New research has revealed the highest-paid tech jobs in each state, with database architects, computer network architects, software developers, and information security analysts all being featured.
The study by data and AI education platform DataCamp analyzed the latest 2023 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for every state on the salaries of all 21 jobs that fall under ‘Computer and Information Technology Occupations’ to find which jobs in tech are the highest paid in each state.
Number of states each tech job is the highest-paid in, and their average salary
| Job title | Number of states where it’s the highest-paid tech job | Average salary in those states |
| Database architects | 19 | $137,692 |
| Computer network architects | 15 | $126,681 |
| Software developers | 12 | $140,877 |
| Information security analysts | 4 | $126,613 |
It was found that database architects have the highest-paid tech jobs in 19 states, with an average salary of $137,692. These states include Texas, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. Database architects are responsible for ensuring data storage and retrieval for businesses run smoothly and efficiently.
Computer network architects come next, being the highest-paid tech job in 15 states, at an average salary in these states of $126,681. These states include Florida, Illinois, and Ohio. Computer network architects ensure communication networks, including local area networks, work efficiently.
Next is software developers, the highest-paid job in 12 states, with an average salary of $140,877. These states include California, New York, and North Carolina. Software developers design, create, and maintain software by writing code, testing programs, and ensuring they function correctly.
Information security analysts are the highest-paid tech job in four states, with an average salary of $126,613. These states are Iowa, Mississippi, New Mexico, and New Hampshire. Their job is to ensure businesses’ systems and networks are secure from breaches by implementing protective measures and working on ways to protect data.
The five most common tech jobs in the US and their annual mean salaries
| Rank | Tech job | Number of jobs, 2023 | Mean annual salary |
| 1 | Software developers | 1,656,880 | $138,110 |
| 2 | Computer support specialists | 892,000 | $60,810 |
| 3 | Computer systems analysts | 527,200 | $103,800 |
| 4 | Network and computer systems administrators | 323,020 | $100,580 |
| 5 | Information security analysts | 180,700 | $120,360 |
Commenting on the findings, Martijn Theuwissen from DataCamp said, “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. 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. 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. Existing jobs in these fields may see some dramatic salary increases.”
ENDS
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Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Methodology:
- Salary data on jobs under the BLS classification for ‘Computer and Information Technology Occupations’ was sourced for each US state.
- The highest-paid jobs from this classification in each state were counted, as seen in the list above, and the average salary these jobs earned in these respective states was also calculated.
These jobs used were as follows:
- Information Security Analysts
- Computer User Support Specialists
- Computer Network Architects
- Database Administrators
- Database Architects
- Network and Computer Systems Administrators
- Computer Programmers
- Software Developers
- Web and Digital Interface Designers
- Computer Systems Analysts
- Web Developers
- Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers
- Computer Network Support Specialists
- Data Scientists
- Computer Occupations, All Other
- Operations Research Analysts
- Statisticians
- Computer and Information Research Scientists
- Actuaries
- Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other
- Mathematicians
The highest-paid tech jobs in each state
| State | Highest-paid tech job | Annual state mean salary |
| Alabama | Computer Network Architects | $126,860 |
| Alaska | Software Developers | $145,630 |
| Arizona | Software Developers | $128,040 |
| Arkansas | Computer Network Architects | $112,890 |
| California | Software Developers | $173,780 |
| Colorado | Software Developers | $145,420 |
| Connecticut | Database Architects | $140,610 |
| Delaware | Database Architects | $153,570 |
| Florida | Computer Network Architects | $125,730 |
| Georgia | Database Architects | $147,250 |
| Hawaii | Database Architects | $137,690 |
| Idaho | Computer Network Architects | $142,600 |
| Illinois | Computer Network Architects | $135,690 |
| Indiana | Computer Network Architects | $112,560 |
| Iowa | Information Security Analysts | $143,960 |
| Kansas | Database Architects | $161,820 |
| Kentucky | Computer Network Architects | $109,030 |
| Louisiana | Software Developers | $128,980 |
| Maine | Database Architects | $118,990 |
| Maryland | Computer Network Architects | $151,840 |
| Massachusetts | Database Architects | $152,850 |
| Michigan | Computer Network Architects | $116,130 |
| Minnesota | Database Architects | $128,380 |
| Mississippi | Information Security Analysts | $95,580 |
| Missouri | Computer Network Architects | $115,800 |
| Montana | Software Developers | $131,380 |
| Nebraska | Database Architects | $130,230 |
| Nevada | Software Developers | $133,490 |
| New Hampshire | Information Security Analysts | $139,050 |
| New Jersey | Database Architects | $158,930 |
| New Mexico | Information Security Analysts | $127,860 |
| New York | Software Developers | $150,020 |
| North Carolina | Software Developers | $130,970 |
| North Dakota | Computer Network Architects | $117,860 |
| Ohio | Computer Network Architects | $123,290 |
| Oklahoma | Database Architects | $119,940 |
| Oregon | Database Architects | $132,460 |
| Pennsylvania | Database Architects | $121,960 |
| Rhode Island | Software Developers | $135,030 |
| South Carolina | Database Architects | $126,340 |
| South Dakota | Computer Network Architects | $154,370 |
| Tennessee | Database Architects | $119,530 |
| Texas | Database Architects | $139,570 |
| Utah | Computer Network Architects | $151,320 |
| Vermont | Database Architects | $152,540 |
| Virginia | Database Architects | $143,300 |
| Washington | Software Developers | $159,990 |
| West Virginia | Computer Network Architects | $104,250 |
| Wisconsin | Database Architects | $130,180 |
| Wyoming | Software Developers | $127,790 |