The Top 10 Information Technology Jobs for 2022
The world of information technology jobs has been undergoing radical changes in the past few years, and these trends show no signs of slowing down anytime soon. In fact, it’s predicted that by 2022, an entirely new generation of technology will have taken over, with revolutionary implications for the way we work and live as well as the types of jobs that exist within the industry. Here are some of the top IT jobs that will continue to be in demand through 2022 and beyond.
10. Quality Assurance Engineer
Quality assurance (QA) engineers develop and maintain software testing plans, workflows, processes, and documentation that ensure a product will meet its required standards. In essence, they test software to ensure it works correctly before release. This role is expected to grow by 31% by 2022 as businesses demand better quality software.
9. Software Engineer
Software engineers are tech’s rising stars—in fact, according to data released by Glassdoor, they’re getting an average annual base salary of $93,000. And given that demand for skilled technologists is likely to continue to rise over time, particularly as jobs like machine learning and artificial intelligence become more common in business settings, becoming a software engineer is definitely something you should be considering if you’re serious about earning a great living from your information technology career.
8. Network Administrator
A network administrator ensures that all of an organization’s hardware and software are working in unison. The Internet of Things and a proliferation of computers in business will drive demand for these professionals, who can expect to see a 5% increase in employment through 2022. Employment growth: 7%. Median Salary: $78,350.
7. Systems Analyst
The number of systems analyst jobs is projected to grow 7 percent from 2016 to 2026, according to BLS. (Note: This is faster than average.) So if you’re looking for an information technology job that will remain strong over time, consider a position as a systems analyst. A systems analyst needs to have some coding skills and can expect to earn $83,200 per year or more.
6. Computer Programmer
If you’re a whiz at writing code and can build your own applications from scratch, becoming a computer programmer is a great way to ensure job security. Unlike others on our list, however, programming jobs don’t require any formal education—just a passion for software and computers. These jobs are in high demand too: The U.S.
5. Cyber Security Analyst
Cyber security is a growing problem in every industry. That’s why job opportunities for cyber security analysts are expected to increase by 22% from 2016 to 2026, making it one of the fastest-growing careers out there. Cyber security analysts make an average of $84,550 per year, and typically have bachelor’s degrees in computer science or information systems. They focus on creating policies that keep data safe online, manage digital platforms and oversee automated technologies like firewalls and malware removal systems.
4. IT Manager/Director
The IT manager oversees all operations of an organization’s information technology department. Through coordinating with sales, marketing and finance teams as well as with outside vendors, they make sure that systems are in place to keep up with operational needs. There will be a push to get more leaders up to speed on programming skills, but an understanding of business strategy is crucial to being successful in any high-level IT job.
3. Database Administrator
According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there will be a projected 25% increase in jobs for database administrators from 2012 to 2022. Database administrator is actually one of a group of information technology jobs called database managers; other database manager positions include data analysts and database designers. It is possible that many database managers will change over time into database administrators as well as design engineers, but only time will tell if that happens or not.
2. Network Architect
A network architect is responsible for designing and building efficient, secure networks. Though they are not primarily responsible for implementation of technology, their involvement in that process cannot be overstated. Network architects must have expert knowledge of a number of different technologies; therefore, entry-level positions require a bachelor’s degree or higher in information technology or computer science with at least two years experience working with network hardware, routers and switches.
1. Data Scientist
Data scientists spend their days digging through mountains of information, looking for correlations and other insights that might give organizations a competitive edge. Data scientists don’t just have to be number crunchers; they should also be great communicators who can work with others from different departments. Because data is generated from so many places—customer-service agents, social-media platforms, etc.—data scientists must be able to navigate between IT, marketing, finance and more to glean meaningful insight.