ASPIRE Blog

6 High Demand Technical Skills that Pay Very Well

Written by Connor Oke | Nov 1, 2023 3:09:21 PM

In the United States today, there are 6.05 Million people looking for work who are unemployed At the same time there are 9.6 Million job openings in the United States Why are so many people who are looking for jobs not able to find one? They do not have the skills that the millions of jobs sitting open are asking for. On top of that, many of the jobs that have a small barrier to entry skill wise, don’t pay well. These jobs make it hard to live with the rising cost of living. This article will breakdown high demand skills, how much you can earn if you learn them, and how to start learning them.

A Technical Skill is the ability or knowledge to perform a specific task. It is how you interact with the objects, tools, or technologies. Many of the skills that are technical have to do with technology, but they can also be things like accounting, medical skills, or customer service. The more technical a skill is, often the more money that can be made for having it. Check out 6 High Demand Technical Skills that span 23 Roles and pay very well.

 

Cloud Computing

What is Cloud Computing?
The cloud has helped businesses get access to IT resources and applications in a new way. Businesses can access computing power, data storage, and databases through the internet with pay-as-you-go pricing. In the past businesses maintained physical servers and data centers, but cloud providers like Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud Platform have changed that.

People who go into cloud computing will design cloud applications, plan the cloud architecture, adapt security measures, and maintain cloud components. They help build and improve the systems and networks that companies rely on.

How much can you make?
(Estimated Total Pay)

Cloud Architect: $156,394 [3]
Cloud Engineer: $105,807 [4]
Cloud Developer: $99,999 [5]
Cloud Administrator: $84,194 [6]

How can you get started?
Career Trainings in Cloud Computing

 

Digital Marketing

What is digital marketing?
Digital marketing allows businesses to reach their target audience through digital channels. They can engage customers through search engine optimization (SEO), content marketing, social media marketing, email marketing, and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. Digital marketing is more measurable and effective than traditional marketing methods.

People who go into digital marketing will be designing campaigns and tracking the results that they get from doing them. Many digital marketers specialize in a particular skill, but many also have a broad understanding of all of these skills, which helps them advance into higher roles.

How much can you make?
(Estimated Total Pay)

Marketing Management: $121,505 [7]
Content Marketing: $91,167 [8]
Copywriter: $70,883 [9]
SEO Specialist: $67,073 [10]

How can you get started?
Intro Course for Digital Marketing     Certificate in Digital Marketing     Career Training in Digital Marketing

Artificial Intelligence

What is Artificial Intelligence?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the part of computer science that handles intelligent agents. Intelligent agents are systems that can learn, think, and act autonomously. AI has been very successful lately at developing solutions that don’t require as much human effort. There are two main types of AI, narrow and general. Narrow AI is about making systems that perform or solve specific task. General AI focuses on developing systems that can solve many tasks and more challenging problems.

People work in AI will help identify issues that AI can solve, and then help develop the system to solve them. You help provide algorithms, statistical models, and other techniques to build the predictive models that are AI.

What much can you make?
(Estimated Total Pay)

Machine Learning Engineer: $140,189 [11]
Artificial Intelligence Engineer: $124,768 [12]
AI Data Analyst: $105,751 [13]

How can you get started?
Intro course to Artificial Intelligence     

 

Cybersecurity

What is Cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity is all about protecting networks, programs, devices, and data from cyber attacks. There are huge risks associated with unauthorized people getting access to systems and information that they shouldn’t have. As technology continues to advance and grow more complicated, the security around it must also grow to stop malicious activity.

People who work in Cybersecurity use different technologies, processes, and controls to reduce the risk of cyber attacks. Cyber attacks can come in many forms, including malware, phishing, and ransomware.

How much can you make?
(Estimated Total Pay)

Security Architect: $179,489 [14]
Security Engineer: $124,853 [15]
Penetration Tester: $109,126 [16]
Cybersecurity Analyst: $102,099 [17]

How can you get started?
Career Trainings in Cybersecurity

 

Data Science

What is Data Science?
Data Science is all about making sense of numbers and stats to help inform decision making. It combines different skills and knowledge like math, statistics, computer science, and domain expertise to understand and analyze large quantities of data. Data science is utilized across many industries including retail, finance, healthcare, and other tech related fields.

People who go into data science used a variety of techniques and tools to prepare, clean, and analyze data. The findings from this process are used and passed on to others in the organization to help make concise and clear decisions, identify new opportunities, and improve processes and products.

How much can you make?
(Estimated Total Pay)

Data Scientist: $135,398 [18]
Data Engineer: $118,070 [19]
Business Intelligence Analyst: $87,200 [20]
Data Analyst: $78,515 [21]

How can you get started?
Intro Course in Data Science     Certificate in Data Analytics     Career Trainings for Data Science

 

Web Development

What is Web Development?
Web Development is the process of building and maintaining websites and web applications. Web developers use programming languages and frameworks to make ideas into real websites and applications. Websites are built on different programming languages, some common ones are HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Web development is split into three main types; front-end, back-end, and full stack development.

People who go into web development can use many skills to complete a range of tasks like design, layout, coding, content creation, programming, and database management to create seamless web experiences.

