Against a backdrop of widespread economic disruption, the tech sector stands out. Armed with sophisticated IT infrastructure and, in many cases, a workforce already accustomed to working from home, tech companies have been largely impervious to COVID-19 disruption. From an IT hiring standpoint, that means the “new normal” has a lot in common with the old normal. Sky-high levels of demand, frantic competition for top talent and too few qualified candidates to go around, especially for roles like scrum masters, agile coaches, reliability engineers, data architects, analysts and engineers. All too familiar stories.
But not everything remains the same. Notably, the global pandemic both catalyzed and accelerated broad-based digital transformations at organizations across the board, with tech pros driving the effort. The massive remote work was just one part of that, but it’s already had some surprising ripple effects in terms of hiring. For one, employers are no longer going to be limited to candidates in their own backyards. In theory, this should help improve diversity — a lingering challenge in the tech sector — and enhance the overall quality of of tech hires. Only time will tell, but it’s a promising start.
The shift to remote work brought new challenges for companies in most industries, but it was certainly a boon for those in the cloud space. In fact, organizations have been making record-setting investments in cloud services, and that trend shows no signs of slowing down. The same is true for almost every role related to the cloud — like automation QA testing in the cloud, infosec analysts with experience securing a cloud environment, DevOps developers with experience in cloud environments and more. You can also see that reflected in the fact that there were more than 40,000 jobs posted for cloud engineers in the last 12 months alone. For employers looking to land these skilled professionals, meeting that compensation expectation is simply going to be table stakes.
Cloud engineers themselves, meanwhile, appear to have rapidly adjusted to our new normal, seamlessly transitioning from collocated work arrangements to distributed remote teams. For employers looking to hire these professionals, on the other hand, there will be considerable hurdles to overcome — and sourcing and attracting talent isn’t the only one. How will you effectively onboard remote employees into your organization, for example? That should be a focus area for HR teams going into 2021.
DevOps developers are masters of all things ASP.NET, Microsoft’s application framework that allows developers to create web applications and services. This framework is a key part of the value proposition for many advanced tech companies today, so it comes as no surprise that demand for these professionals is currently skyrocketing: There were nearly 50,000 jobs posted for DevOps developers in the last 12 months. For employers, meanwhile, the average time-to-fill for these roles is north of 50 days.
That likely means many would-be employers today are instead suffering from key vacancies in their IT departments. Worse, with average annual salaries for DevOps developers at $137,830 — higher even than the average for cloud engineers — organizations should expect to spend considerable budget just to be in the running for skilled and experienced developers. It’s a pay-to-play hiring environment, and there’s simply no way around it.
Front-end developers are the visual artists of the web development world, translating UI/UX designs and wireframes into code that transforms websites into visually compelling experiences that are also easy to navigate. There's a lot riding on their shoulders, in other words, and the high number of job postings for these professionals — 36,306 in the last 12 months alone — clearly reflects that.
Plus, with 15 percent growth forecast over the next 10 years, employers eager to hire today's most gifted front-end developers will need to take an aggressive approach if they hope to deliver on their talent acquisition goals. Tactically, HR leaders should bear in mind that these candidates are often still early in their careers: the majority (59.9%) have between three and five years of experience in the field. Be sure to tailor your hiring strategies and prioritize the channels you invest in accordingly.
Slightly more specialized than DevOps or .NET developers, machine learning engineers are no less in demand, even if the number of job postings for these pros is dwarfed by the figures for those two other roles: 6,916 in the past 12 months (compared to 49,500 and 48,543, respectively). And with average annual salaries of $137,513, acquiring them can be an expensive proposition, too.
In the context of COVID-19, here as elsewhere the most significant disruption in the hiring process may be a broad-based flattening of geographic distinctions. In the past, demand for machine learning experts had largely been restricted to tech-heavy hubs like San Francisco, New York City and Boston. With the arrival of remote work en masse, however, job openings are far more likely to draw candidates from a wider geographic radius. That’s certainly good news for companies — and just might make it easier to attract and hire these highly coveted pros in 2021.
There has been an alarming increase in the frequency and severity of cyber attacks since the onset of the global pandemic. At this point, the FBI is receiving as many as 4,000 complaints per day related to cyber attacks, which represents a 400 percent increase over pre-COVID-19 levels. With malicious actors apparently hungry to take advantage of newly decentralized workforces — and with the overall cost of a single data breach for U.S.-based companies estimated to be $8.19 million — it’s no wonder that security analysts are among the most sought-after tech professionals on the job market today.
However, for employers looking to hire these security experts, it’s almost impossible to overstate the current level of demand: There were more than 166,000 jobs posted for security analysts in the last 12 months. And with 28 percent growth forecast for the next 10 years, that number will climb higher still. With such stiff competition — and such high stakes — employers should think seriously about their salary offerings for these vital security professionals. That may be the only way to get on the radar of the best candidates out there.
