Dev App Academy
Not only is tech one of the highest-paying industries, there are ample opportunities within it. In fact, there are so many open roles, top companies are looking for people to fill these positions that don’t have the traditional “experience” other industries may require.
Namely — college degrees.
We’ve compiled eight of the highest-paying tech jobs you can earn without a college degree, so long as you have the skill set necessary to complete those jobs. We’ll expand on how to learn those skills, as well.
Learn More: 38 Jobs You Can Get with No College Degree
8 highest-paying jobs in tech without a college degree
Software engineering.
As one of the leading software engineering bootcamps in the world, we’ve watched hundreds of students who don’t boast college degrees go on to find incredibly successful jobs as software engineers at major companies. CEOs like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk often hire folks who don’t have college degrees because they and other leaders in tech firmly believe that you can learn the skills you need to succeed outside of a college classroom.
Software engineers create and routinely debug computer systems and applications for computers, tablets, and other mobile devices. On average, the salary in the US across all cities and levels for a software engineer is about $94,000, according to Indeed.
Web development.
Similar to software engineering but different enough that they warrant different titles, salaries, and roles, web developers tend to work just on website software, whereas mobile developers work on mobile apps. A web developer may do any of the following:
- Create, optimize, and test new web apps and new site features
- Troubleshoot website issue and bugs
- Monitor website traffic and keep systems afloat
- Stay up-to-date on releases and new tools
The skill set of a web developer is increasingly important as most of our life — shopping, communicating, and enjoying entertainment — now takes place online. The average salary of a web developer in the US is near $70,000.
Network engineer.
According to Tech Target, “A network engineer is a technology professional who has the necessary skills to plan, implement and oversee the computer networks that support in-house voice, data, video and wireless network services.” They ensure the entire network system is healthy and viable to support the devices that use it.
A network engineer is a highly technical role, typically electrical engineering. While this is a skill that can be studied in school, it can also be developed at trade or technical schools. The base salary from Indeed clocks in at $90,000.
IT manager.
No company would be able to function without an IT team. They provide services to support, maintain, and troubleshoot all network systems and technology. They’re invaluable to any organization and, luckily, often able to find work even without a college degree.
While IT managers tend to oversee a team of IT specialists, they’re sometimes a team of one. For this reason, they have an average salary of over $87,000.
Technical writer.
Technical writers have a unique skill in the industry. Without them, people using, buying, or creating technology wouldn’t have a clue how to use them. Technical writers create documentation and diagrams of how products or programs work. They break them down into digestible pieces or often into laymen’s terms. They tend to be paid hourly due to the nature of their work, but they can clock in anywhere between $30-70, on average.
Ruby on Rails developer.
While software engineers and web developers tend to have both back-end and front-end capabilities, language-specific developers still have ample opportunities in tech. One such language that has been and remains popular today is Ruby on Rails.
It’s widely popular in building both web and mobile applications, so the need for folks who specialize in Ruby on Rails pays generously. See the average Ruby on Rails programmer salary, by city, here.
Python developer.
Python’s rise to popularity was slower than other languages, but it currently ranks as the #1 most popular programming language for beginner and advanced programmers alike. It’s easy to learn and read, and its capabilities span a number of use cases.
Again, Python can be used on both web or mobile platforms, so it’s a particularly powerful language to master. For those who can, the compensation is strong.
Find out How Much Python Programmer Make Near You: Python Programmer Salaries by City
JavaScript developer.
JavaScript has been around for decades, and it remains one of the top-paying languages for developer and programmers in tech. This front-end programming language is a must-have no matter what type of project you’re working on, as you’ll need JavaScript to make your web page function; think of anything that scrolls, moves, or changes as you navigate — that’s JavaScript.
We’ve listed out the average JavaScript salary by city here.
Where to learn skills to find high-paying tech jobs with no college degree
Thinking about making the switch to a role in tech? Coding bootcamps equip you with the must-have skills to learn programming and other applicable skills you need to be successful in the industry — no college degree required.
Learn more about App Academy’s programs that will take you from beginner to full-fledged tech employee.
