IT Salary Overview: How Much Can You Make?

Computer and information technology (IT) professionals in the US made a median salary of $104,420, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) [1]. Keep in mind that many factors can influence your salary, including your level of experience, skill set, the cost of living of your location, your education level, and what certifications you have.

In this article, you'll explore how much IT professionals earn, including how common factors like their profession, location, and certification status can impact their pay. Afterward, if you're ready to launch your career in the field, consider enrolling in the Google IT Support Professional Certificate to develop job-ready skills.

IT salaries by position

So what do IT workers in these roles actually make? The following are the average annual base salaries from different IT positions in the US.

• Product support specialist: $60,351

• Desktop support analyst: $76,988

• Hardware analyst: $85,579

• Systems administrator: $80,463

• Systems analyst: $102,271

• Scrum master: $114,318

• Cloud analyst: $80,870

• Database administrator: $100,669

• Systems engineer: $106,800

• Network/cloud engineer: $124,526

• DevOps Engineer: $112,192

• Site reliability engineer: $129,279

• Network security engineer: $107,319

• Big data engineer: $129,803

• Security architect: $143,059

• Network/cloud architect: $131,816

• Information systems security manager (ISSM): $132,108

*Note: All salary data is sourced from Glassdoor as of March 2024

What IT roles make the highest salaries?

The highest salaries in the IT world are tied to roles that are high in demand and currently have a shortage of qualified workers—typically positions related to cloud computing, cybersecurity, and big data. Managers, engineers, and architects indicate mid-career or senior positions and are also correlated with higher incomes.

Generally speaking, entry-level positions are correlated with lower salaries. These include help desk and troubleshooting positions like help desk analyst, IT technician, and IT associate. As you gain more experience and specialize your skills in areas like systems administration or cloud computing, you'll see your salary increase.

Unsure if there's space for you in this exciting field? Hear more about diversity in IT from Joe, a real-world IT professional, in the below lecture from Google's IT Support Professional Certificate.

IT salaries by location: US states and cities

Here’s what you’ll make across various states in the US, according to Salary Explorer [2]. The states listed below are the ten most populous, beginning with the largest population.

Here are the metro areas across the US that are correlated with the largest tech salaries. Salary data was provided by Levels.fyi and compiled by Dice in the summer of 2023 [3]. Keep in mind that these areas may also be more expensive to live in, leading to higher salaries.

Boosting your IT salary

Learning in-demand skills, through certifications or other means, has been linked to an increase in salaries. So has furthering your education.

How do skills and certifications impact your salary?

According to Skillsoft, IT professionals with certifications often have a higher earning potential than those without them, largely due to the fact that certifications legitimize certain high-impact skills that employers value. Furthermore, 20 percent of IT professionals who received certification training report that they received a raise as a result [4]. 

IT skills associated with higher salaries

Pursuing in-demand skills in the industry may make you more competitive for raises and higher-paying jobs. These technical skills include:

• Cybersecurity

• Data analysis

• DevOps

• Cloud computing

• Machine learning

You can also speak with your employer to see what skills gaps your company is hoping to fill. Or browse job listings of roles similar to yours to see what skills are currently in demand.

Build critical IT skills online today

Interested in developing IT skills that may increase your earning potential? Consider taking one of these courses and specializations on Coursera.

IBM's Introduction to Cloud Computing offers an overview of the technology, emerging trends in the field, and the most popular cloud platforms.

Google's Foundations of Cybersecurity covers foundational cybersecurity concepts, how security attacks impact businesses, and common tools used by cybersecurity analysts.

DeepLearning. AI and Stanford's Machine Learning Specialization teaches fundamental AI concepts and practical machine learning skills

IT certifications associated with higher salaries

According to research fromSkillsoft, the following IT certifications were linked to the highest salaries heading into 2024 [5]:

1. Google Cloud - Professional Cloud Architect: $200,960

2. Google Cloud - Professional Data Engineer: $193,621

3. PMP®: Project Management Professional: $176,116

4. AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional: $174,137

5. CISM - Certified Information Security Manager: $167,396

6. AWS Certified Security- Specialty: $166,449

7. Google Cloud Professional - Cloud Database Engineer: $163,193

8. Google Cloud Associate - Cloud Engineer: $161,075

9. AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate: $160,052

10. CISSP - Certified Information Systems Security Professional: $156,699

You can also look at cloud and security certifications, two areas that are currently in demand. Popular cybersecurity certifications include:

1. Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)

2. Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)

3. Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)

4. CompTIA Security+

5. Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)

If you're trying to incorporate cloud knowledge into your skill set, consider these entry-level cloud certifications:

1. AWS Solutions Architect - Associate

2. Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals

3. Google Associate Cloud Engineer

4. IBM Certified Solution Advisor - IBM Cloud Foundations V2

5. Cloud Security Alliance: Certificate of Cloud Security Knowledge (CCSK)

Just getting started in IT? Take a look at entry-level IT certifications.

Should I get an IT degree?

Degrees aren’t always necessary to land a job in IT. But higher education levels are linked to higher incomes—the BLS found that those with at least a bachelor’s degree made a median income of $1,608 a week in the fourth quarter of 2023. Compare that with high school graduates, who made $917 a week [6]. 

Employers may also still favor job candidates with at least a bachelor’s degree, or even master’s degrees, for certain IT positions. Though going back to school might be intimidating, the financial and career benefits can be rewarding. If you’ve already received a bachelor’s degree, pursuing a master’s degree in IT or computer science can help you advance in your current role, or pivot to a new one.

So yes—a degree in IT has its benefits. But it'll also cost you time and money. In making your decision, think about where you want your career to go. Are you willing to make a long-term investment for salary increases and a faster track to managerial positions? Then a degree might make sense. If you're looking for a quick way to find a new job or get a raise, other options like a certification might be what you're looking for.

Read more: Do I Need an Information Technology Degree? 4 Things to Consider

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Build key IT skills on Coursera

To prepare for a career in IT, enroll in Google's IT Support Professional certificate. In this five-course series, you'll learn to perform day-to-day IT support tasks including computer assembly, wireless networking, installing programs, and customer service.

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