High-Paying Tech Jobs You Can Get Without a College Degree

Dorsey. Mullenweg. Zuckerberg. Gates. Jobs. These names ring out. All five have started top innovative tech companies which have swept the globe in influence and profitability and have changed and modern job markets.

But, what else do these five people have in common?

No College Degree. That’s right!

I don’t want to give the impression that you shouldn’t go to college if you have the means. A college experience and diploma have tons of advantages, and maybe you’re even working towards one right now.

The fact is, though, these days, through online courses or by collaborating with other tech-savvy folks, more and more people of all ages are learning how to develop, program, engineer, and build software and hardware without going to college. And there are loads of high-paying tech jobs you can get without a college degree.

For many companies and organizations, the bottom line is not the degree or qualification but experience, practical knowledge, and what you personally can bring to a project or position. If you have what it takes to learn the necessary skills, make an impression and get your foot in the door, you too can land the high paying tech job you want.

Are There Lots Of Tech Jobs Out There?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in IT are projected to grow 13 percent by 2030, faster than the average for all occupations, and translates to about 667,600 new jobs. Driving demand for all these workers is a greater focus on cloud computing, big data collection and storage, and information security.

What Will I Get Paid?

Of course, your salary will be negotiated between you and your employers or clients. Generally speaking, your rate of pay will depend on a few different things, such as profession, overall previous experience, and whether you are working full-time for an organization or freelancing project to project. Salaries also can depend on where you are living and what the market will bear.

What Jobs Are Out There?

Here’s a shortlist of some of the best high paying tech jobs, what they do, and the practical skills they may require:

Web Developer

A Web Developers’ responsibilities are a cross between those of programmers and graphic designers. Working alone or in collaboration with other IT professionals, they shape visitors’ online experiences by designing eye-catching page layouts, including format, styling, and interactive features.

Using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, and other relevant web design coding languages, Web Developers create, integrate, and maintain functional, data-secure websites. Staying up-to-date on new technology, they can earn more cash from troubleshooting problems and modernizing client websites as a freelancer.

Median Salary: $67,990 per year

For more information, check out our Web Developer Job Description and our JavaScript Developer Job Description.

Software Engineer

You will need to know various programming languages such as Python, C++, and Java, and be confident in your problem-solving abilities.

Full-time Software Engineers are often hired by software companies, and many government or private enterprises employ programmers for in-house projects and administration. Of course, once they’ve gained some experience, many programmers work as project freelancers and independent software contractors.

Duties and responsibilities will include writing code for various systems and software. You’ll also test and troubleshoot software, collaborate with other developers, and work closely with team members, project managers, and end-users.

Median Salary: $82,240 per year

Application Developer

This position requires similar expertise and attention to detail in technical programming as the Software Engineer. However, an App developer is usually focused more on design, user experience, and integrating entertaining features while creating software for mobile devices and interactive hardware.

You may function as part of a team or individually, with little supervision. You need to be familiar with a variety of operating systems and platforms and fluent in base app development languages, like Python, C#, and Javascript.

Median Salary: $87,100 per year

For more information, take a look at our in-depth Application Developer Job Description and the Most Common Applications Developer Interview Questions.

Systems Analyst

You will be responsible for knowing the overall setup of an employer’s hardware and software IT systems, and how these systems are being used within the organization. This includes making recommendations towards developing new systems, or updating and improving current systems.

You will also be in charge of determining and reporting the cost and/or benefit of integrating any new hardware or software, and necessary training time for staff.

Median Salary: $88,270 per year

Network Engineer

Network engineers build, administer and maintain the computer networks that organizations in nearly all economic sectors depend on daily. They have expertise in network infrastructure protocols and network hardware, and primary duties include troubleshooting fundamental devices such as firewalls, WAPs, and routers.

Other related tasks are to work with network users to identify and resolve issues, as well as perform recovery operations, update software and hardware and maintain data security across systems.

Median Salary: $71,515 per year

Interested and what to find out more? No problem, everything you need to know is in our in-depth Network Engineer Job Description.

Computer Support Specialist

Sometimes also referred to as IT Specialist or Computer Technician, someone in this position provides technical support to an organization’s clients and/or staff. They need to possess exceptional communication skills in order to clarify and assist with any technical problems and help to implement solutions the user might require.

