When many people think of top paying jobs, they will still think of doctors and lawyers, but in todays’ digital world, those in tech jobs are in some of the highest paid jobs in the UK without the recognition.
For a while, tech has been trendy, but now it is also now a lucrative, fruitful profession. Emolument.com have analysed salaries from 5,800 UK employees working in technology jobs, in the latest study to put light on where the highest salaries lie:
| Rank | Job | Median Salary | Average experience |
| 1 | Enterprise Architecture | £65,000 | 14 years |
| 2 | Programme Management | £65,000 | 12 years |
| 3 | IT Security | £59,000 | 12 years |
| 4 | Product Management | £58,000 | 10 years |
| 5 | Data Science | £53,000 | 6 years |
The top three best paying tech jobs require the most experience, yet fortunately all of the roles are based on competencies that can be learnt whilst on the job, in University or through online courses, meaning getting into these careers is very achievable.
If you are working on the periphery of technology, you can also earn a healthy wage, as it is not just developers and software engineers who are raking it in.
Digital marketing and data analysis are among the lowest paid technology jobs, but at £34,000 and £37,000, they still offer a more than modest wage, and it is highly possible that as these often junior roles will grow and be even better paid as the employees mature.
Enterprise Architecture
The enterprise architecture tops the list for the best paid tech jobs, as this crucial role ensures that business and IT are in alignment. The enterprise architect links the business mission, strategy and processes of the organisation to its IT strategy.
Working with stakeholders and leadership, the enterprise architect builds a holistic view of the organisations strategy, and uses multiple models or views to show how the current and future needs of the organisation will be met. This must be done in an efficient, sustainable, agile and adaptable manner.
Programme Management
The industry with the highest salary for Programme Manager jobs is IT & Internet, and in this vital role, the programme manager is responsible for delivering change.
It is not a role that requires advanced coding skills, and instead requires a person who is skilled at managing several related projects, with the intention of improving on the organisations performance.
The programme manager oversees the purpose and status of projects in a programme, supporting project level activity to ensure the programme goals are met.
They provide a decision making capacity that cannot be achieved at project level, and provide the project manager with a programme perspective.
IT Security
This field is of growing importance in our digital world, due to our increasing reliance on computer systems, the internet, wireless networks and smart devices.
IT security is responsible for the protection of computer systems from theft or damage to software, hardware and information. These workers control physical access to hardware and protect against harm via network access and code injection.
The IT security also protects computer systems from disruption or misdirection of the services that they provide, in an increasingly networked world.
Product Management
This role does not require advanced coding skills, and the product manager deals with the planning, forecasting and production or marketing of a product at all stages of the product lifecycle.
In new start-ups or technology firms, the product manager is one of the most important roles, being responsible for the product launch strategy and the roadmap of the business, which puts them high on the list of well paid jobs in IT.
The product manager often becomes a first-hand user and consumer of the company’s products, and spends time learning about the customers want, need and think. To maximise the impact and benefits to an organisation, product management is an independent function.
Data Science
Data scientists use scientific methods, processes and systems to extract knowledge and insights from data, in various forms, either structured or unstructured. In this interdisciplinary field, the aim is to understand and analyse actual phenomena with data.
Like a typical scientist, the data scientist tests and experiments with processes, formula and solutions until they find one that works best. He or she analyses data and determines whether the data gathered are relevant for the company’s expectations.
Data science is the rising star of this report, and despite the average experience only being six years, data scientists rank 5 out of 6. The exponential need for AI and machine learning combined with a lack of candidates are the primary reason for its inflation.
It is apparent that those with technology skills are in a good shape salary wise, and should be successful at finding work, now and for the foreseeable future, creating an exciting new outlook for personal development.
Alice Leguay, Co-Founder at Emolument, said: “Nowadays, experienced developers can name their price as companies struggle to meet demand, and desperately require more bandwidth. The doors remain open for professionals to move from one specialism to the next, thereby keeping up with trends and demand.”
