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Technology pays better than almost any industry you can enter without a graduate degree. It is also, in our view, the industry where the most common advice given to teenagers — "learn to code" — has aged the worst. Our research suggests both are true at once, and this page is about what to do with that.
Nobody tells students this part. Our research suggests the specialized, senior end of technology is growing fast, while the traditional starter jobs — the help desk, the general programming role, the junior sysadmin seat — are flat or shrinking, likely because a lot of that work is now automated or outsourced. The industry has not stopped hiring. It looks more like the ladder lost its bottom few rungs, and you have to climb on somewhere higher up.
Data scientist
$120,230
Information security analyst
$129,180
Software developer
$134,040
Computer network architect
$134,050
These are real jobs that real people still do, and some are still good jobs. But our data shows the number of seats shrinking, so we would be cautious about treating any of them as a ten-year plan on their own.
Computer programmer
$100,390
Network and systems administrator
$99,130
Computer support specialist
$62,890
Reporter or journalist
$62,200
Computer support is still the biggest door in the building — 903,100 jobs, and the one role here that does not typically require a bachelor's degree. It is also shrinking slowly, which in our view makes it a strong first job and a weak last one. Take it, get inside, and use the employer's tuition help to move toward security or data early. Our research points to that as one of the most reliable paths in this industry, and almost nobody describes it out loud.
Media runs on different rules than technology. From what we see, people are hired off what they have made far more than off a transcript. A film and video editor earns a median of $75,100, a public relations specialist $74,750, and a broadcast and sound technician $60,150 — that last one typically without a degree. Our research suggests it is the most reachable real job in media, and the equipment that used to gate it is now a laptop and a microphone.
If media is what you want, the work starts now, unpaid and unglamorous: film the school game, cut the highlight reel, run sound for the theatre production, build the reel. That portfolio is your application.
Start
Computer support, help desk or a media production assistant role. No degree required; certifications count more than a transcript.
Specialize
Pick security, data or development and get the credential while employed. Most employers here will help pay for it.
Build
Security analyst at $129,180, data scientist at $120,230, or software developer at $134,040.
Design the system
Network architect at $134,050 — a role that specifically requires five or more years of experience behind it.
Get hired into the building, then specialize on the employer's dime. The technology companies, media firms, agencies and colleges on CareerPathway.com post their entry roles, internships, apprenticeships, certification programs and tuition support in one place — create a free profile and you can see who is hiring, who will pay for your certification, and what they expect in return.
Is it too late to get into tech?
No, but our research suggests the entry point has moved. Software development is still growing 10% with a median of $134,040, and data science is growing 35%. What has shrunk is the generic starter role: computer programming is declining 7% and general systems administration 4%. We would aim at a specialty rather than at "tech" in general.
What is the highest-paying job in technology?
Computer network architect and software developer are effectively tied at a median of about $134,000 per year, followed by information security analyst at $129,180 and database administrator at $126,760.
Can I work in technology without a four-year degree?
Computer support specialist is the main role here that does not typically require a bachelor's degree, with a median of $62,890 and 903,100 jobs. It is a common first step, and certifications plus experience can carry you from there into security or networking.
Do I need a degree to work in media?
Less than you need a portfolio, in our experience. Broadcast and sound engineering technicians earn a median of $60,150 and typically enter with short on-the-job training rather than a degree. What tends to get you hired in media is the work you can show.
Pay and job outlook figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook — 2025 median pay and 2025–2035 projections.