Also, they must have operational knowledge of all software and hardware systems used by the organization. They need to stay up-to-date on software, hardware, or infrastructure used by the organization and be prepared to offer practical training to end-users.

Median Salary: $52,810 per year

For more great info, take a look at our IT Support Specialist Job Description.

Digital Marketing Associate

Using a broad array of technologies, a Digital Marketing role requires you to generate ideas for digital advertising and campaigns, create website content, social media content, and manage search engine optimization. To be effective, you should be up-to-date on technological and other popular trends, and may also need to have proficiency in building HTML, CMS, and landing pages.

Median Salary: $48,946 per year (This can increase seriously depending on you and how successfully you do your job!)

There are a few different areas of Digital Marketing, each with varied but overlapping skillsets…

A Content Strategist designs and introduces the most effective content and messaging to reach a company’s audience.

An SEO Specialist uses data analysis and market research to optimize the online visibility of websites in search engine results, steering more online traffic to companies.

A Social Media Marketer, or “Influencer,” uses older platforms like Facebook or LinkedIn, as well as a constantly developing list of new popular platforms like Upfluence, Popular Chips, Shoutcart, and more to market products and services. They create personalized content that is engaging and relevant to the client’s or employer’s target audience.

Cybersecurity Analyst

As a Cybersecurity Analyst, you will implement and maintain computer networks and systems, assess potential threat risk, and strategize solutions.

Keen attention to detail is necessary for administering and monitoring digital security systems, and you must continually update your analytical tools in cybersecurity risk assessment, techniques, and practices to stay ahead of the curve in an evolving digital security environment.

Median Salary: $95,510 per year

Web Graphic Designer

The web graphic designer is creative and detail-oriented, responsible for creating and maintaining innovative and attractive websites and brand products. You’ll often be working with other designers and web developers to ensure that the website is functional and to purpose.

To be successful, you should be both technically minded and design-oriented and have knowledge of front and back-end coding. As well as possessing an understanding of HTML, CSS, PHP, and JavaScript for web functionality, proficiency in Photoshop and other graphic manipulation software is necessary.

Median Salary: $48,700 per year

To find out more, take a look at our informative Graphic Designer Job Description and our Web Designer Job Description.

Telecommunications Technician

Telecommunications Technicians evaluate telecommunications network infrastructure and equipment, software, and security., They identify and coordinate physical installation, repair, upgrading, and management of wired and wireless networks. They provide troubleshooting, service, and solutions to clients or employers.

Median Salary: $53,380 per year

Looking For A High Paying Career In Computers?

Well, to start, check out our articles on the Top Highest Paying IT Jobs, Is Computer Science A Good Major, or Is Technology A Good Career Path to make sure you’re making the right career choices.

The basis of most tech Bachelor’s Degrees entails computer science and programming. I, therefore, recommend reading up on the Computer Science, Computer Science Illuminated, the A Programmer’s Guide to Computer Science, or how about Computer Science Principles, Computer Systems, or Computer Science: An Interdisciplinary Approach, available online in 2023.

Or, for your Python programming course, check out the Intro to Python for Computer Science and Data Science, and Python Programming, as well as Computer Programming for Absolute Beginners, Introduction to Algorithms, the AP Computer Science A: With 6 Practice Tests, or the Comparative Approaches to Program Planning to help you study.

Lastly, are our guides on data management if you are looking to excel; Clinical Analytics and Data Management for the DNP, Data Management: Databases and Organizations, DAMA-DMBOK: Data Management Body of Knowledge, or the excellent Data Management: Balancing Theory and Practice also available online today.

Final Thoughts

No Diploma? No Problem, Let’s Get A Job!

The Tech Sector can offer you the high-paying job you are looking for if you have a winning combination of practical skills and knowledge, experience, aptitude, and willingness to learn. It’s true that some of these jobs may require you to up your game a bit and learn some new skills, but you won’t need to earn a full university or college degree to do it.

There are many skills available for study online, free and paid learning, or upgrading in programming languages, electronics, and marketing. Reaching out and collaborating with other like-minded and tech-savvy people in online Tech, App, and Web Development Communities can help you get experience and understand the best current strategies to gain a foothold in the red-hot tech market of today.

All the best in your tech job search, and I wish you a bright, well-paid future in the growing IT Industry!