The world is changing quickly, and that means the world of work is shifting, too – so you’ve got to be on the ball if you want to get the most out of your career.
That doesn’t just mean making sure that you’ve got the right skills in place – it means you’ve got to pay attention to what jobs earn the most. If you can get yourself into one of these high-paying positions, you’ll watch your earnings skyrocket.
Happily, we’ve done the hard work for you by discovering which jobs pay the most globally. We’ve explained the skills you need, estimated the kind of cash you could be earning, and explored exactly what each role involves.
If you’re tempted to change careers after seeing these lucrative options, head to our verdict on the best US job sites, or discover the best sites for development jobs.
Product manager - $160,000
It’s no surprise that this job pays well – product manager roles have plenty of responsibility and a huge brief. If you work in this kind of position, expect to create and oversee a plan to bring a product to market. This sort of role covers strategy, management, development, and marketing, and you’ll also be expected to help craft the product, solve problems and analyze data.
You’ll need loads of technical skills in this kind of role alongside a boatload of soft skills that’ll help you manage teams and guide a complex project from start to finish.
Data Scientist $150,000
Our daily lives have never been so reliant on data, and there’s big money available if you’ve got a head for numbers and analysis.
Data scientists analyze complicated sets of data to help companies make informed choices that can improve profits, create more effective marketing campaigns and increase efficiency.
The best data scientists use machine learning, complex data models and advanced software tools to help businesses find those improvements. Data engineers are in high demand too – you can perform that role if you can convert data into formats that analysts can use in their work.
Systems Analyst $145,000
This wide-ranging role requires candidates to test programs, databases, and software packages inside a company to make sure that they’re functioning properly.
A big part of the role requires analysts to find ways in which systems could be more efficient – and therefore cheaper to run – and a Systems Analyst must often ensure that security is watertight. If you want to work in this role, you’ll need to be organized, methodical and have great analytical skills, and you’ll need project management ability.
Strategy Manager $140,000
Any company will flounder without a coherent plan of action, so you’ll be a valued member of staff if you can create and manage corporate strategies. This role involves identifying opportunities for growth and areas of weakness and then creating tactics that can be used to exploit those strengths and illuminate those weaknesses.
You’ve got to be a positive, energetic problem-solver to excel in this kind of job, and you should also be well-organized and be able to think with a long-term view.
IoT Solutions Architect $130,000
IoT stands for Internet of Things, and it’s a broad term that covers the fact that many of our everyday devices are now connected to the internet, from washing machines and fridges to TVs and home lighting systems.
If you’ve got a deep understanding of IoT systems, then you’ll be in demand as someone who can create and manage strategies for companies that have products and services that rely on internet connections to function properly. As well as deep knowledge of the Internet of Things as a concept, you’ll need programming skills, hardware nous and machine learning chops.
DevOps Engineer - $120,000
This unique role combines programming and engineering knowledge, and DevOps engineers work across companies to improve existing systems and products, improve productivity and generate more profit. It’s a wide-ranging role that requires coding skill, product knowledge and loads of versatility. It’s no wonder that DevOps engineers can earn big money.
Software engineer - $120,000
It’s no exaggeration to say that the world runs on software. Unsurprisingly, then, if you’ve got the skills to code, debug, maintain and improve software, then you’re going to be in demand and you’re going to make good money.
You won’t be short of job offers if you’re a competent coder in any major programming language, and software architects are also in demand – they’re programmers who tackle complex issues and optimize software designs by creating strategies and standards for other staff to follow.
AI Architect $110,000
Artificial intelligence is a key computing concept that millions of businesses use to help create products, run systems, and make decisions, so there’s good money for anyone who knows their way around the area.
A top-notch AI architect will create, manage, and control the AI systems inside their company, so they’ve got to have deep knowledge of AI and programming. It’s important for any AI architect to know about machine learning, statistics, and neural networks.
Cloud Architect - $107,000
Cloud computing is big business – virtually everything online uses the cloud, and every company needs talented people to create, manage and improve their cloud computing strategies.
This role involves deploying those strategies and making sure that updates and upgrades run smoothly, and anyone in this role needs to have loads of knowledge of the cloud platforms and architectures. Great communication is advantageous, too – lots of people don’t understand cloud computing and will need things explained in relatively simple terms.
Full Stack developer - $106,000
Many developers and engineers specialize in particular programming languages, development areas or categories of software, but a full stack developer or engineer is a staff member who can tackle every part of software development, from start to finish.
You’ll need to know about front-end and back-end product development to make the grade as a full stack developer or engineer, and that means you’ll have to master a huge range of skills, from coding in different languages to handling web development, databases and APIs.
If you’d like to become a full stack developer or engineer then there’s an awful lot to learn, but the rewards are impressive too.
Robotics Engineer - $120,000
We’ve never been surrounded by so much technology, from the Internet of Things to the metaverse and beyond, and that won’t stop anytime soon. Naturally, that also includes a huge growth in the robotics industry.
Factories now use more robots than ever to improve efficiency and tackle the jobs that humans just don’t want to handle. Robots are routinely deployed in loads of other situations, like package delivery, security situations and surveillance.
The huge increase in robot use also means there’s a commensurate demand for people to design robot hardware and software to ensure that these automated marvels get the job done with peak efficiency and effectiveness.
If you’ve got programming skills, technical know-how and an eye on how robots can make human lives easier, expect to earn six figures in this forward-thinking industry.
Diversity and Inclusion Manager - $110,000
The business world has never paid so much attention to diversity and inclusion, and that means big companies are hiring dedicated managers to ensure that they’re doing the best job possible when it comes to equitable hiring and fair HR practices.
A diversity and inclusion manager in a larger organization can easily command a six-figure salary. They’ll be expected to stay on top of their company’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, develop new ideas to improve performance in this area and manage a department of supporting staff.
Beyond that, a diversity and inclusion manager should ensure that their company’s hiring practices are fair and attract applicants from a range of backgrounds, and a manager will have to analyze data to ensure that their firm is meeting its goals and create training regimes to improve employee education.
This is a great move for anyone who wants to make the world of business a fairer and more equitable place, and it’s a superb choice for anyone with a keen sense of social justice and impressive organizational skill.
