IT Salary Overview: How Much Can You Make?

Computer and information technology (IT) professionals in the US made a median salary of $104,420, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) [1]. Keep in mind that many factors can influence your salary, including your level of experience, skill set, the cost of living of your location, your education level, and IT certifications. In this article, you'll explore how much IT professionals earn and how factors like specialization, location, and certification status can impact pay.

If you want to start preparing for an IT role now, earn credentials with an industry leader by enrolling in the Google IT Support Professional Certificate. In as little as six months, you could develop competitive, job-ready skills like AI and cloud computing.

Average IT salary by role

Generally speaking, entry-level positions are correlated with lower salaries. These include help desk and troubleshooting positions like help desk technician ($49,992) and computer support specialist ($50,719). As you gain more experience and sharpen your skills in areas like systems administration or cloud computing, you'll see your salary increase. Here are 15 IT salaries by job title across various fields in the US.

*Note: All average salary data is sourced from Glassdoor as of March 2025

1. Product support specialist: $60,351

2. Systems administrator: $80,463

3. Scrum master: $114,318

4. Site reliability engineer: $129,279

5. Desktop support analyst: $76,988

6. Systems analyst: $102,271

7. Database administrator: $100,669

8. Systems engineer: $106,800

9. Network/cloud engineer: $124,526

10. DevOps Engineer: $112,192

11. Site reliability engineer: $129,279

12. Network security engineer: $107,319

13. Big data engineer: $129,803

14. Security architect: $143,059

15. Information systems security manager (ISSM): $132,108

Unsure if there's space for you in this exciting field? Hear more about diversity in IT from Joe, a real-world IT professional, in the below lecture from Google's IT Support Professional Certificate.

Which IT roles make the highest salaries?

The highest salaries in the IT world are tied to roles that are high in demand and currently have a shortage of qualified workers—typically positions related to cloud computing, cybersecurity, and big data. Titles that include manager, engineer, and architect indicate mid-career or senior-level positions and also correlate with higher incomes.

Read more: 6 High-Paying Remote Jobs

IT salaries by location: US states and cities

Here’s what you’ll make as an IT professional across various states in the US [2]. The states listed below are the ten most populous, beginning with the largest population.

Here are some of the best US cities for tech jobs according to the job searching platform Indeed. These cities are chosen not only based on salary, which can be heavily dependent on cost of living, but also job opportunities and growth in the area. Salary data was provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

How to increase your IT salary

Learning in-demand skills and furthering your education through certifications or other means has been linked to an increase in salaries. The tools you specialize in and the field in which you choose to work can increase your salary range as well. Over the next few sections, you can browse high-income skills and employer-recognized certifications that you may use to pursue a higher IT salary.

How do skills and certifications impact your salary?

According to Skillsoft, IT professionals with certifications often have a higher earning potential than those without them, largely due to the fact that certifications legitimize certain high-impact skills that employers value. Furthermore, 20 percent of IT professionals who received certification training report that they received a raise as a result [4]. 

IT skills associated with higher salaries

Pursuing in-demand skills in the industry may make you more competitive for raises and higher-paying jobs. These technical skills include:

• Cybersecurity

• Data analysis

• DevOps

• Cloud computing

• Machine learning

You can also speak with your employer to see what skills gaps your company is hoping to fill. Or browse job listings of roles similar to yours to see what skills are currently in demand.

Build critical IT skills online today

Interested in developing IT skills that may increase your earning potential? Consider taking one of these courses and specializations on Coursera.

IBM's Introduction to Cloud Computing offers an overview of the technology, emerging trends in the field, and the most popular cloud platforms.

Google's Foundations of Cybersecurity covers foundational cybersecurity concepts, how security attacks impact businesses, and common tools used by cybersecurity analysts.

DeepLearning. AI and Stanford's Machine Learning Specialization teaches fundamental AI concepts and practical machine learning skills

IT certifications associated with higher salaries

According to research fromSkillsoft, the following IT certifications were linked to the highest salaries heading into 2024 [5]. This list covers in-demand areas including popular cybersecurity certifications and cloud computing credentials.

1. Google Cloud - Professional Cloud Architect: $190,204

2. AWS Certified Developer - Associate: $165,171

3. CISM - Certified Information Security Manager: $157,189

4. AWS Certified Security- Specialty: $203,597

5. Google Cloud Associate - Cloud Engineer: $146,533

6. AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate: $155,597

7. Nutanix Certified Professional - Multicloud Infrastructure (NCP-MCI) v6.5: $175,409

8. CCSP - Certified Cloud Security Professional: $171,524

9. CISSP - Certified Information Systems Security Professional: $168,060

10. CEH - Certified Ethical Hacker: $146,260

11. Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate: $148,849

Just getting started in IT? Take a look at entry-level IT certifications.

Should I get an IT degree?

Degrees aren’t always necessary to land a job in IT. But higher education levels are linked to higher incomes—the BLS found that those with at least a bachelor’s degree made a median income of $1,608 a week in the fourth quarter of 2023. Compare that with high school graduates, who made $917 a week [6]. 

Employers may also still favor job candidates with at least a bachelor’s degree, or even master’s degrees, for certain IT positions. Though going back to school might be intimidating, the financial and career benefits can be rewarding. If you’ve already received a bachelor’s degree, pursuing a master’s degree in IT or computer science can help you advance in your current role, or pivot to a new one.

So yes—a degree in IT has its benefits. But it'll also cost you time and money. In making your decision, think about where you want your career to go. Are you willing to make a long-term investment for salary increases and a faster track to managerial positions? Then a degree might make sense. If you're looking for a quick way to find a new job or get a raise, other options like a certification might be what you're looking for.

Read more: Do I Need an Information Technology Degree? 4 Things to Consider

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Build in-demand IT skills with Coursera

To prepare for a career in IT, enroll in Google's IT Support Professional certificate. In this five-course series, you'll prepare yourself to successfully perform day-to-day IT support tasks including computer assembly, wireless networking, installing programs, and customer service.

Interested in starting your IT career in the in-demand field of cloud computing? Consider enrolling to earn the Microsoft Cloud Support Associate Professional Certificate. In as little as four months, you'll familiarize yourself with industry-standard tools and procedures like Azure, multi-factor authentication, and advanced monitoring techniques.

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