The shift to remote work brought new challenges for companies in most industries, but it was certainly a boon for those in the cloud space. In fact, organizations have been making record-setting investments in cloud services, and that trend shows no signs of slowing down. The same is true for almost every role related to the cloud — like automation QA testing in the cloud, infosec analysts with experience securing a cloud environment, DevOps developers with experience in cloud environments and more. You can also see that reflected in the fact that there were more than 40,000 jobs posted for cloud engineers in the last 12 months alone. For employers looking to land these skilled professionals, meeting that compensation expectation is simply going to be table stakes.
Cloud engineers themselves, meanwhile, appear to have rapidly adjusted to our new normal, seamlessly transitioning from collocated work arrangements to distributed remote teams. For employers looking to hire these professionals, on the other hand, there will be considerable hurdles to overcome — and sourcing and attracting talent isn’t the only one. How will you effectively onboard remote employees into your organization, for example? That should be a focus area for HR teams going into 2021.
The shift to remote work brought new challenges for companies in most industries, but it was certainly a boon for those in the cloud space. In fact, organizations have been making record-setting investments in cloud services, and that trend shows no signs of slowing down. The same is true for almost every role related to the cloud — like automation QA testing in the cloud, infosec analysts with experience securing a cloud environment, DevOps developers with experience in cloud environments and more. You can also see that reflected in the fact that there were more than 40,000 jobs posted for cloud engineers in the last 12 months alone. For employers looking to land these skilled professionals, meeting that compensation expectation is simply going to be table stakes.
Cloud engineers themselves, meanwhile, appear to have rapidly adjusted to our new normal, seamlessly transitioning from collocated work arrangements to distributed remote teams. For employers looking to hire these professionals, on the other hand, there will be considerable hurdles to overcome — and sourcing and attracting talent isn’t the only one. How will you effectively onboard remote employees into your organization, for example? That should be a focus area for HR teams going into 2021.
DevOps developers are masters of all things ASP.NET, Microsoft’s application framework that allows developers to create web applications and services. This framework is a key part of the value proposition for many advanced tech companies today, so it comes as no surprise that demand for these professionals is currently skyrocketing: There were nearly 50,000 jobs posted for DevOps developers in the last 12 months. For employers, meanwhile, the average time-to-fill for these roles is north of 50 days.
That likely means many would-be employers today are instead suffering from key vacancies in their IT departments. Worse, with average annual salaries for DevOps developers at $137,830 — higher even than the average for cloud engineers — organizations should expect to spend considerable budget just to be in the running for skilled and experienced developers. It’s a pay-to-play hiring environment, and there’s simply no way around it.
Front-end developers are the visual artists of the web development world, translating UI/UX designs and wireframes into code that transforms websites into visually compelling experiences that are also easy to navigate. There's a lot riding on their shoulders, in other words, and the high number of job postings for these professionals — 36,306 in the last 12 months alone — clearly reflects that.
Plus, with 15 percent growth forecast over the next 10 years, employers eager to hire today's most gifted front-end developers will need to take an aggressive approach if they hope to deliver on their talent acquisition goals. Tactically, HR leaders should bear in mind that these candidates are often still early in their careers: the majority (59.9%) have between three and five years of experience in the field. Be sure to tailor your hiring strategies and prioritize the channels you invest in accordingly.
Slightly more specialized than DevOps or .NET developers, machine learning engineers are no less in demand, even if the number of job postings for these pros is dwarfed by the figures for those two other roles: 6,916 in the past 12 months (compared to 49,500 and 48,543, respectively). And with average annual salaries of $137,513, acquiring them can be an expensive proposition, too.
In the context of COVID-19, here as elsewhere the most significant disruption in the hiring process may be a broad-based flattening of geographic distinctions. In the past, demand for machine learning experts had largely been restricted to tech-heavy hubs like San Francisco, New York City and Boston. With the arrival of remote work en masse, however, job openings are far more likely to draw candidates from a wider geographic radius. That’s certainly good news for companies — and just might make it easier to attract and hire these highly coveted pros in 2021.
There has been an alarming increase in the frequency and severity of cyber attacks since the onset of the global pandemic. At this point, the FBI is receiving as many as 4,000 complaints per day related to cyber attacks, which represents a 400 percent increase over pre-COVID-19 levels. With malicious actors apparently hungry to take advantage of newly decentralized workforces — and with the overall cost of a single data breach for U.S.-based companies estimated to be $8.19 million — it’s no wonder that security analysts are among the most sought-after tech professionals on the job market today.
However, for employers looking to hire these security experts, it’s almost impossible to overstate the current level of demand: There were more than 166,000 jobs posted for security analysts in the last 12 months. And with 28 percent growth forecast for the next 10 years, that number will climb higher still. With such stiff competition — and such high stakes — employers should think seriously about their salary offerings for these vital security professionals. That may be the only way to get on the radar of the best candidates out there.
In sharp contrast to most other industries, the dynamics of talent supply and demand in the tech sector weren’t radically upended in 2020. Several factors were behind that, not least of which the comparative ease with which sophisticated tech companies were able to transition to remote-work arrangements. At most of these companies, robust technical architecture was already in place and working from home a well-established routine. These proved to be two huge advantages, compared to other sectors.
