5 High Salary Information Technology Jobs – No Technical Degree
So, you are probably interested in transitioning into an Information Technology career path. You’re looking for high salary Information Technology jobs with no technical degree required, right? Maybe you don’t know where to start because you don’t have an IT degree or any degree?
Don’t worry, you are not alone.
There are many high salary Information Technology jobs out there that do not require technical degrees.
As I mentioned in the About section, most of my bosses in my over 15 years in IT did not have Information Technology degrees. And most of them were great at their jobs! They all either learned IT on the job or transitioned from another career path. You can be the next IT boss in a company without an IT degree too!
Before we go on, think about this statistic from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics.
The average projected growth of jobs from 2018 to 2028 in the Computer and Information Technology occupation is 12%! These numbers translate to hundreds of thousands of jobs that will be available in the IT field over the next 10 years.
Here are some more details of some projected growth rates for specific jobs.
- Information Security Analyst jobs have a projected growth of 32% through 2028.
- Software Developer jobs have a projected growth of 21% through 2028.
- Web Developer jobs have a projected growth of 13% through 2028.
The great thing is that many of these jobs do not need technical degrees to start. You just need to make yourself available to fill one of the positions by educating yourself.
Let’s look at 5 high-paying Information Technology jobs where a technical degree is not required to get started.
IT Job #1: Software Development
One of the high salary Information Technology jobs that do not require a technical degree is in Software Development.
Software development is a hot field and has a projected growth of 21% through 2028. Since you do not need a technical degree to start a software development career, this is one for you to consider seriously.
I know several people from various non-IT backgrounds (law, accounting, history) that have successfully transitioned into careers in software development.
Take a look at the salary and job outlook.
SALARY: The median annual salary for software developers is $107,510
JOB OUTLOOK: About 284,000 jobs will be created in this field through 2028.
What Software Developers Do
Software developers are responsible for creating applications or software for use on various computing devices. The applications and software created by software developers vary widely based on the planned use.
Some applications need coding for software development, while some applications do not. I will be putting up a post soon about software development jobs that do not need coding.
As a software developer, you would typically work with teams of other software developers to create a final application/software for use by various groups of individuals.
Technical Skills
As mentioned earlier, software development covers various types of application. This means many different technical skills are useful in this career path. You do not need to know all of the programming languages, but it would be helpful to learn some of the key ones.
Here are some of the popular technical programming skills needed to become a Software Developer:
- Java
- SQL
- JavaScript
- Python
- Microsoft C#
- Linux/Unix
- Oracle
Relevant Certifications
As I mentioned earlier, there are various technical skills required for the different software programming languages. This means there are many different certifications that you can consider.
Below are some relevant certifications related to some of the technical skills listed above. Please note that not all of the technical skills have certifications linked to them.
- Amazon Web Services (AWS – Certified Developer)
- Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer
- Microsoft Azure
- Oracle Java Certifications
- Puppet Certified Professional
IT Job #2: Information Security /Cybersecurity Analyst
One of the high salary Information Technology jobs that do not require a technical degree is in Information Security/Cybersecurity.
Cybersecurity is a hot field with a projected growth of 32% through 2028. With that high growth potential, you need to seriously consider this field if you’re interested in Information Technology security.
I currently work in a field that is close to the cybersecurity field and several team members are from various non-IT backgrounds. I can tell you that this is one of the Information Technology fields that is not going anywhere anytime soon.
Take a look at the salary and job outlook.
SALARY: The median annual salary for IT Security / Cybersecurity analysts is $99,730
JOB OUTLOOK: About 35,500 jobs will be created in this field through 2028
What Information Security /Cybersecurity Analysts Do
Information Security/Cybersecurity analysts are responsible for planning and implementing the security of an organization’s computer systems and networks.
You’ve most likely heard of the many major security breaches that have resulted in the loss of customer data. The Information Security/Cybersecurity analysts are those that work hard to make sure that doesn’t happen. If those breaches do occur, their job is to address the problem quickly.
