New study shows the top 10 tech jobs for new US graduates

Raised by screens, the laptop, desktop, tablet, smartphone, and old-fashioned TV have become five permanent sources of work and distraction for most Gen Z college graduates in the US.

Born between 1996 and 2010, Generation Z (Gen Z) is defined as the most technology-intimate collective in history, existing in a virtual world where expression, enhancement and entertainment dominate.

By being exposed to cutting-edge software and advanced computing skills, the tech sector has had to transform its job roles to match the demand of highly skilled graduates.

Offering an insight as to what careers in tech may be most appealing based on salary and popularity of the role among the Gen Z group, salary and compensation website Comparably recently released a ranking of the best jobs for new graduates in the US.

From the list below, the top 10 tech jobs were discovered by Comparably through thousands of anonymous salary records for tech workers aged 18-24, examining different aspects of these sought-after roles.

All education levels, genders and ethnicities were included and the salaries listed do not include bonus, stocks or equity.

Screens are the glue that holds Gen Z together. Source: Štefan Štefančík/Unsplash

10. Business Analyst: US$67,364 average salary

An IT-related position, this role is great for students that want to bring the needs of a business together with IT resources and strong leadership skills.

Skills needed: Degree in business, marketing, advertising, or public relations. Some computer programming and data analysis skills needed.

9. Marketing Manager: US$67,687 average salary

This type of manager collaborates with sales, PR, product and advertising departments to produce a great product or service.

Skills needed: Degree in business, marketing, advertising, or PR; MBA preferred. Communication and interpersonal skills.

8. Business Development Manager: US$68,588 average salary

A multilayered sales role, you’d be focusing on the entire company rather than individual sales territories, a great role for graduates that want to get involved with client-relationship management.

Skills needed: Degree in business, marketing, or communications; MBA preferred. Project management, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.

Emerging tech roles are everywhere. Source: Laurens Derks/Unsplash

7. User Interface (UI) Designer / User Experience (UX) Designer: US$71,691 average salary

Working alongside other designers, you’d create a clear and concise for a user, making sure that the path is visually appealing and easy to use.

Skills needed: Understanding of UI/UX principles and wire-framing (laying out the interface elements of a website). Proficiency in Sketch, Figma, Balsamiq, Adobe XD, Marvel App, and Invision App.

6. DevOps Engineer: US$86,094 average salary

Using various technologies, you’d be expected to work with IT developers to improve coordination of deployment processes.

Skills needed: Web language, SysAdmin, continuous integration tools, automation tools, and scripting.

5. Product Manager: US$87,947 average salary

Product managers often map different stages of development and help to launch and maintain the business of a product.

Skills needed: Degree in business. Coding, time-management, and interpersonal skills.

The future is yours. Source: Persnickety Prints/Unsplash

4. Data Scientist: US$88,813 average salary

This role expects you to use statistical analysis to comb through large amounts of data for valuable insights.

Skills needed: Degree in IT, math, or computer science. Experience with metrics and analytics.

3. Mobile Developer: US$92,654 average salary

By selecting this role, you’d be expected to work largely on new applications for mobile devices. Similar job titles include iOS developer and android developer.

Skills needed: Modern language programming skills, back-end computing skills, cross-platform app development, and mobile user interface design ability.

2. Lead Engineer: US$103,237 average salary

Responsible for monitoring a team of engineers, this job requires great communication and managerial talent.

Skills needed: Degree in management science or engineering, participation in cooperative engineering programmes.

1. Senior Developer: $109,957 average salary

The top tech job for new graduates is a senior developer. Otherwise known as a software engineer, senior developers oversee projects such as app development, coding and web development.

Skills needed: CSS, HTML/HTML5, JavaScript, JSON, mobile-optimised web content and applications.

Invest your talent in tech! Source: Felicia Buitenwerf/ Unsplash

Key revelations

The report also found several key revelations while investigating this topic:

• While reflecting upon their data, Comparably found that women were being paid more on average for more than half the roles. For instance, female senior developers, lead engineers and mobile developers were all on higher salaries.
• Employees in the San Francisco/ Silicon Valley area were paid the highest for more than half the roles displayed.
• The study also found that some jobs, like business development manager roles and sales manager roles were heavily dependent on commission and bonuses, which were not factored into the base salary amount.

For the full list, click here and see what else the study withholds!

What are the most exciting tech jobs out there for the Class of 2019? https://t.co/gX8V3o1R07 #NewGrads #Tech #Jobs

— Comparably (@Comparably) June 17, 2019

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