top of page

Top 10 Highest Paying Jobs in 2021 – Best IT Jobs in IT Landscape

You have hustled hard throughout your formal education and now, you are looking for a job that justifies all those years of burning the midnight oil. You are looking for a career that rewards you just right, and maybe even better. Thus, we have compiled a list of the Top 10 Highest Paying Jobs for 2021.


Following is the outline of the jobs we shall discuss through the course of the article:


Top 10 Highest Paying Jobs for 2021

  • Full-Stack Developer

  • DevOps Engineer

  • Data Scientist

  • Market Intelligence Analyst

  • IT Program Manager

  • Software Architect

  • Network Security Engineer

  • Big Data Engineer

  • Cloud Architect

  • Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Engineer

If you are a visual learner, you could refer to our video presentation of the Top 10 Highest Paying Jobs for 2021, too!


Top 10 Highest Paying Jobs For 2021 | Best IT Jobs 2021 | Edureka

This Edureka video brings you the much-awaited list of the Top 10 Highest Paying Jobs for 2021 which not only discusses salary package but also job descriptions, required skillset, and companies hiring to land the best jobs in the market.


So, let the countdown begin.


10. Full-Stack Developer


Full-stack development can seem overwhelming to anyone. After all, you’ll have to learn way more than a front-end or a back-end developer has to learn. Moreover, as the industry evolves, you will also have to learn new technologies to make space to keep up with the trends.


Full-Stack Developer Skills: In order to become a full-stack developer you should acquire a particular skill set:

  • Front-end languages like HTML, CSS, JavaScript

  • Libraries and frameworks such as Angular or React JS

  • Back-end programming languages like Python, PHP, Ruby and Java

  • At last, you require knowledge of databases like MySQL, Oracle

Full-Stack Developer Salary: $112,253 in the US & ₹8,98,808 in India


Companies hiring Full-Stack Developers: Wipro, IBM, Cognizant, Infosys


9. DevOps Engineer


A DevOps engineer introduces processes, tools, and methodologies to balance needs throughout the software development life cycle, from coding and deployment to maintenance and updates.

DevOps Engineer Skills: Some of the skills required for a DevOps Engineer are as follows:

  • Design the infrastructure or architecture if you’re going for a lead position

  • Good coding and scripting skills

  • DevOps tools such as Jenkins, Docker, Git, Kubernetes,& Puppet

  • Cloud services like AWS, Azure, OpenStack, Google Cloud for integration with various web services

  • Operating Systems such as Linux or Unix

DevOps Engineer Salary: $114,413 in USA & ₹20,98,808 in India

Companies hiring DevOps Engineers: SAP, McAfee, Oracle


8. Data Scientist


Data Scientists allow companies to make smarter business decisions. Companies rely on Data Scientists and use their expertise to figure out trends and patterns in the market and provide critical insights to their clients. This gives Data Scientists a pivotal position in the company.


Data Scientist Skills: To become a Data Scientist, you should have the following skills:

  • Essential statistics and math

  • Knowledge of programming languages such as Python, R or SQL

  • Machine Learning

  • Big Data Processing Frameworks

  • Acquaintance with leading data visualization tools such as Power BI or Tableau

  • A strong business acumen

Data Scientist Salary: $114,413 in USA & ₹20,98,808 in India


Companies hiring Data Scientists: VISA, Netflix, Google, Mu Sigma


7. Market Intelligence Analyst


The consumer marketplace is ever-growing and evolving. As businesses are trying to keep up and look for new ways to engage their customers, they look to market research for insights that can inform their business decisions. This is where these Analysts come in. Simply put, these analysts help companies understand what products or services people want and how much are people willing to pay for them.


Market Intelligence Analyst Skills: The broader scope of a Market Intelligence Analyst’s career is to examine market conditions for potential sales of a product or service for which they need to understand the following:

  • Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

  • Social Media

  • Pay-per-Click (PPC)

  • Conversion Optimization

  • Web Analytics

  • Content Marketing

  • Email and Mobile Marketing

Market Intelligence Analyst Salary: $136,000 in USA & ₹13,10,000 in India


Companies hiring Market Intelligence Analysts: EBay, WalMart, Etsy, Amazon


6. IT Program Manager


An IT program manager is a strategic project-management professional whose job is to oversee and coordinate all aspects of a technical project’s journey for a company. That means they need to initiate the program, track its progress, and provide support if issues arise. They typically coordinate efforts among their development team, stakeholders and outside vendors, set schedules for the project, and ensure deadlines are met.