As an Information Security/Cybersecurity analyst, you would typically work with other security analysts and security architects to come up with the game plan on how to protect your organization and how to respond to security threats.
Technical Skills
I’ll be honest with you. While a technical degree is not required for this field, you need to learn a lot. You need to seriously educate yourself about the various aspects of the field to be successful.
The good thing though, is that you can start on a lower entry-level position. Then you can gradually work your way up the ladder to an expert.
Here are some of the popular technical programming skills to become an Information Security/Cybersecurity Analyst:
- Computer networks (Firewalls, VPN)
- IT Security Controls
- Intrusion Detection
- Malware Analysis
- Cloud Security
- Ethical Hacking
- Penetration Testing
- Risk Management
Relevant Certifications
There are many different certifications that you can consider to start the Information Security /Cybersecurity career path.
Below are some relevant certifications related to some of the technical skills listed above. Please note that not all of the technical skills have certifications linked to them.
- CompTIA A+
- CompTIA Security+
- CompTIA Network+
- Certified Ethical Hacker
- Certified Network Defender
- Certified Information Security Manager
- Certified Information Systems Security Professional
IT Job #3: Information Technology Auditor
I love IT Audit! Yes, I’m biased because this is what I did this for many years. In fact, I still work in an area that is close to IT Audit.
Another one of the high salary Information Technology jobs that do not require a technical degree is in IT Auditing.
I started my IT career in one of the Big-4 accounting firms doing IT Audit. Read more about this in the About page. Working in this field started me on a great career path that I still enjoy today.
Many people that I know in IT Audit have no IT background and are very successful in this field. IT Audit is related to regulatory compliance. Since regulatory compliance is a requirement for many organizations, jobs in this field are not going anywhere anytime soon.
Take a look at the average salary.
SALARY: The average annual salary for IT Auditors is around $93,446.
What IT Auditors Do
IT Auditors are responsible for evaluating the controls within and around the Information systems of organizations. This evaluation is to determine if adequate controls exist to keep the systems compliant with various organizational or regulatory policies.
In layman terms, the IT auditors are checking to see if the controls in the IT system are effective.
When IT Auditors find security-related compliance issues, the Information Security/Cybersecurity analysts are typically the ones to address the issue.
While this is a great career path on its own, it can be used as leverage to get into Cybersecurity. This leverage is possible because a lot of the technical skills are similar.
As an IT Auditor, you would typically work with other audit team members to prepare and execute audit plans. These audit plans generally are prepared to evaluate the organization’s systems.
You can do this either as an internal auditor working for the organization or an external consultant.
Technical Skills
While you do not need a technical degree for this field, you still need the right amount of knowledge. You need to know about various IT systems and how they generally work to be successful.
Since most organizations have multiple systems, you will need knowledge about many different technologies to effectively audit those systems.
The good thing though, is that you can start on a lower entry-level position. Then you can gradually work your way up the ladder to an expert.
Here are some of the popular technical skills needed to become an Information Technology Auditor:
- IT Security Controls
- Computer networks (Firewalls, VPN)
- Intrusion Detection
- Cloud Security
- Penetration Testing
- Risk Management
- IT System Change Management
Relevant Certifications
There are many different certifications that you can consider to start the Information Technology Auditor career path.
Below are some relevant certifications related to some of the technical skills listed above. Please note that not all of the technical skills have certifications linked to them.
- Certified Information Systems Auditor
- Certified Information Security Manager
- CompTIA Security+
- Certified Information Systems Security Professional
- Certified Internal Auditor
- Certified Ethical Hacker
IT Job #4: Database Administrator
Database Administration is another one of high salary Information Technology jobs that do not require a technical degree.
Database Administration is another excellent field with a projected growth of 9% through 2028. Database administrators are needed in every organization because they all have data that needs managing.
With Information Technology connecting everyone more, data is being produced at a rapid rate. As this data continues to increase, the need for database administrators will also increase so they can manage the data.
