A new study shows that the highest-paid tech job differs widely from state to state.
AI education platform DataCamp drew from 2023 salary data published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to find the tech jobs with the best average compensation by state. Though New Jersey’s top role was database architect, with an average annual salary of $158,930, the highest-paying position for its neighbor, New York, was software developer, with an average salary of $150,020.
California, too, had software development as the best-paying job on average, with a mean salary of $173,780.
“The tech industry is rapidly changing every day, and the diversity in the highest-paid roles across states reflects the different needs and priorities of businesses in various regions,” DataCamp co-founder Martijn Theuwissen stated. “From this, states like California, which are home to many tech startups, are pumping more money into the software development field, likely to increase productivity and quality.”
The highest-paid job that came up the most frequently, with 19 states featuring it, wasn’t software development but database architect. Fifteen states had computer network architect as the top-paying role, while only 12 had software development as the best-compensated tech job.
The researchers behind the list caution that the jobs on this list may change in a few years.
“As businesses increasingly rely on data-driven solutions and tools, the demand for experts who can maintain these things will also increase, and completely new job titles will likely pop up,” Theuwissen predicted.
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Here are the highest-paying tech jobs by state.
Highest-paid tech job: Computer Network Architects
Annual state mean salary: $126,860
Highest-paid tech job: Software Developers
Annual state mean salary: $145,630
Highest-paid tech job: Software Developers
Annual state mean salary: $128,040
Highest-paid tech job: Computer Network Architects
Annual state mean salary: $112,890
Highest-paid tech job: Software Developers
Annual state mean salary: $173,780
Highest-paid tech job: Software Developers
Annual state mean salary: $145,420
Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects
Annual state mean salary: $140,610
Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects
Annual state mean salary: $153,570
Highest-paid tech job: Computer Network Architects
Annual state mean salary: $125,730
Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects
Annual state mean salary: $147,250
Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects
Annual state mean salary: $137,690
Highest-paid tech job: Computer Network Architects
Annual state mean salary: $142,600
Highest-paid tech job: Computer Network Architects
Annual state mean salary: $135,690
Highest-paid tech job: Computer Network Architects
Annual state mean salary: $112,560
Highest-paid tech job: Information Security Analysts
Annual state mean salary: $143,960
Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects
Annual state mean salary: $161,820
Highest-paid tech job: Computer Network Architects
Annual state mean salary: $109,030
Highest-paid tech job: Software Developers
Annual state mean salary: $128,980
Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects
Annual state mean salary: $118,990
Highest-paid tech job: Computer Network Architects
Annual state mean salary: $151,840
Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects
Annual state mean salary: $152,850
Highest-paid tech job: Computer Network Architects
Annual state mean salary: $116,130
Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects
Annual state mean salary: $128,380
Highest-paid tech job: Information Security Analysts
Annual state mean salary: $95,580
Highest-paid tech job: Computer Network Architects
Annual state mean salary: $115,800
Highest-paid tech job: Software Developers
Annual state mean salary: $131,380
Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects
Annual state mean salary: $130,230
Highest-paid tech job: Software Developers
Annual state mean salary: $133,490
Highest-paid tech job: Information Security Analysts
Annual state mean salary: $139,050
Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects
Annual state mean salary: $158,930
Highest-paid tech job: Information Security Analysts
Annual state mean salary: $127,860
Highest-paid tech job: Software Developers
Annual state mean salary: $150,020
Highest-paid tech job: Software Developers
Annual state mean salary: $130,970
Highest-paid tech job: Computer Network Architects
Annual state mean salary: $117,860
Highest-paid tech job: Computer Network Architects
Annual state mean salary: $123,290
Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects
Annual state mean salary: $119,940
Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects
Annual state mean salary: $132,460
Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects
Annual state mean salary: $121,960
Highest-paid tech job: Software Developers
Annual state mean salary: $135,030
Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects
Annual state mean salary: $126,340
Highest-paid tech job: Computer Network Architects
Annual state mean salary: $154,370
Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects
Annual state mean salary: $119,530
Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects
Annual state mean salary: $139,570
Highest-paid tech job: Computer Network Architects
Annual state mean salary: $151,320
Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects
Annual state mean salary: $152,540
Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects
Annual state mean salary: $143,300
Highest-paid tech job: Software Developers
Annual state mean salary: $159,990
Highest-paid tech job: Computer Network Architects
Annual state mean salary: $104,250
Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects
Annual state mean salary: $130,180
Highest-paid tech job: Software Developers
Annual state mean salary: $127,790
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