How much can you make?
(Estimated Total Pay)

UX Designer: $99,973 [22]
Web Project Manager: $99,447 [23]
Backend Developer: $99,023 [24]
Full Stack Developer: $97,048 [25]

How can you get started?
Career Trainings in Web Design

 

Conclusion

If you want to get into a higher paying career, or you are interested in a technical field and want to switch from your current job, learning one of these skills will give you many options. Companies will continue to need more and more of these skills to run, and learning these skills will make you a hot commodity to companies that are struggle to fill technical positions.

 

Article Sources

1. Statista. (2023, October 9). U.S. unemployment level seasonally unadjusted number 2021-2023https://www.statista.com/statistics/193256/unadjusted-monthly-number-of-unemployed-persons-in-the-us/#:~:text=U.S.%20unemployment%20level%20seasonally%20unadjusted%20number%202021%2D2023&text=In%20the%20United%20States%2C%20approximately,has%20not%20been%20seasonally%20adjusted.) Accessed November 1, 2023 

2. Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary - 2023 M08 Results. (n.d.). https://www.bls.gov/news.release/jolts.nr0.htm Accessed November 1, 2023

3. Glassdoor. "How much does a Cloud Architect make?" https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/us-cloud-architect-salary-SRCH_IL.0,2_IN1_KO3,18.htm Accessed October 31, 2023

4. Glassdoor. "How much does a Cloud Engineer make?" https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/us-cloud-engineer-salary-SRCH_IL.0,2_IN1_KO3,17.htm Accessed October 31, 2023

5. Glassdoor. "How much does a Cloud Developer make?" https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/cloud-developer-salary-SRCH_KO0,15.htm?clickSource=searchBtn Accessed October 31, 2023

6. Glassdoor. "How much does a Cloud Administrator make?" https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/us-cloud-administrator-salary-SRCH_IL.0,2_IN1_KO3,22.htm Accessed October 31, 2023

7. Glassdoor. "How much does a Marketing Manager make?" https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/marketing-management-salary-SRCH_KO0,20.htm?clickSource=searchBtn Accessed October 31, 2023

8. Glassdoor. "How much does a Content Marketing make?" https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/content-marketing-salary-SRCH_KO0,17.htm?clickSource=searchBtn Accessed October 31, 2023

9. Glassdoor. "How much does a Copywriter make?" https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/copywriter-salary-SRCH_KO0,10.htm?clickSource=searchBtn Accessed October 31, 2023

10. Glassdoor. "How much does a SEO Specialist make?" https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/seo-specialist-salary-SRCH_KO0,14.htm?clickSource=searchBtn Accessed October 31, 2023

11. Glassdoor. "How much does a Machine Learning Engineer make?" https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/machine-learning-engineer-salary-SRCH_KO0,25.htm?clickSource=searchBtn Accessed October 31, 2023

12. Glassdoor. "How much does a Artificial Intelligence Engineer make?" https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/artificial-intelligence-engineer-salary-SRCH_KO0,32.htm?clickSource=searchBtn Accessed October 31, 2023

13. Glassdoor. "How much does a AI Data Analyst make?" https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/ai-data-analyst-salary-SRCH_KO0,15.htm?clickSource=searchBtn Accessed October 31, 2023

14. Glassdoor. "How much does a Security Architect make?" https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/security-architect-salary-SRCH_KO0,18.htm?clickSource=searchBtn Accessed October 31, 2023

15. Glassdoor. "How much does a Security Engineer make?" https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/security-engineer-salary-SRCH_KO0,17.htm Accessed October 31, 2023

16. Glassdoor. "How much does a Penetration Tester make?" https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/penetration-tester-salary-SRCH_KO0,18.htm?clickSource=searchBtn Accessed October 31, 2023

17. Glassdoor. "How much does a Cybersecurity Analyst make?" https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/cybersecurity-analyst-salary-SRCH_KO0,21.htm?clickSource=searchBtn Accessed October 31, 2023

18. Glassdoor. "How much does a Data Scientist make?" https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/data-scientist-salary-SRCH_KO0,14.htm?clickSource=searchBtn Accessed October 31, 2023

19. Glassdoor. "How much does a Data Engineer make?" https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/data-engineer-salary-SRCH_KO0,13.htm?clickSource=searchBtn Accessed October 31, 2023

20. Glassdoor. "How much does a Business Intelligence Analyst make?" https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/business-intelligence-analyst-salary-SRCH_KO0,29.htm?clickSource=searchBtn Accessed October 31, 2023

21. Glassdoor. "How much does a Data Analyst make?" https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/data-analyst-salary-SRCH_KO0,12.htm?clickSource=searchBtn Accessed October 31, 2023

22. Glassdoor. "How much does a UX Designer make?" https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/ux-designer-salary-SRCH_KO0,11.htm?clickSource=searchBtn Accessed October 31, 2023

23. Glassdoor. "How much does a Web Project Manager make?" https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/web-project-manager-salary-SRCH_KO0,19.htm?clickSource=searchBtn Accessed October 31, 2023

24. Glassdoor. "How much does a Backend Developer make?" https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/backend-developer-salary-SRCH_KO0,17.htm?clickSource=searchBtn Accessed October 31, 2023

25. Glassdoor. "How much does a Full Stack Developer make?" https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/full-stack-developer-salary-SRCH_KO0,20.htm?clickSource=searchBtn Accessed October 31, 2023