Which are the best paying IT jobs?
Working in IT? Make sure you're being paid fairly, and see what you could be earning in a different country or company. Also discover the most valuable coding language and the best paying sectors in which to work. You never know, you might just decide to make that jump after all.
Coding Language
| Coding Language | Average Pay (Developer) |
|---|---|
| Java | £51,000 |
| C++ | £49,000 |
| C# | £48,000 |
| Python | £43,000 |
| Javascript | £36,000 |
| ASP.Net | £31,000 |
| PHP | £31,000 |
By looking at the average income of an IT developer in the UK we can ascertain which are the best paying coding languages. Java developer salaries pay an extra £20,000 compared to less in-demand languages like PHP and ASP.Net which only secure salaries of £31,000. These figures have a lot to do with the applications for these languages, e.g. Java, C++ and C# are the three most popular languages in the finance sector, which still offers most of the best paying IT jobs.
Sector
| Sector | Average Pay (Developer) |
|---|---|
| Finance | £52,000 |
| Apps, Web, and eCommerce | £41,000 |
| Consulting | £39,000 |
| Technology and Telecoms | £38,000 |
| Media | £36,000 |
| Public | £33,000 |
Perhaps unsurprisingly finance is the most profitable direction to focus your IT talents in the UK if you are looking for top IT salaries - earning you a significant £11,000 more than the second best paid sector. Our figures are averages across the whole sector, however, and some top companies outside of finance such as Google, Facebook and LinkedIn are well-known for paying whatever it takes to attract the best IT talent.
Country
| Country | Average Pay (Developer) |
|---|---|
| USA | £66,000 |
| UK | £41,000 |
| Ireland | £35,000 |
| Germany | £34,000 |
| The Netherlands | £32,000 |
| Hong Kong | £30,000 |
| France | £28,000 |
| Spain | £21,000 |
Thinking of taking your IT skills abroad? It looks like USA is the place to go, as salaries are 50% higher than your UK equivalent. Pity about the tricky immigration politics. On this side of the Atlantic, Ireland's tax policies seem to have succeeded in attracting tech giants to their shores, while outside of Europe, looking at Hong Kong IT salaries of £30,000 on average make a lot of sense especially taking into account local tax rates as well.
University
Which universities give IT professionals the best prospects? The ones with the best reputation, and those closest to London: Imperial College and UCL top the table, with Oxbridge and other Russell Group universities like Bristol close behind.| University | Average Salary (Developer) |
|---|---|
| Imperial College London | £53,000 |
| University College London | £45,000 |
| Bristol University | £43,000 |
| Oxford University | £43,000 |
| Cambridge University | £42,000 |
| Southampton University | £40,000 |
| Queen Mary University of London | £37,000 |
| King's College London | £37,000 |
| Warwick University | £36,000 |
| Newcastle University | £33,000 |
Emolument provides bonus and salary statistics based on data submitted directly by professionals like you. It is free, anonymous, and already a trusted tool for thousands of professionals worldwide. Are you paid enough? Click here to find out now.
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