IT Program Manager Skills: While what you need to manage a project differs with each program you handle, you will definitely need a baseline skillset to excel in the field:

  • Understanding of Project, its environment and scope

  • Project Integration Management

  • Schedule, cost and Resource Management

  • Risk Management

  • Ability to establish effective communication amongst team, vendors and stakeholders

IT Program Manager Salary: $136,000 in USA & ₹15,94,747 in India


Companies hiring IT Program Managers: Boeing, Google, Standard Chartered, Accenture


5. Software Architect


Software architects design, develop and implement software solutions. They also determine which processes and technologies the development team should use to produce high-performance software systems. Depending on who you work for, you may need to develop software systems from scratch, integrate different technologies with each other, bridge communication between managers and developers or create tailored solutions for each client.


Software Architect Skills: In a nutshell, to become a software architect, you need:

  • To have a grasp on at least one or more programming languages such as PHP, Java or SQL

  • To convert software characteristics, such as security, manageability and scalability, into a structured solution

  • To design solutions to align with the business goals and technological needs of the enterprise

Software Architect Salary: $139,463 in USA & ₹20,94,000 in India


Companies hiring Software Architects: Intel, Microsoft, NVIDIA


4. Network Security Engineer


A Network security engineer protects your network from attacks by erasing bugs that are already existing and protecting your network from future threats. They typically investigate any security violations or potential breaches that arise, conduct penetration testing, develop security standards for a company, and use firewalls and data encryption, to protect sensitive information.


Network Security Engineer Skills: To become a Network Security Engineer, you need to fulfill certain prerequisites including but not limited to the following:

  • In-depth knowledge of computer networks

  • Command over operating systems

  • Hands-on experience with monitoring & encryption tools

  • Information about the risk management factors

Network Security Engineer Salary: $143, 250 in USA & ₹26,00,000 in India


Companies hiring Network Security Engineers: FireEye, HackerOne, IBM, CISCO


3. Big Data Engineer


Data engineers connect all the pieces of the data ecosystem within a company. Accessing, collecting, auditing, and cleaning data from applications, Creating and maintaining efficient databases & Building data pipelines are what they do on a day to day basis.


Big Data Engineer Skills: A Big Data Engineer equips companies by building the tools data companies need to succeed. To do so, they need:

  • A strong foundation in programming

  • Big Data Frameworks

  • Real-time processing Frameworks

  • Database architectures

  • Extract Transform Load(ETL) tools like Informatica Power Centre

  • Query Languages like SQL

  • Understanding of an OS like Linux/Unix

Big Data Engineer Salary: $144,875 in USA & ₹16,00,000 in India


Companies hiring Big Data Engineers: McAfee, L&T, Walmart, EY


2. Cloud Architect


A Cloud Architect is responsible for converting the technical requirements of a cloud-based project into the architecture and design that will guide the final product. Often, Cloud Architects are also responsible for bridging the gaps between complex business problems and solutions in the cloud.


Cloud Architect Skills: Some of the skills required to be a Cloud Architect are as follow:

  • Knowledge of an operating system such as Linux

  • Deep understanding of cloud architecture

  • Hands-on experience with cloud platforms such as AWS, GCP or Azure

  • Experience with cloud security

  • Extensive experience with programming languages such as Python or Ruby

Cloud Architect Salary: $154,428 in USA & ₹15,31,634 in India


Companies hiring Cloud Architects: Google, Amazon, HTC, VMWare, Microsoft, Apple


1. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Engineer


AI has reached the point where it is capable of surpassing the decision-making of humans in many situations; consistently, accurately, 24/7 and based on more facts. Hence, AI Engineers are destined to be the next big thing. These engineers build and test AI-ML models and provide the expertise an enterprise needs to build theirs.


AI and ML Engineer Skills: Essential math and the know-how of leveraging the power of computing frameworks to mine, process, and present the value out of the bulk of data is the most important technical skill required to become an AI-ML Engineer. The commonly required skill sets are:

  • Math & Statistics concepts like linear algebra and hypothesis testing

  • Strong grasp on distributed computing, algorithms and data structures

  • Deep understanding of Machine learning concepts such as Supervised and Unsupervised learning

  • Extensive knowledge of Deep Learning and Neural Networks

  • Data mining, cleaning and munging

  • R and/or Python programming, libraries and packages

AI and ML Engineer Salary: $171,715 in USA& ₹21,00,000 in India


Companies hiring AI and ML Engineer: Facebook, Uber, Twitter, P&G, Instagram, Apple


That was all about the Top 10 Highest Paying Jobs for 2021. Hope this article proved useful to you. Do stay tuned for the upcoming articles in the series! You can also learn more about the Top 10 Certifications for 2021 in the IT landscape to get clarity on the career you want to pursue.


Source: Edureka!

bottom of page