Want to work in security? Start with the best cyber security certifications for 2026. Pay in this field varies a lot by state. Our breakdown of cybersecurity analyst salary by state shows how far the numbers move.
Which tech jobs have the most openings?
Software developers, QA analysts and testers post the most openings of any tech occupation. The group earns a median of $134,040. Software developers alone earn $135,980. QA analysts and testers earn $104,300. The field held 1,905,400 jobs in 2025. BLS projects a change of 185,400 jobs by 2035. QA analysts and testers grow 6 percent on their own. They go from 187,600 jobs in 2025 to 198,200 in 2035.
BLS points to software development demand for AI, IoT, robotics, and other automation. IoT means the internet of things. Those are everyday devices with sensors and an internet connection.
Job posting data tells the same story from the employer side. A CompTIA analysis of September 2026 job postings found 625,633 active tech postings. That was up 22.4 percent from a year earlier. It is the highest total in more than three years. Software developers and engineers came first, with 47,598 new openings.
| Rank in CompTIA list | Role |
|---|
| 1 | Software developers and engineers (47,598 new openings) |
| 2 to 5 | Systems engineers, tech support specialists, data analysts, DevOps engineers |
CompTIA grouped those four roles after the first. Read the second row as a set, not a ranking. The release also counted 349,821 postings that required AI skills. Tech sector employment fell by an estimated 10,350 positions that month. Postings rose while tech-sector employment fell.
DevOps work sits in that group. Our how to become a DevOps engineer roadmap lists the steps in order.
Which tech roles are shrinking?
Two common roles lose jobs by 2035. Network and computer systems administrators drop 4 percent, a loss of 13,200 jobs. The occupation held 323,600 jobs in 2025 and earns a median of $99,130. About 13,400 openings a year appear. Every one of them comes from replacing workers who leave.
BLS says routine tasks in this role are increasingly automated. Some of those tasks shift to software developers who focus on DevOps.
Computer support specialists shrink 3 percent. Their median pay of $62,890 is the lowest in the table. They still post about 48,700 openings a year. BLS lists some college as the typical entry education.
Want a base first? See the best IT certifications without a degree.
How do you upgrade your skills for a tech career?
CompTIA tracks the skills employers mention in postings. Its October 2025 analysis covered postings from January through October. The most requested skills were cloud infrastructure, Python, automation, CI/CD, and AI. CI/CD means the tools that move code from a laptop to a live server automatically.
| Skill | Postings |
|---|
| Cloud infrastructure | 786,332 |
| Python | 488,269 |
| Automation | 408,903 |
| CI/CD | 393,674 |
| Artificial intelligence | 323,056 |
Cloud infrastructure leads with 786,332 postings. Python follows with 488,269. Automation and CI/CD sit close behind at 408,903 and 393,674. AI skills appear in 323,056 postings.
Pick one skill from this list. Build one project that uses it. Our guide to the best cloud certifications for career growth covers the cloud path.
Where should you start?
The best tech jobs in high demand for you depend on two things. One is the measure you weigh. The other is what you already know. Fastest growth and strongest entry pay point to data scientist and information security analyst work. The most openings sit in software development and QA testing, by a wide margin. The shortest first step into tech sits in computer support work. It posts 48,700 openings a year and asks for some college.
The BLS reports the whole computer and IT group earns a median of $109,470. All occupations across the economy earn $50,980. The tech group posts about 280,000 openings a year.
Choose one role from the table. Choose one skill from the CompTIA list. Give it three months and one finished project you can point to.
Photo: tookapic, Pixabay Content License, via Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/photos/office-work-desk-computer-932926/)
Fazlur Rahman
