These Are the Highest-Paying Tech Jobs in Every State — and Software Developer Isn't the Most Common One Each job has a six-figure salary.

By Sherin Shibu Edited by Jessica Thomas

Key Takeaways

  • AI education site DataCamp looked at salary data published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to find the best-paying tech jobs by state.
  • The job that came up the most frequently was database architect, with computer network architect coming in second.
  • Software development was the top job for 12 states.

A new study shows that the highest-paid tech job differs widely from state to state.

AI education platform DataCamp drew from 2023 salary data published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to find the tech jobs with the best average compensation by state. Though New Jersey's top role was database architect, with an average annual salary of $158,930, the highest-paying position for its neighbor, New York, was software developer, with an average salary of $150,020.

California, too, had software development as the best-paying job on average, with a mean salary of $173,780.

"The tech industry is rapidly changing every day, and the diversity in the highest-paid roles across states reflects the different needs and priorities of businesses in various regions," DataCamp co-founder Martijn Theuwissen stated. "From this, states like California, which are home to many tech startups, are pumping more money into the software development field, likely to increase productivity and quality."

Related: Looking for a Remote Job? Here Are the Most In-Demand Skills to Have on Your Resume, According to Employers.

The highest-paid job that came up the most frequently, with 19 states featuring it, wasn't software development but database architect. Fifteen states had computer network architect as the top-paying role, while only 12 had software development as the best-compensated tech job.

The researchers behind the list caution that the jobs on this list may change in a few years.

"As businesses increasingly rely on data-driven solutions and tools, the demand for experts who can maintain these things will also increase, and completely new job titles will likely pop up," Theuwissen predicted.

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Here are the highest-paying tech jobs by state.

Alabama

Highest-paid tech job: Computer Network Architects

Annual state mean salary: $126,860

Alaska

Highest-paid tech job: Software Developers

Annual state mean salary: $145,630

Arizona

Highest-paid tech job: Software Developers

Annual state mean salary: $128,040

Arkansas

Highest-paid tech job: Computer Network Architects

Annual state mean salary: $112,890

California

Highest-paid tech job: Software Developers

Annual state mean salary: $173,780

Colorado

Highest-paid tech job: Software Developers

Annual state mean salary: $145,420

Connecticut

Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects

Annual state mean salary: $140,610

Delaware

Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects

Annual state mean salary: $153,570

Florida

Highest-paid tech job: Computer Network Architects

Annual state mean salary: $125,730

Georgia

Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects

Annual state mean salary: $147,250

Hawaii

Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects

Annual state mean salary: $137,690

Idaho

Highest-paid tech job: Computer Network Architects

Annual state mean salary: $142,600

Illinois

Highest-paid tech job: Computer Network Architects

Annual state mean salary: $135,690

Indiana

Highest-paid tech job: Computer Network Architects

Annual state mean salary: $112,560

Iowa

Highest-paid tech job: Information Security Analysts

Annual state mean salary: $143,960

Kansas

Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects

Annual state mean salary: $161,820

Kentucky

Highest-paid tech job: Computer Network Architects

Annual state mean salary: $109,030

Louisiana

Highest-paid tech job: Software Developers

Annual state mean salary: $128,980

Maine

Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects

Annual state mean salary: $118,990

Maryland

Highest-paid tech job: Computer Network Architects

Annual state mean salary: $151,840

Massachusetts

Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects

Annual state mean salary: $152,850

Michigan

Highest-paid tech job: Computer Network Architects

Annual state mean salary: $116,130

Minnesota

Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects

Annual state mean salary: $128,380

Mississippi

Highest-paid tech job: Information Security Analysts

Annual state mean salary: $95,580

Missouri

Highest-paid tech job: Computer Network Architects

Annual state mean salary: $115,800

Montana

Highest-paid tech job: Software Developers

Annual state mean salary: $131,380

Nebraska

Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects

Annual state mean salary: $130,230

Nevada

Highest-paid tech job: Software Developers

Annual state mean salary: $133,490

New Hampshire

Highest-paid tech job: Information Security Analysts

Annual state mean salary: $139,050

New Jersey

Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects

Annual state mean salary: $158,930

New Mexico

Highest-paid tech job: Information Security Analysts

Annual state mean salary: $127,860

New York

Highest-paid tech job: Software Developers

Annual state mean salary: $150,020

North Carolina

Highest-paid tech job: Software Developers

Annual state mean salary: $130,970

North Dakota

Highest-paid tech job: Computer Network Architects

Annual state mean salary: $117,860

Ohio

Highest-paid tech job: Computer Network Architects

Annual state mean salary: $123,290

Oklahoma

Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects

Annual state mean salary: $119,940

Oregon

Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects

Annual state mean salary: $132,460

Pennsylvania

Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects

Annual state mean salary: $121,960

Rhode Island

Highest-paid tech job: Software Developers

Annual state mean salary: $135,030

South Carolina

Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects

Annual state mean salary: $126,340

South Dakota

Highest-paid tech job: Computer Network Architects

Annual state mean salary: $154,370

Tennessee

Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects

Annual state mean salary: $119,530

Texas

Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects

Annual state mean salary: $139,570

Utah

Highest-paid tech job: Computer Network Architects

Annual state mean salary: $151,320

Vermont

Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects

Annual state mean salary: $152,540

Virginia

Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects

Annual state mean salary: $143,300

Washington

Highest-paid tech job: Software Developers

Annual state mean salary: $159,990

West Virginia

Highest-paid tech job: Computer Network Architects

Annual state mean salary: $104,250

Wisconsin

Highest-paid tech job: Database Architects

Annual state mean salary: $130,180

Wyoming

Highest-paid tech job: Software Developers

Annual state mean salary: $127,790

Sherin Shibu

Entrepreneur Staff

News Reporter

Sherin Shibu is a business news reporter at Entrepreneur.com. She previously worked for PCMag, Business Insider, The Messenger, and ZDNET as a reporter and copyeditor. Her areas of coverage encompass tech, business, strategy, finance, and even space. She is a Columbia University graduate.

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