Technology remains one of the highest-paying career paths in 2025, with advancements in AI, cybersecurity, and blockchain driving salaries to record highs. If you're looking for a lucrative IT career, this guide will cover the best-paying roles, salary ranges, and emerging trends.
Which IT Job Is the Highest Paid?
AI Engineers command top salaries due to the increasing reliance on machine learning, deep learning, and AI automation across industries like finance, healthcare, and autonomous technology.
Top 10 Highest-Paying IT Jobs in 2025
Rank |
Job Title |
Average Salary (2025) |
1 |
Artificial Intelligence Engineer |
$180,000 – $350,000 |
2 |
Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) |
$200,000 – $350,000 |
3 |
Blockchain Developer |
$130,000 – $220,000 |
4 |
Cloud Architect |
$150,000 – $250,000 |
5 |
Cybersecurity Engineer |
$120,000 – $250,000 |
6 |
Software Engineering Manager |
$140,000 – $220,000 |
7 |
DevOps Engineer |
$130,000 – $200,000 |
8 |
Data Scientist |
$120,000 – $200,000 |
9 |
IT Director |
$140,000 – $180,000 |
10 |
Full-Stack Developer |
$110,000 – $180,000 |
Emerging Tech Trends Driving IT Salaries
1. Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning
AI is reshaping industries, leading to higher demand for AI Engineers, Data Scientists, and AI-powered software developers. In our survey of the highest paying tech jobs on our site, from the top 400 (all of which were over $200k base), 22% had "AI", "ML", "Data" or "Decisioning" in the job title.
2. Cybersecurity & Data Protection
With increasing cyber threats, roles like CISO and Cybersecurity Engineer are more critical than ever, pushing salaries higher. From the same survey as above, as many as 1 in 20 open vacancies are specifically hired for cybersecurity with many companies looking for senior leaders.
3. Blockchain & Web3 Development
Blockchain developers are in demand, particularly for DeFi (Decentralized Finance) and smart contract engineering.
4. Cloud Computing & DevOps
The shift to cloud-based infrastructure has increased demand for Cloud Architects and DevOps Engineers, who manage scalable applications.
5. Organisational Leadership
With the boom comes the people and resource management. Out of the top 400 highest paying tech roles, there were 24 Chief of Staff roles and 6 Chief Operating Officer positions. Functional VPs were in high demand (64 roles in the top 400), beaten only by senior software engineers (73 roles).
Cool Entry Roles In Tech and AI
Remember - all of the roles are on our site once you've signed in.
There are some very interesting intern roles available at the time of writing:
- Intern, Augmented Reality at BMW Holding Corp
- Applied AI Intern, Deep Learning at Bosch
- Lots of specialist internships in Samsung
- Metaverse Display Engineer Internships at Meta
These are a great way to switch into tech so long as you have the familiarity with the tools required.
Where to Find the Highest-Paying IT Jobs?
Top Locations for High-Tech Salaries
- United States – Silicon Valley, Seattle, Austin, New York
- Europe – London, Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam
- Asia-Pacific – Singapore, Tokyo, Bangalore, Shenzhen
- Middle East – Dubai, Tel Aviv
FAQs
Q: What is the best-paying IT job without a degree?
A: Cloud Architect, Cybersecurity Engineer, and Full-Stack Developer roles offer high salaries without requiring a traditional degree.
Q: Which IT job will be in demand in the next 5 years?
A: AI development, cybersecurity, blockchain engineering, and cloud computing will be key areas of demand.
Q: Is cybersecurity a good career in 2025?
A: Yes, cybersecurity jobs are in high demand due to increasing cyber threats, and salaries continue to rise significantly.
Related Articles & Next Steps
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🔍 Stay Updated: January 2025 Salary Report