Best Industries for High-Paying Tech Jobs 2024

If you’re eyeing a technical career but aren’t sold on the idea of working directly in the industry, you’ve got lots of options to find fulfilling jobs that pay well. In fact, new research suggests that salaries are increasing for tech workers in industries outside the tech realm, like healthcare, finance, and even nonprofit organizations.  

A recent survey from the career website Dice highlights the high-paying industries where tech salaries are on the up and up. The average salary for technical professionals outside of tech is $109,170, per the survey. Technologists inside the tech world — which the survey defines as digital electronics, software, internet-related, and ecommerce services — make approximately 3% more than folks in other industries.   

So which industries are paying top dollar for tech talent? Ahead are the sectors where salaries for technical workers have grown since 2022, according to the 2024 Dice Tech Salary Report.  

Government  

Average salary: $113,436 

Since 2021, tech salaries in government have grown 15%, making it the fastest-growing industry for tech workers, according to the Dice survey. You can find these types of jobs at any organizations adjacent to government, including public service, academia, and state or local agencies. Given the demand for tech pros in this industry, there are tons of useful job-search resources to help you navigate the move from tech to public interest technology. Check out the website Tech to Gov, which is run by the Tech Talent Project, to find job listings, tips for landing a government job, and handy explainers about what government agencies actually do.  

Aerospace and defense  

Average salary: $130,574 

The aerospace and defense industry is all about crafting technologies tailored for aviation, defense systems, and spacecraft. Tech professionals in this exciting industry might develop and maintain embedded software systems for aerospace applications or use coding and computational tools to model and simulate aerospace systems’ behavior and performance. 

Medical, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology  

Average salary: $128,141 

Taken together, the medical, pharmaceutical, and biotech fields are dedicated to researching, developing, producing, and distributing medical products and treatments. This includes pharmaceutical companies creating drugs, biotechnology firms innovating in biological sciences, and medical device manufacturers producing equipment for diagnosis and treatment. Curious how people combine biotech expertise and coding? Read these stories about Codecademy learners who went from research and biotechnology to hands-on developer roles.  

Healthcare  

Average salary: $117,578 

The healthcare sector includes any companies that offer medical services, make medical equipment or drugs, provide medical insurance, or help patients receive healthcare in different ways. Tech workers in healthcare might manage electronic health records systems, analyze clinical data, or build telemedicine platforms.  

Retail and ecommerce  

Average salary: $109,336 

It’s no wonder that ecommerce jobs are in-demand — we buy everything online nowadays. You can have all kinds of technical careers in retail, from web dev jobs like Front-End Engineer to business-centered roles like UX Researcher and Business Intelligence Data Analyst. The ecommerce space is competitive, because mom-and-pop shops have to go up against massive retailers like Amazon and eBay. But the good news is that these organizations are investing in technical talent, and ecommerce tech salaries are up 5%, per the Dice report.  

Nonprofit  

Average salary: $96,344   

Salaries are just one factor to consider when you’re looking for a job — you might want to use your coding skills for good to further a cause that you believe in. Tech workers can contribute impactful skills that nonprofit organizations need to measure impact and improve efficiency, like web development and data analysis. If you’re interested in this area, check out the job board Tech Jobs for Good, which lists open tech positions at mission-driven organizations.  

Start working towards a tech career 

If you’re just starting out in tech or are considering taking your talents to a new sector, be sure to check out all the resources in our Career Center. You can find ideas for portfolio projects that focus on these industries, practice answering interview questions, gain professional certificates, and more.  

Want to do more research on tech salaries? Explore the blog to learn about high-paying IT jobs, get practical advice for negotiating your salary, and understand where to find salary information to inform your job search.  

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