The 5 Best Paying Tech Jobs In Georgia

Georgia has been a cornerstone of sorts for tech jobs. Strictly speaking, it is one of the leading centers in the Southeast for tech-related jobs, along with North Carolina. As such, many of the jobs in Georgia pay well above the average for the region. The higher wages coupled with the lower cost of living translates to the potential for decent growth in the area.

Technology-related jobs have some degree of stability despite recent hiring freezes. Being in the right specialization makes you attractive to employers and allows you to maximize your earnings with your current credential set. If you’re a Georgian and just finishing up a tech-related degree or have some experience within the field, then you might want to consider these seven positions.

Language-Agnostic Software Engineer – $140,000 Yearly

Language-agnostic software engineers are jacks of all trades and masters of none. These programmers and developers leverage multiple programming languages to create cohesive deliverables across various industry needs. This might be the right career if you’re equally adept with Python, C++, or other programming languages and can leverage these skills.

Average Salary

Starting salaries for language-agnostic developers start at around $74,000 to $80,000 a year in the Georgia area. More senior developers can expect starting salaries of around $120,000 a year. There is a definite need for skilled and specialized developers, with things like EVs and AI taking prominence in the United States.

Wages for experienced software developers are similar to those in states like Colorado, which have a much higher cost of living.

Skills and Qualifications

A Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or Software Engineering is essential. You must be proficient in multiple programming languages like Python, C++, .NET, and Java.

Senior developers must have strong analytical skills, as programming is a problem-oriented career. Leadership experience is also essential, as you might be taking the lead on projects.

DevOps IT Architect – $130,000 to $150,000 Yearly

DevOps IT Architect moves beyond the standard way of doing things. Your job is to implement bespoke solutions and maintain traditional frameworks to keep an operation running. As such, you’ll have a much wider skill set than someone handling the usual break-fix scenarios in most IT jobs. However, if this appeals to you, the room for growth is massive.

Next-generation IT architects implement DevOps methodology into the production line. As such, you’ll possess a skillset focusing on high-quality deliverables while maintaining high production standards.

Average Salary

You can expect to earn around $100,000 starting in this particular role. As it has more stringent requirements for employment, the wages rise accordingly. Senior architects can expect a starting salary of around $150,000 a year.

Skills and Qualifications Needed

DevOps IT architects need to have skills in the usual IT fields. Here, certifications from vendors like CompTIA, Microsoft, and Cisctainly help. This is another field that doesn’t necessarily need a college degree, but it can help get your foot in the door. You’ll need to be familiar with the DevOps process and how to implement that methodology.

Modern education is steering more and more towards this. If you’re exiting a degree program, you likely know how Agile workflow goes.

As a DevOps Architect, you implement CI/CD pipeline into the existing IT infrastructure, lead discussions, and establish lines of communication between customers and development teams. You’ll also work closely with project managers to ensure the infrastructure is supported in a highly variable and dynamic working environment.

Java Developer – $87,793 Per Year

An in-demand programming language, Java is viable across various platforms. You can use it to develop programs for computers and tackle things like embedded and mobile devices. This level of flexibility gives you some options as you pursue a career in Java development.

Mobile development seems red hot, as seen with positions available in New Jersey. Typical roles include full-stack development for web applications, bespoke development for enterprise applications, and continual support and maintenance of larger continual projects.

Average Salary

Java developers earn roughly $67,000 per year in Georgia. The more your experience, the higher your earning potential. Senior developers can command around $150,000 per year. Java has been a staple of computing for decades and doesn’t look to be going anywhere anytime soon.

Skills and Qualifications

A college degree isn’t essential for this role, but it is helpful. Candidates must have a strong foundation in Java and knowledge of accompanying frameworks, depending on what their potential employer might need.

As with the language-agnostic software development job, you’ll want to have a firm grasp of the logic and flow of Java itself. More senior positions will require a great deal of expertise coupled with strong leadership skills. Senior developers aren’t generally handling the nuts and bolts but acting as a strong guiding hand.

Degrees in software development can help, giving you a strong foundation and some work experience to get involved in this career path. Most tech-oriented degrees will at least touch upon leadership and project management skills, which developers must have.

Typical responsibilities in a full-stack development role would be proactive troubleshooting and debugging, implementation of new features on a timely basis, and functioning in a fast-paced work environment as a team player.

Certified Scrum Masters – $100,000 to $120,000 Per Year

Scrum masters are responsible for establishing lines of communication in an Agile framework. Given the fast-paced nature of development, Scrum masters have quite a hefty responsibility. Agile development standards emphasize high output in a fast-paced environment. As such, certified and reliable Scrum masters will have their work cut out for them as the industry moves to an Agile methodology. Scrum masters are in high demand in Georgia, and this demand won’t be letting up anytime soon.

Average Salary

Starting salaries for Scrum masters seem to start around $72,000 in Georgia. More senior or experienced Scrum masters can expect starting salaries of around $105,000 to upwards of $200,000. Given how vital Scrum is for the Agile methodology, it makes sense that certified masters are in high demand.

Skills and Qualifications

Ideal candidates will have a Bachelor’s in Information Technology, Business Administration, or a related field and a certification from the Scrum Alliance.

A strong foundation in project management, communication, and administration is essential for this role. As such, it certainly helps to have a degree and other additional certifications. Ideal candidates might also have a CompTIA Project+ certification.

Data Scientist – $100,000 a Year

Data science is a growing career path and for a good reason. With data driving so much of the modern world, having talented staff to look at trends and derive meanings for an organization is sorely needed. Georgia is rife with potential for aspiring data scientists, and the wages are there to back that up. Data science, in particular, seems to be quite a massive field, with similar positions in Mississippi.

Average Salary

Starting salaries for Georgia data scientists are around $70,000 a year starting. This quickly scales up if you’re a more experienced data scientist, with the upper limit ranging from $150,000 to $200,000 a year. Data is always present in modern enterprise settings, so the wages are certainly enticing for anyone experienced in work.

This seems to align with the national trend and matches up closely with what has been seen in states like Rhode Island.

Skills and Qualifications

Data science is another field where a solid educational foundation can quickly get your foot in the door. Ideal candidates will likely have a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, or other related fields. More senior professionals are likely to have a master’s or doctorate.

Strong foundations in programming languages like R, Python, and Matlab are also necessary. These can help visualize and scrub data into a more user-friendly form. Python, in particular, is a trendy choice and has libraries with documentation geared explicitly toward data science purposes.

Organizations and firms in different sectors generate data continually. Having a solid foundation in the principles behind data science can lead to quite a lucrative career, especially for more senior data scientists.

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