Looking ahead, demand only appears to be going up. Expect the war for top tech talent to heat up throughout 2021, with an increased focus on skilling initiatives that will help businesses maintain continuity and gain a competitive edge. In the interim, forward-thinking leaders should start proactively working with HR teams to identify the right levers — whether that means salary increases, highly targeted outreach, new approaches to sourcing or even leveraging strategic partners — that will enable them to deliver on difficult talent acquisition goals in 2021.
This guide presents nationwide pay information for today’s most prevalent and in-demand technology positions.
Compensation data is organized by annual salaries across three levels of professional experience:
entry-level
one year of experience
mid-level
five years of experience
senior-level
10 years of experience
|
big data |
data warehouse/business intelligence developer | $109,937 | $133,418 | $158,189 |
Hadoop developer | $111,925 | $148,839 | $161,466 |
software development architect | $121,167 | $152,009 | $184,356 |
database administration |
ETL developer | $106,444 | $137,125 | $153,836 |
Oracle database administrator | $109,614 | $117,942 | $155,233 |
Oracle developer | $114,772 | $140,511 | $166,194 |
SQL-server database administrator | $100,372 | $129,603 | $143,143 |
SQL-server developer | $109,292 | $132,397 | $160,123 |
|
collaboration tools |
SharePoint developer | $113,644 | $130,678 | $163,292 |
CRM/ERP |
Oracle applications developer | $113,644 | $134,063 | $163,346 |
PEGA developer | $113,697 | $137,717 | $161,466 |
Salesforce administrator | $83,661 | $120,951 | $131,000 |
Salesforce developer | $112,838 | $138,791 | $158,135 |
SAP apps developer | $103,005 | $117,083 | $147,065 |
SharePoint administrator | $116,922 | $139,328 | $156,845 |
|
business analysis |
business analyst | $102,307 | $125,949 | $151,848 |
data analyst | $93,119 | $120,199 | $143,251 |
project management |
agile coach | $113,053 | $140,994 | $165,657 |
product manager | $124,659 | $139,167 | $162,487 |
program manager | $94,891 | $134,600 | $166,140 |
project coordinator | $108,109 | $133,955 | $162,809 |
project manager | $61,255 | $82,748 | $107,680 |
scrum master | $104,349 | $133,472 | $163,615 |
QA/testing |
automated QA tester | $93,924 | $115,847 | $141,692 |
manual QA tester | $89,840 | $115,256 | $138,361 |
performance engineer (QA) | $106,390 | $131,913 | $156,415 |
technical writing |
instructional designer | $79,524 | $125,573 | $151,525 |
technical writer | $91,345 | $121,059 | $162,218 |
|
desktop/help desk |
desktop/help desk support technician | $51,852 | $80,330 | $113,913 |
network engineering |
network administrator | $84,897 | $119,931 | $142,552 |
systems administrative engineering |
Linux/Unix systems engineer | $103,864 | $130,946 | $154,212 |
storage administrator | $90,271 | $118,748 | $145,077 |
virtualization engineer/cloud developer/cloud engineer | $110,366 | $135,191 | $167,000 |
Windows systems engineer | $103,864 | $115,954 | $145,830 |
|
network engineering |
certified ethical hacker (CEH)/penetration tester | $140,886 | $150,451 | $171,943 |
cybersecurity engineer | $112,731 | $130,892 | $168,289 |
network engineer (Cisco or Juniper) | $84,897 | $112,032 | $147,549 |
network security engineer | $98,169 | $131,322 | $153,353 |
security analyst | $98,438 | $127,078 | $149,859 |
|
application architecture |
software architect | $121,167 | $152,009 | $184,356 |
software development engineer in test | $90,808 | $130,409 | $153,782 |
devops |
build and release engineer/configuration engineer | $121,436 | $140,779 | $140,779 |
devops developer | $112,785 | $140,242 | $165,980 |
software engineering |
.NET developer | $108,055 | $130,892 | $155,663 |
artificial intelligence (AI)/applications engineer | $116,545 | $140,511 | $170,977 |
data scientist | $116,331 | $126,218 | $156,630 |
embedded engineer | $111,978 | $133,310 | $161,412 |
full stack web developer | $109,400 | $136,266 | $161,304 |
JavaScript developer | $106,820 | $133,364 | $160,714 |
machine learning engineer | $110,635 | $139,919 | $171,031 |
mobile developer (iOS, Android, W8) | $105,960 | $137,071 | $156,039 |
Python developer | $109,292 | $141,692 | $165,549 |
software engineer/back-end engineer | $112,677 | $138,576 | $160,767 |
web and app design |
graphic designer | $79,738 | $123,424 | $143,089 |
PHP developer | $99,620 | $131,429 | $167,162 |
Ruby developer | $113,913 | $141,477 | $167,162 |
UI/visual designer | $107,841 | $128,581 | $155,663 |
UX/interaction designer | $108,915 | $135,997 | $159,317 |
For salary information and titles specific to your region, contact your local Randstad representative today.
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