If you want to land a six-figure salary in the tech sector, you need to be focusing on infrastructure, backend systems and data engineering.
A new report by software training provider Dynamic Web Training, based on an analysis of thousands of job listings on Indeed, found there are two tech roles in Australia with salaries averaging over $150,000: Azure and AWS architects.
The report shows that the growing reliance on cloud systems and scalable platforms in the digital transformation strategies of companies across a wide range of sectors has driven up the salaries of workers with these skills.
The highest paying tech roles
According to the data in the report, Azure architects and AWS architects are the highest paying tech jobs in Australia, both landing average salaries of just under $151,000.
“Cloud and platform architecture roles have become indispensable in today’s enterprise tech stack,” Dynamic Web Training certified trainer and data analyst Ali Noorani said.
“As more businesses shift to scalable, always-on platforms, they’re investing heavily in the talent that can build, optimise and secure that infrastructure.
“This demand is reflected not only in salary growth but also in increased job openings nationwide.”
The third-highest paid tech job according to the report is platform engineer, with an average salary just shy of $140,000.
Rounding out the top five are Linux engineers, with average incomes of just under $133,000, data engineers with nearly $128,500, and solutions engineers who earn on average just below $128,000.
The top 10 highest paying roles also include machine learning engineer, cloud engineer, DevOps engineer, backend developer and SQL developer.
Noorani said the data shows that there is a growing need for tech workers who can build and optimise complex, high-performance systems.
“Across the board, companies are prioritising tech roles that drive automation, scalability and performance,” Noorani said.
“If you’re aiming for a six-figure salary in tech, focus on infrastructure, backend systems and data engineering.
“The shift towards AI integration and real-time data processing is also elevating demand for these specialists.”
How to get these roles
A number of tech roles including QA engineers, system administrators and JavaScript developers earn on average below six-figures, but serve as good entry points to the sector, the report found.
A QA engineer role earns $99,537 on average, while a system administrator nets just under $96,500 per annum.
A deep learning engineer will be paid an average of nearly $80,500 per year on average.
“We always remind students that every senior engineer started as a junior developer or support specialist,” Noorani said.
“These roles still offer great hands-on learning opportunities, and with the right training, they can be springboards into much higher-paying positions.
“The technology landscape is dynamic, and continuous learning is key.”
To move up the ranks, workers in these fields need to prioritise continuous research and learning, and look to specialise in infrastructure, automation and platform scalability.
Previous researchers have found that tech workers are the highest paid employees in Australia, earning $20 more per hour than the average worker.
The research found that wages for workers in science and tech increased by more than six per cent year-on-year, to a median hourly rate of $63.50.
In contrast, separate research found that a number of high-level tech workers looking for work following mass layoffs at large firms has meant many are accepting lower-tier jobs, leading to a decline in salaries across the board.
The highest paid tech workers, however, pale in comparison to the best paid tech executives.
According to a report by the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors, the highest paid CEO of a tech company is ResMed boss Mick Farrell, who received $20.052 million in the last financial year.
