Is Technology a Good Career Path?

In the tech industry, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts an employment growth rate well above the national average between 2023 and 2033 [1]. It’s an exciting, challenging field that’s constantly evolving and influencing how we live our lives, making it a popular career choice for many. The technology sector is broad and you’ll have many career path options depending on your technical skills and interests. In this article, discover the benefits of working in tech and compare popular roles and employers. You'll also find tips on the education, skills, and experience you need to start different technology careers.

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Is technology a good career path?

Tech careers are popular for a few reasons. They often offer high salaries, room for growth, and flexible work options, such as remote. The following sections break down each of these benefits in more detail

Growing industry

As a growing industry, the tech world can be an exciting place to be—it puts you at the forefront of technological advancement, providing frequent opportunities to learn new things. Examples of growing sectors of the tech industry today include blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), and cloud computing. There isn’t a set route into all technology careers, and as a result, you can enter the industry with different levels of education, experience, and expertise.

Flexibility

Tech is leading the way in flexible work, with remote options now common across the industry. Thanks to tools like video conferencing and cloud platforms, many roles can be done from anywhere with an internet connection, making work-life balance a real priority.

Career progression

With so many available opportunities, the technology industry offers a plethora of options for career advancements and pivots as well as skill development. Since the industry is ever-evolving, numerous learning opportunities are open to you, allowing you to develop new skills to enhance your career prospects.

High salaries and job outlook

The tech sector is famous for offering high salaries. People with particular tech skills can be sought after and are paid accordingly. Some of the world's biggest companies are tech companies, and while their openings are competitive, they often offer excellent salaries and bonuses.

According to the BLS, the median annual salary for IT and computer professionals as a collective group is $104,420 [1]. Your salary will depend on your position, experience, location, and employer. The BLS also states that, in May 2023, the highest 10 percent of computer and information research scientists earned more than $233,110 annually while the lowest still earned $81,450 [2].

Popular technology companies you could work for

The number of tech companies worldwide is extensive, offering a variety of opportunities. However, some are particularly popular. These companies are generally known for their admired work culture, generous pay, and exciting developments. At the time of writing, these are some of the top tech companies to work for, according to Glassdoor [3]:

• Google: A Big Five multinational tech company

• Microsoft: The world’s leading and largest software manufacturer

• IBM: One of the world’s largest IT companies and computer manufacturers 

• Apple: Part of the “Big Five,” a group of the top tech companies worldwide (Meta, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, and Alphabet) and a leader in the worldwide smart phone market

• Cisco: An enterprise software and network solutions company that has consistently made the list of Glassdoor's Best Places to work since 2018

Examples of technology careers

To help you explore which tech careers might be suitable for you, read the following examples along with their average annual salaries.

* Average annual base salary data is retrieved from Glassdoor as of April 2025.

Data science

Data scientists work with data to answer questions by understanding patterns, finding meaning in complex numbers, creating algorithms, and using programs to capture data. Some data science job roles are:

• Data scientist: $$113,473

• Data engineer: $99,575

• Data analyst: $73,647

• Data architect: $132,340

Analytics

Analysts gather data from diverse sources to clean, structure, and use it to derive conclusions across multiple specialties. Here are several types of analyst jobs and their average annual salaries:

• Information security analyst: $98,648

• Computer systems analyst: $97,800

• Network analyst: $91,456

• Business analyst: $83,219

Programming

Computer programmers write, build, and test code and scripts using programming languages to create and run software. Programmers use a variety of languages, often specializing or incorporating programming skills into other roles. Some positions that require programming skills are:

• Web developer: $81,254

• Software developer: $95,138

• Computer programmer: $80,363

• Mobile app developer: $80,952

Support

Support specialists provide technical support to organizations, businesses, and technology users. They may work remotely and in person to troubleshoot, fix, and maintain networks and computer systems. Some support roles include:

• Help desk analyst: $63,560

• Computer technician: $53,164

• Network engineer: $102,618

• IT support technician: $54,076

Non-technical tech roles

Working in tech doesn’t always mean you have to be technical. Even technical roles need people with workplace communication and customer service skills. You may find plenty of positions that utilize these and many other skills, such as marketing, finance, and recruitment roles. Some examples include:

• Account manager: $73,775

• Technical recruiter: $72,894

• Product manager: $194,826

• Customer service representative: $47,315

How to work in tech

Working in tech doesn’t have a specific entry requirement, as roles vary, and different companies look for different qualifications in their employees. It isn’t even required to be tech-savvy for some roles. When entering the tech industry, define what you want to do and explore what recruiters require for that specific role.

Skills

An important factor in landing a competitive role is demonstrating an innate interest in the technology you want to work with. This is essential even if you are not going for a technical role. You can do this by joining networks, using technology in your daily life, and working on relevant personal or professional projects that you can add to a portfolio. This helps you build valuable tech skills and gives you a way to demonstrate them. 

In addition, you can hone a variety of workplace skills that are useful for any position in tech, including:

• Communication

• Problem-solving

• Teamwork and collaboration

• Self-motivation

• Organization

• Time management 

• Attention to detail

• Creativity

• Adaptability

Education

The level of education needed for a tech career depends on the role and the employer. Some employers and positions require minimal education and rely heavily on skills, while others call for advanced degrees. Generally, a bachelor’s degree is the minimum requirement, and it’s usually recommended to align your major with the job role you want to pursue.

Read more: What Can You Do With a Computer Science Degree? 10 In-Demand Fields

Experience

Experience is important in the tech industry. This doesn’t necessarily have to focus on paid work if you’re just starting your career, but you typically need to show employers some evidence that you have the necessary skills. This might be through your portfolio, which may include personal projects, or through a college degree, certifications, online courses, certificates, internships, or other positions you’ve held.

Read more: Top 5 Entry-Level Computer Science Jobs + How to Get One

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