In the US, technology jobs are “projected to grow at twice the rate of the overall workforce” (2024-2034). AI/ML specialists, Big Data specialists, and software developers are among the fastest-growing.

Indeed, now is the best time to consider degrees for high-growth tech careers. If you do so, you’re preparing for long-term career success and financial stability.

But it isn’t only about choosing from a list of degrees either. You must also consider affordability, flexibility, and return on investment. These are Value Colleges’ core themes, and you’ll find them in our featured online degree programs.

Related:

• Cost-Effective Cybersecurity Degrees with High Job Demand
• Computer Science & Information Technology Degrees: What Can I Do With a Computer Science Degree?
• Best Value Degrees in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
• Affordable Tech Degrees with High Salary Potential

What Are High-Growth Tech Careers?

The key traits of high-growth tech careers are:

• Strong demand and job security
• Specialized nature of the work
• Continuous learning and innovation that promote constant skill development
• High earning potential
• Strong career advancement opportunities

Examples include AI specialists, cybersecurity analysts, cloud engineers, and data scientists. These tech professionals are among the highest-paid, too. Their annual salary is about $110,000/year.

Key Skills Needed for Tech Careers

But high-growth tech careers aren’t for the lazy and unmotivated either. You have to develop hard and soft skills to thrive in a competitive landscape.

The technical skills that employers expect include:

• Coding
• Networking fundamentals
• Cloud computing
• Cybersecurity

Tech professionals must also have these transferable skills.

• Critical thinking
• Problem-solving
• Collaboration

The right degree builds both hard and soft skills through:

• Didactic courses (i.e., theory)
• Projects, hands-on lab, group assignments, and presentations (i.e., skills)
• Internships (i.e., real-world experience)

Indeed, you’ll learn both knowledge and skills, as well as hands-on experience. You’ll be job-ready even before you graduate.

Top Degrees for High-Growth Tech Careers

Computer Science

The foundational degree prepares students for building computer systems and software. As a generalist degree, its courses cover:

• Operating systems
• Theory of computation
• Data structures and algorithms

The high-growth computer science career paths include:

• Software engineer
• Full-stack developer
• Systems architect

The average salary range is $100,000 – $150,000/year. 

These universities offer online programs:

• University of Illinois Urbana‑Champaign
• Georgia Institute of Technology
• Oregon State University

Cybersecurity

The field of cybersecurity focuses on the protection of information systems and networks.

High-growth career paths it leads to include:

• Cybersecurity analyst
• Information security officer

The average salary range is $90-000 – $130,000/year.

Students tackle intensive courses, including:

• Network security
• Security policy and risk management
• Cryptography

These online universities offer cybersecurity bachelor’s degree programs.

• UMass Global
• University of Maryland Global Campus
• Purdue University Global

Data Science/Data Analytics

Common job titles include data scientists and business intelligence analysts. Their work enables them to extract actionable insights for decision-making purposes. These professionals earn $100,000 ‑ $140,000/year, on average.

Students in these fields cover topics like:

• Probability and statistics
• Data visualization
• Data mining

Check out the data science degree online programs offered at:

• University of California, Berkeley
• Arizona State University
• University of Michigan

Information Technology (IT)

IT professionals are more infrastructure-oriented and application-focused.

Students in IT degree programs learn about:

• IT project management
• Systems administration
• Network design and administration

Graduates can become:

• Network administrators
• IT project managers

These jobs pay between $80,000 and $120,000/year, on average.

Check out these universities for their IT programs.

• University of Missouri
• Western Governors University
• Southern New Hampshire University

Software Engineering

Professionals build reliable and scalable software systems and mobile apps. Common job titles include:

• Mobile app developer
• DevOps engineer

Students tackle courses in:

• Software testing and quality assurance
• DevOps practices
• Software project management

The average salary range is $100,000 – $140,000/year.

Universities that offer excellent software engineering programs include:

• University of Texas at Austin
• Boston University
• University of California, Santa Cruz

Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning

These are among the top tech degrees for the future due to their transformative impact.

High-growth career paths that an AI/ML degree leads to include:

• AI researcher
• Machine learning engineer

The average salary range for these jobs is $110,000 ‑ $160,000/year. 

Students must learn advanced knowledge and skills in several areas to thrive, including:

• Neural networks/deep learning
• Computer vision
• Natural language processing

Online programs are available at these universities.

• University of Texas at Austin
• University of Washington
• Georgia Tech

Cloud Computing/Cloud Architecture

These are the best technology degrees in demand due to widespread cloud adoption. These fields focus on the design, deployment, and management of cloud-based services.

