It was about 30 years ago that computers began to find their ways into businesses and homes around the world, and since that time, the world has never looked back. Today, computers are a booming industry that is experiencing, and will continue to experience, explosive growth. In only a few short decades, computers have opened up worlds and possibilities our grandparents would never have imagined, and stretched our own imaginations to the point that we almost believe nothing is impossible.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Employment of computer and information research scientists is projected to grow 15 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. Job prospects are expected to be excellent.” In fact, the statistics translate into ”an additional 557,100 new tech jobs to be added through 2026—and that doesn’t account for the jobs that already exist.” (Rasmussen).
Here at CareerBliss, we’re really excited about these stats, and about the exciting things becoming reality through computers and smart people living their careerbliss. With the growth in computer science over the next decade, there’s never been a better time to move in that direction, whether or not you’re just starting your career, or looking to transition to a career on the cutting-edge.
While career happiness isn’t solely dependent on what you earn, a good salary is definitely a factor when it comes to happiness on the job. And if you’ve been considering computer science as a career (or even if you just started exploring the idea), we’ve got a list of some of the top, high-paying jobs in computer science today and for the foreseeable future.
There is so much to learn in this field, and for many jobs in the field, a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree is required. If you have a Masters Degree you’ll be particularly desirable to a potential employer. But even so, the median annual pay for computer science jobs is $122,840 (or $59.06 per hour)--more than twice the national average. We’d say that’s pretty great!
What exactly is computer science?
Okay, so now that we’ve piqued your interest about this exciting, growing field, you may be wondering what computer science actually is. Computer science, simply put, is the study computers and their computational systems.
Computer scientists focus on the theory, design, development and application of software and software systems. Some of the current and future areas of study and work in the field include security, databases, artificial intelligence, numerical analysis, networks, software engineering, theory of computing, bioinformation and programming languages.
Computer scientists also apply their knowledge and skills to determine what computers are capable of, and what sorts of problems computers can be programmed to solve.
Computer science’s popularity is growing fast. Not only is it a popular major at university and community colleges, but it’s finding its way into educational programs tailored for the K-12th grades. And many people understand the important role that computers play today and long into the future, which is why, according to US News, 9 out of 10 parents want their children to study computer science and coding as part of their K-12 academics.
High paying computer science jobs
- Programmer Analyst
National average salary $71,666
What they do:
- Design and develop computer systems and software
- Ensure that existing programs are working properly by updating and repairing them to keep them running smooth
- Work with industry-specific systems
- Work alongside project managers to make sure deadlines are met
- Perform cost analysis to ensure computer systems are financially sound
- Technical support Engineer
National average salary: $72,224
What they do:
- Provide IT support; review and troubleshoot software and hardware problems
- Fix any technical issues to ensure that all internal systems are working properly
- Provide assistance to staff, clients and/or customers to address any technical challenges or problems they’re experiencing
- E-Commerce Business Analyst
National average salary: $74,919
What they do:
- Analyze retail sales data for their business
- Create and analyze sales reports to determine customer trends and changing online retail markets.
- Translate data and analytics into tangible, customer-centric results which may include improved website designs, streamlined transaction processes, etc
- Monitor company’s search rankings, analytics, campaign results and branding
- Software Developer
National average salary: $86,470
What they do:
- Create, develop and produce computer applications
- Analyze user needs then develop software tailored to achieving them
- Monitor computer programs to ensure they work cleanly, and fixing them when they’re now
- UX Designer
National Average Salary: $90,207
What they do:
- UX designers create and improve the design of software interfaces to ensure that customers/visitors to a page or using a program have a happy, flawless experience.
- The number one job of any UX designer is to ensure that the system’s they’re overseeing are user friendly
- Full Stack Software Developer
National average salary: $98,700
What they do:
- These types of developers work on front and back end development for software, applications and websites
- Ensure that all the above are working properly, and are responsive
- Create and track code quality to ensure that the system continues to work flawlessly
- Data Scientist
National Average Salary: $121,897
What they do:
- Make sense of raw data so that non-computer types can understand it
- They are adept at using a variety of computer programming languages to create algorithms that can solve real-life problems
- They interpret and synthesize data to help businesses determine how to implement new policies, programs or products in a way that helps them maintain profitability
- DevOps Engineer
National average salary: $121,996
What they do:
- DevOps is short for Development Operation engineers
- They put the technology in place to help companies move over to the cloud
- Evaluate and recommend better security systems
- Software Architect
National Average Salary: $139,099
What they do:
- Software architects create programs, softwares and systems based on a client’s needs
- Software developers often develop computer apps, games, or other software
- They are responsible for not only making the big decisions throughout the process about things like designs, tech standards, coding standards and platforms.
Is computer science right for you?
Computer science has many benefits, including high pay, working in an exciting field on the cutting edge, and literally designing and creating the future. With a computer science degree/skills/knowledge, you aren’t limited to a particular industry, as every industry needs your skills.
Another exciting benefit of the field is that there are many opportunities to work remotely. Learning coding is like learning another language (it IS another language--coding language). But once you know the language, it translates into the same thing whether you’re in Russia working for a company in the U.S. or whether you’re in England working with a company in Morocco. Code is code, and once you know it you can virtually work anywhere (provided your employer is okay with it of course).
However, there are also some disadvantages to weigh, such as potential health problems from long hours at the computer, though it’s possible to combat this by being intentional about adding movement throughout your day.
What is the future of computer science jobs?
As you can see, jobs in computer science provide stability in a future that often feels unknown. Businesses and organizations will always need computers. It’s what our world runs on. Computer games. Blockchain systems. Manufacturing processes. Delivery processes. Don’t believe how important computers are to daily life? If you’re old enough to remember the year 2000, think back to the panic that surrounded what was termed Y2K. People feared that the computers that run the world, food production, food delivery, etc would go haywire and shut down when we entered the new year, putting us back into a feared “dark age”. That didn’t happen, but it revealed that even 20 years ago we were heavily dependent on computer technology--and today we rely on computers more than ever before.
Computer science is a growing field full of promise, excitement, and yes, high pay. Already working in the field but looking for new opportunities? Check out our job board at careerbliss.com to discover great computer science jobs around the nation. Find your next job. Find your careerbliss.
The CareerBliss Team
CareerBliss cares about your career happiness. That's why we offer a variety of great tools and resources to help you make better-informed career decisions. We believe that if you're happier at work, you'll be happier in life! Check out company reviews, salary information, career advice and, of course, millions of jobs on CareerBliss and choose happy today!
