Many high school students across the country are at the crossroads of career choice, deciding right now whether to apply for colleges or move directly into the workforce. But the question of “what do I want to do?” isn’t an easy one to answer, and recent recessions and economic slumps haven’t made that choice any easier. However, perhaps job growth outlook can.
According to a press release from CompTIA, a nonprofit focused on advancing the field of information technology (IT), the US employed 6.5 million tech workers in 2014. The average wage of those jobs was $100,400, which is 102% more than the average wage in the private sector. Not only were tech jobs abundant last year – particularly in cities like Austin, Raleigh, and Nashville – they also paid well.
And the outlook gets even better. According to an article published in Computerworld, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that number to grow by an average of 22% across all tech-related jobs by 2020, with demand for software developers for systems software providing the strongest projected growth (in ranges from 28 to 32%). Database administrator jobs are projected to have a similar growth rate (31%), while jobs for network and computer system admins along with software developers for applications are projected to grow by 28%.
Computer programming is the only tech-related job likely to see below average job growth, due to the employers’ tendency to offshore those positions. With an average job growth of 14% across all sectors in the US, the BLS projects that computer programmers are likely to see only a 12% increase in job possibilities.
While skeptics note it is impossible to foresee growth in tech related fields due to the unpredictable and volatile nature of the IT industry and technology as a whole, companies are increasingly becoming more high tech. Many hospitals and medical offices are making the transition to electronic patient records, while other industries across all verticals are ramping up their technology to improve customer service and achieve better workflows. This technology needs administrators and IT professionals who are skilled in everything from A+ to front end development to enterprise software engineering, even if the company they work for is not a ‘tech company’.
Since many tech jobs don’t require a college degree, this upward trajectory in tech jobs across the country could offer graduating high school seniors the opportunity to start a career in a promising field without the added burden of student loans. And with job growth potential looking this optimistic, particularly for women and minorities who have historically been under-represented in the tech field, a focus in STEM educational opportunities is showing up in schools across the country. Opportunities to learn are abundant, growth is projected – put simply, if you want a career with excellent potential, go tech.
