What are the highest-paying technology positions anticipated for 2025?

A comprehensive overview of the most lucrative positions available in your sector includes software development, cybersecurity, data science, artificial intelligence and machine learning, cloud computing, leadership roles, and more.

It is well-established that IT professionals generally receive higher compensation compared to their non-IT counterparts; however, salary levels can vary significantly across different disciplines and positions. To assist in identifying the most promising career paths for 2025, Pluralsight annually compiles a list of the highest-paying IT roles categorized by field, position, and level of experience.

The following list is derived from a meta-analysis of industry research gathered from thousands of technology professionals throughout the United States, along with critical insights from Pluralsight’s 2025 Tech Forecast Report. It is important to note that salary ranges can vary considerably based on geographic location.

For the second consecutive year, the role of AI Architect has emerged as the highest-paying non-executive position, with experienced architects earning upwards of $200,000. This trend is not unexpected, given the current media coverage surrounding the field.

According to Pluralsight’s 2025 Technical Skills Report, only 12% of IT professionals possess substantial experience in AI, and approximately 80% of AI initiatives fail due to insufficient internal expertise and preparation. Consequently, it is anticipated that the demand for AI specialists will continue to rise, enhancing their negotiating leverage.

As we forecasted last year, the significance of cybersecurity is increasing among both enterprise and public sector organizations. This trend is largely attributed to advancements in AI, which have enabled threat actors to execute cyberattacks with less skill and on a larger scale. Additionally, companies have inadvertently heightened their cyber risk exposure through the implementation of AI, often executed poorly, thereby elevating the value of cybersecurity professionals.

Furthermore, we anticipate that the roles of data and cloud specialists will gain further prominence as organizations recognize the critical importance of maintaining clean data and robust, resilient architectures.