According to the International Trade Administration, the tech industry in the U.S. is worth $1.9 trillion, which is about 10% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), and it accounts for 12.1 million jobs.
But there’s a secret: Not everyone in the tech industry is a skilled programmer or computer scientist.
Here are the best-paying tech jobs for those without tech skills you should consider if you want to improve your financial fitness .
Editor's note: All salary information is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Make Money: 8 things to do if you're barely scraping by financially 1. Social media strategist
Median salary: $131,870 per year
Social media strategists fall under the area of advertising and promotions managers. They work to create social media-based marketing plans to promote sales for their clients.
This field, which usually requires a bachelor’s degree, is growing at an above-average rate of about 6%.
Do you owe the IRS over $10K? Ask this company to help you eliminate your late tax debt.
2. Sales managers
Median salary: $135,160 per year
Are you good at selling something? Why not sell in the tech industry?
This high-paying non-techie job is in demand and is projected to grow at about 4% over the next decade, which is about as fast as average.
The work entails managing other people within a sales team. Work experience is often valued more highly than a bachelor’s degree, though some employers require it.
3. Training and development manager
Median salary: $125,040 per year
A training and development manager plans, coordinates, and then manages the staff within a company, aiming to ensure employees receive the training they need.
Their goal isn’t to create software but to support the education and skill-building of those who do.
Demand for these professionals is expected to increase by 6% in the next 10 years. Bachelor’s degrees are typically required in some areas of human resources.
Make Money: Discover 17 legit ways to make extra cash 4. Sales engineers
Median salary: $116,950 per year
A sales engineer sells scientific and tech products to companies. Although they have a high level of knowledge about those products, they don’t create them or solve problems related to them.
Keep in mind that, with a bachelor’s degree, this in-the-field sales job offers many opportunities to work with companies of all types, including nonprofit and government organizations.
The job outlook here is about a 5% increase in positions by 2032.
5. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
Median salary: $101,800 per year
Are you good at finding problems and noticing differences in details? If so, you may thrive as a software quality assurance analyst and tester.
In this job, you’ll search for software problems and try to determine where they occurred. You'll also test the products, report defects, and manage a bug-tracking system.
There’s a growth expectation in this field of about 2%.
6. Data scientists
Median salary: $108,020 per year
If you have a degree in mathematics, statistics, or a related field, you could work as a data scientist in the tech industry.
Your job is to use various analytical tools and methods to gain insights into data, such as the effectiveness of a software product or how people engage with a company.
This job is growing at one of the fastest rates, about 35% by 2032, making it a very in-demand position for those with the skills.
Get Out of Debt for Good: Try these 6 clever ways to crush your debt 7. Financial analyst
Median salary: $99,890 per year
With a bachelor’s degree, you could work as a financial analyst, helping companies manage their money, profits, and objectives.
These professionals work alongside tech companies to help them obtain capital, fund expansion and meet other financial demands.
Opportunities in this field will grow by 8% by 2032.
8. Project manager
Median salary: $98,580 per year
A fast-growing sector that’s expected to see about a 6% growth rate from 2022 to 2032, project management specialists or project managers spend their time budgeting, scheduling, and managing staffing goals for tech companies.
With a need for a bachelor’s degree in some cases, those who work in this field can help tech companies manage projects to meet financial objectives.
9. Management analyst
Median salary: $99,410 per year
As a business management analyst, you use your experience and training to pinpoint ways to improve the company’s efficiency.
Most software companies are constantly looking for ways to improve productivity and efficiency to get the most out of their employees.
This job, expected to grow at a rate of 10% by 2032, involves using one’s bachelor’s degree and work experience to help tech companies find ways to become more efficient or drive bigger profit margins.
Break the Cycle: 8 moves to escape the paycheck to paycheck grind 10. Network and computer systems administrators
Median salary: $95,360 per year
Working as a network and computer systems administrator requires a bachelor’s degree, and it can be a very important position in schools, companies, and government organizations.
The work here is typically installing and configuring computer network systems for organizations. You may need working knowledge of these hands-on skills, but you’re not doing design work.
This job is growing at a rate of 2%, or as fast as average.
11. UX designer
Median salary: $92,750 per year
User-experience (UX) designers typically have some skill in developing websites but not necessarily in programming and coding. Instead, their job centers around testing the user experience that other people will have.
Many are self-employed, which means they can work from anywhere . This field is expected to grow by 16%, and while some benefit from a bachelor’s degree, self-taught individuals can do well here, too.
12. Technical writers
Median salary: $80,050 per year
A technical writer understands various tech-related terminology and premises to create how-to guides, supporting documents, and instruction manuals.
This job, which is growing at a rate of 7%, does not necessarily require a degree, though many employers prefer those with a bachelor’s degree in science or engineering.
Money Goals: Make these 7 savvy moves when you have $1,000 in the bank 13. Market research analyst
Median salary: $74,680 per year
Market research analysts study consumer behavior to help tech companies make decisions. This may include how people interact with products or their pain points.
Some also work to better understand business conditions, helping companies learn what they can do to achieve their goals.
This job is growing at a rate of 13%, which is much faster than the average. If you want to work in a tech company, you'll likely need a bachelor's degree.
14. Human resources specialist
Median salary: $67,650 per year
Every successful company needs qualified employees, and that’s the job of a human resources specialist. As such, you recruit, screen, and then interview applicants for tech positions.
You may also help manage benefits and compensation, training, and employee-related problem-solving.
This job, which typically requires a bachelor’s degree in human resources, is growing at about 6%.
15. Graphic designer
Median salary: $58,910 per year
Graphic designers don’t develop software or use code but instead use software programs to design marketing campaigns, images, and other visual concepts. They then work as part of the marketing or public relations team for tech companies.
This job's demand is growing at a rate of 3%, or as fast as the average. It may require a bachelor’s degree or a portfolio of your work.
Bottom line
Landing a job in the tech sector could help you stop living paycheck to paycheck with a bright career future.
One of the most important things to remember about searching for a job in the tech industry without a computer science degree is that these are companies that function like any other company. They need people who can write, manage, and handle bookkeeping.
You could make the move into this field simply by applying your current skill set to the tech industry.
More from FinanceBuzz:
Make Money: 7 things to do if you’re barely scraping by financially.
Comments / 0