What's an Average Entry-Level Tech Job Salary?

Technology jobs represent a growing sector that requires skilled professionals.

There were 9.4 million tech roles in the U.S. in 2023, and that number is expected to be even larger once 2024 is over.

With that level of demand comes opportunities for robust salaries and growth potential. In this post, we’ll look at some statistics around tech job salaries, including the average entry-level tech job salary for those just starting their careers. 

So, what do tech jobs pay?

There are many sources from which to get reliable tech salary data. In this post, we rely heavily on the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which publishes income and career information about a variety of occupations including software developers, computer programmers, and data scientists. The BLS publishes the median salary, not the average. (While there’s a difference, both methods provide useful information.) 

The median salary for all occupations in the United States is currently $48,060. But what about salaries for tech careers, specifically? Here are the median salaries for some of the top computer and technology-based careers, according to the BLS: 

• Computer systems manager: $169,510
• Database architect: $134,700
• Network architect: $129,840
• Information security analyst: $120,360
• Systems analyst: $103,800
• Software QA analysts: $101,800
• Database administrator: $101,510
• Web designers: $98,540

After landing entry-level roles, professionals in these fields can expect even higher salaries as they gain experience. Using a software developer as an example, take a look at what a typical career path looks like: 

• Junior Developer
  1-3 years of experience
  Average U.S. salary: $89,300*
  
  *These are averages based on a national scale over the first few years on the job. Entry-level developers usually make between $65k-$80k.

• Mid Software Developer
  3-5 years of experience
  Average U.S. salary: $105,525
• Senior Software Developer
  5-6 years of experience
  Average U.S. salary: $132,930
• Management
  6+ years of experience
  Average U.S. salary: $146,550

Beyond software development, other tech career paths – cybersecurity, data science, IT – also show exciting growth trajectories over time.

What’s a typical entry-level tech job salary? 

After you get the skills you need for your desired position, you’ll likely join the workforce in an entry-level position. Fortunately, those salaries are strong from the start. In keeping with the software developer example above, let’s look at Jr. Developer salary statistics from leading job listings and career information sites: 

• Glassdoor: $104,050
• ZipRecruiter: $88,976
• Built In: $88,249
• Salary.com: $76,554
• Payscale: $67,716
• Indeed: $67,133

[Note: Salary information was taken in April of 2024. Numbers will likely change as websites update their information.]

As you can see, entry-level tech job salaries can vary. Much depends on where you work, in what industry, what skills you have going in, and more.

But there’s no doubt that working in tech – whether as a developer or in a role using another tech skillset entirely – is an exciting prospect full of growth potential and increasing wages over time.