect apps to backend services and databases
• Test app to identify and fix bugs
• Submit app to app stores
• Update the app to fix bugs, add new features, and improve performance

Skills:

• Programming languages (Swift, Kotlin)
• Mobile development frameworks (SwiftUI, UIKit, Jetpack Compose, Flutter)
• Mobile app development tools (XCode, Android Studio, Visual Studio Code)
• API integration
• UI/UX design

Average US Salary: $110,482 (ZipRecruiter)

Hopefully you’re feeling the good kind of overwhelmed right now because that’s a pretty amazing range of jobs in tech, right? There really is something for everyone; whether you’re creative, analytical, a natural-born leader, or all about teamwork.

And of course, you can start getting the skills you need for these jobs – and so many more! – right here at Skillcrush. Sign up for our Break Into Tech program to start building a fantastic foundation for your dream career in tech.