Take a look at the salary and job outlook.
SALARY: The median annual salary for database administrators is $93,750.
JOB OUTLOOK: About 10,500 jobs will be created in this field through 2028.
What Database Administrators Do
Database Administrators (DBAs) are responsible for managing database systems that store and organize organizational data.
When you enter information in an application, that data is stored in a database in the backend. The DBAs are the ones responsible for managing that database and the data it stores.
As a DBA, you would typically work with other DBAs and application teams to understand how to best store and transform data. This applies to all the databases for use by different applications in your organization.
Technical Skills
You do not need a technical degree to become a database administrator. However, you need a good knowledge of how databases work, how data structures are set up and how best to store data. This knowledge will help you have a successful career in this field.
There are different types of databases, so you can start off learning one and then gradually learn others as you develop your skills.
Here are some of the popular technical skills needed by DBAs:
- SQL
- MySQL
- Oracle
- APIs
Relevant Certifications
There are many different certifications that you can consider to start the Database Administration career path.
Below are some relevant certifications related to some of the technical skills listed above. Please note that not all of the technical skills have certifications linked to them.
- Oracle DB Certified Associate/Professional
- Microsoft SQL Server
- MySQL Database Developer/Administrator
IT Job #5: IT Project Management
Lastly, another one of the high salary Information Technology jobs that do not require a technical degree is in IT Project Management.
IT Projects are evergreen and there is always a need for an IT Project Manager. I am completely biased about this field because this is what I currently do and I absolutely love it!
My IT career path started in IT Audit. Then when I became a manager, I started managing the audit projects and essentially became a project manager. I got my PMP certification and used that to transition to IT Project Management.
I work as the Program Manager for systems that are used for IT Audit and Compliance. So, it’s a perfect fit for all my skills!
While I have a technical background, you do not need a technical degree to get into IT Project Management. If you’re great at managing, organizing, and tracking people and deadlines, you are good to go.
Take a look at the salary.
SALARY: The average annual salary for IT Project Managers is $114,900.
What IT Project Managers Do
IT Project Managers keep track of the progress of IT projects within an organization. Their job is to make sure projects are completed on time and within budget. This is an extremely important role for organizations as projects are notorious for going over budget and being delayed.
With an effective IT Project Manager, organizations are more confident in the ability to roll out new/updated systems on time and without cost overruns.
As an IT Project Manager, you would typically work very closely with other IT teams that are involved in a project. Your job is to keep track of how they are progressing with the project against the set timeline. You will also communicate frequently with project stakeholders (management) to give them regular updates on the project.
Technical Skills
There is really no technical skill or degree that is required for IT Project Management. However, it will beneficial to have general IT knowledge so you can better understand the projects you are managing.
You can start a career in the field with little IT knowledge. You do need excellent organizational, time management, and task management skills to be effective. Also, be sure to gain more IT skills to make yourself more marketable as your career progresses.
Here are some of the popular technical skills you can learn to aid your career progression in this field:
- Computer Systems and Networks
- Computer Security
- Database Systems
- Risk Management
Relevant Certifications
Projects can follow one of two main types of methodologies (Waterfall or Agile). There are certifications for each project management methodology. However, most organizations typically use a combination of these two methodologies. So, please consider obtaining certifications for each.
Below are some relevant certifications for IT Project Management.
- Project Management Professional (PMP)
- Project Management Institute Agile Certified Professional (PMI-ACP)
- Program Management Professional (PgMP)
- Certified Scrum Master (CSM)
- Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) Certifications
Where to Take Courses
My personal go-to source for courses on new topics is Udemy. I like Udemy because you can see details of the lectures in each course. You can also read reviews before making a course selection. In addition, Udemy has a 30-day return policy if you are not satisfied with the course.
So, what do you think about these high salary Information Technology jobs that require no technical degree? I believe they are worth looking into, don’t you? Let me know if this information was helpful to you in the Comments section below.
Be sure to also check out the post on 7 Remote Job Opportunities in Information Technology.