Graduates can become:

• Cloud engineers
• Solutions architects

Their average salary range is $100,000 – $150,000/year.

Students in these fields cover a wide range of topics, including:

• Cloud infrastructure and virtualization
• DevOps/CI‑CD pipelines
• Cloud security

Check out these online programs offered by:

• University of Maryland Global Campus
• Western Governors University
• University of Illinois

Web Development/UX Design

These are popular online tech degrees because of the widespread presence of websites. More than 177,300 new websites are created every day, too. Web development/UX design focuses on the front-end and back-end of web technologies.

Graduates with the degree can become:

• Front‑end developers
• UX/UI designers

Their average salary range is $80,000 ‑ $120,000/year.

Students tackle courses like:

• UX design principles
• Web programming (JavaScript, HTML, CSS)
• User interface design tools

Explore online programs in the field at:

• University of California, Irvine
• Southern New Hampshire University
• Iowa State University

Health Informatics/Bioinformatics

These fields use data analytics, computing, and information systems in the healthcare sector. Professionals play vital roles in improving patient outcomes and making informed clinical decision-making.

Graduates with the degree enjoy high-growth careers as:

• Clinical data analysts
• Health IT specialists

Their average salary range is $90,000 ‑ $130,000/year.

Academic programs feature courses like:

• Biomedical data analytics
• Health information systems
• Electronic health records

Online programs are available at these universities:

• University of South Florida
• Johns Hopkins University
• University of Illinois Chicago

Robotics / Mechatronics Engineering

These are also the best degrees for tech jobs due to the increasing use of robotics and automation in diverse industries. Healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and aerospace are among them.

Students learn the skills to build robots and automated systems. Their skills also blend electrical, mechanical, and computer engineering.

Courses include:

• Control systems
• Embedded systems programming
• Robotics kinematics

Graduates can pursue high-growth careers as:

• Robotics engineers
• Automation technicians

The average salary range for these jobs is $85,000 ‑ $130,000/year.

Check out these online programs offered by nonprofit and public universities.

• Georgia Tech
• University of Nebraska
• Purdue University

How to Choose the Right Tech Degree for Your Goals

Keep these tips in mind when choosing a degree for high-growth tech careers.

• Consider the tuition and its return on investment. Choose affordable and quality academic programs.
• Choose a format that fits your learning preferences and lifestyle. Online programs offer more flexibility and accessibility for non-traditional students.
• Explore specializations aligned with your interests and goals. A generalist degree offers more flexibility, but a specialization builds job-specific skills.
• Consider professional certification to gain a competitive edge. Examples include CompTIA Security+, Google Data Analytics, and Microsoft Azure.

You must only enroll in an accredited program that aligns with industry standards. This way, you’ll get a comprehensive education and be job-ready. 

Affordable & Accredited Online Tech Degree Programs

University	Regional Accreditation / Status	Cost of Tuition (undergraduate)	Tech Degrees Offered
Western Governors University	NWCCU / Private nonprofit online university	$3,575 per six-month term (flat rate)	IT, data management, cybersecurity, and cloud computing
Southern New Hampshire University	NECHE / Private nonprofit  university	About $342/credit	Computer science, cybersecurity, and IT
University of Florida Online	SACSCOC / Public university	$112/credit	Information systems and computer science
Fort Hays State University	HLC / Public university	$265/credit	Web development, information networking and telecommunications, and computer science
University of North Carolina at Pembroke	SACSCOC / Public university	About $42/credit (in-state)	Cybersecurity, computer science, and IT

Career Outlook and Salary Potential

The projected growth for computer and IT occupations is “much faster than the average for all occupations”. Information security analysts (29%) and software developers (15%) have the highest projected growth.

Their median wage is among the highest for all occupations, too –  $105,990/year (May 2024). For reference, the median wage for all occupations is $49,500/year.

Here are the median annual wages for selected roles.

Occupation	Annual Wage
Web developers and digital designers	$95,380
Computer systems analysts	$103,790
Computer and information research scientists	$140,910

The tech roles with the highest return on investment are as follows.

• Information technology and systems managers
• Software engineers and developers
• Information security analysts
• Data analysts and scientists
• Web development/UX/UI designers

We’re not only talking about money but also about job impact and satisfaction.

Conclusion + Next Steps

Indeed, planning is a must to choose the right degree that leads to high-growth tech careers. You must first consider your interests, goals, and budget.

Then, you should choose a degree that aligns with job market needs. Be sure to take into account the program’s reputation, flexibility, and specializations.

When you consider these factors, you’ll be more primed and ready for the competition.