Information technology top salary detail

Hello Aspirant,

Here are five of the best-paying jobs in information technology.

Salary outlook: Senior software engineers are responsible for designing, evaluating and testing software and must be able to read programming languages. Often, these roles, which generally require a bachelor's degree in computer engineering, information technology or computer science, lead teams in creating or improving software. Google is one of the top-paying companies for this position, paying more than $150K. Popular top-paying skills include Java, SQL, .NET and C#. To get paid 20 percent or more above the national average of $104,870, senior software engineers' best bet is to move to California where Mountain View, Sunnyvale, San Jose, San Francisco and Santa Clara pay well.

Salary outlook: IT project managers lead technical teams in design and development tasks and help create test plans to make sure software quality is up to par while coordinating delivery of development and production releases. Interested applicants must have strong leadership, conflict resolution and communication skills and must be strong collaborators and listeners. This role generally requires a bachelor's degree in a field related to management or other related fields, in addition to prior leadership experience working in IT support or development. Deloitte Consulting and Capgemini pay their IT project managers in the $120K to $130K range. Top-paying locations include New York, San Francisco and Washington, which pay at least 15 percent above the national average of $87,707

Salary outlook: Software engineers develop and maintain software applications and systems responsive to users' needs with the ability to exhibit logical, structured thinking that helps identify even the most minute of glitches. Most employers require a bachelor's degree in computer science or a similar field but put a greater weight on relevant experience and knowledge. This role requires candidates to have excellent attention to detail, problem-solving and communication skills. Job satisfaction is reported to be high and top-paying companies include Yahoo, Apple and Google, all around $120K. California is a hotspot for pay with areas like Mountain View, Sunnyvale, San Francisco and San Jose paying at least 28 percent above the national average of $77,513.

Salary outlook: IT business analysts create project plans for IT development and testing with the goal of identifying how IT can help satisfy business and customer requirements. In addition to calculating and managing projects risks, these roles test prototype software implementations and consult with various departments to develop new systems. Employers generally require a four-year degree in computer science, engineering, management information systems or a related field. Top-paying companies include Chevron, HP Enterprise and Accenture, all paying in the $80K to $90K range. San Francisco pays IT business analysts 24 percent above the national average, $67,456, followed by New York at 18 percent and Los Angeles (11 percent).

Salary outlook: Software developers create computer programs, including video games, web browsers, writing tools, photography editing programs and even operating systems. Trained to read programming languages, these developers require a bachelor's degree in computer science, computer programming or information technology and some companies require a master's degree. Software developers report high job satisfaction and the most pay at companies like Epic Systems and Microsoft, both paying around $110K. San Francisco, Seattle and New York all pay more than 20 percent above the national average of $67,117.