IT Career Guide

High-Paying IT jobs that Don’t Require a Degree

The IT industry is changing the rules on how they acquire employees. As it advances at a very agile pace to cater to new developments in tech, new and qualified talents are always pursued—and you don’t necessarily have to graduate from a university to be considered. 

With the rise of online education and training platforms that offer reasonably paced but intensive programs focused on different areas in IT, more and more people are able to break into tech in a shorter span of time compared to completing a traditional 4-year college course. Instead of a degree, they use widely-recognized certifications to back up their expertise.

And while specific qualifications will still depend on the company, here are some high-paying IT jobs that don’t really require you to have a degree:

Note: We only included those that focus on highly technical roles. The roles listed may also branch out to more specific roles.

Software Engineer

Software engineers (sometimes called software developers) design, develop, test, maintain, and improve high-quality and innovative computer systems and applications that will serve as a solution to a company’s new and ongoing problems. The job description for this job generally includes programming well-designed and testable code and executing full lifecycle software development. 

Average Salary: $94,026 per year 

Web Developer

Web developers are mainly tasked to create websites, ensuring that they are visually appealing and easy to navigate. They are also responsible for monitoring traffic, troubleshooting crashes and other problems when they arise, implementing updates, and maintaining the website’s overall performance and speed. 

Average Salary: $79,231 per year

Data Analyst

Data analysts are responsible for collecting, organizing, and interpreting data that varies from sales numbers, market research, logistics, linguistics, and all other information that a company will need to answer a question or solve a problem. They ensure that the data gathered are accurate, then design and present it to help organizations make better and evidence-based decisions.

Average Salary: $71,072 per year

Cloud Engineer

With how cloud technology is dominating the current market, one of the highest in-demand jobs right now is cloud engineering. Cloud engineers expertise on designing, developing, implementing, and managing software and systems that are accessible mainly through the internet. Responsibilities often also require migrating existing applications to the cloud and debugging cloud stacks.
Average Salary: $123,072 per year

System Administrator

System administrators, also known as sysadmins, support, troubleshoot, and maintain computer servers and networks. They identify any problems in the system, anticipate potential issues, and implement solutions when necessary. They specialize in managing different operating systems such as Windows, Linux, Mac, etc., and ensure that they are functioning and meeting the needs of the company.

Average Salary: $75,663 per year

If you’re someone who’s trying to break into tech but can’t afford to go through college, because of time, money, or both, one of the best ways you can do it is by enrolling in online training platforms such as Ed Tech companies. Yellow Tail Tech offers programs that focus on AWS cloud engineering and Linux system administration that are specifically designed to help you acquire provenly in-demand skills in the tech industry.

Our programs, Cloud For Jobs 2.0 and Lnx For Jobs, are paced to get you from having little-to-no IT background to being job-ready. Book a 10-minute intro call with our Enrollment Advisor and let’s discuss if we’re what you’re looking for!

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Silvana Zapanta

Sil brings a wealth of experience to her writing and editing projects. After nearly a decade guiding college students in research and communication, she shifted her focus to freelance writing and editing. Her passion for education continues through volunteer work, where she empowers others by teaching research and writing skills.

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