The 10 Most In-Demand IT Jobs in 2026 (With Real Data)

Information technology has grown steadily for a decade, and the roles that pay best are concentrated in cybersecurity, cloud computing and networking. But the shape of that demand has changed, and a list of "fastest growing IT jobs" written before AI became a normal part of the toolchain is now misleading in a specific, checkable way.

This version is built on the US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook and its employment projections overview, using the current 2025-35 outlook and May 2025 wage data for each occupation. BLS is explicit about which way AI pushes: its adoption "is expected to dampen labor demand in a variety of fields, such as sales, design, and administrative support," while "the strong and increasing demand for IT solutions, including software, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and AI-based systems" pushes computer occupations the other way.

So the honest answer to "which IT jobs are growing" is now two answers. Security, cloud and AI-adjacent engineering are growing. The generalist administration and help-desk roles that used to be the standard entry point are shrinking. Three of the ten roles below are projected to lose jobs or barely hold steady, which is the part of this list worth reading closely. For reference, the median annual wage across all US workers was $50,980 in May 2025.

1. Cybersecurity Engineer

This is the strongest outlook on the list. BLS projects employment of information security analysts to grow 21% between 2025 and 2035, much faster than average, with roughly 14,100 openings a year. The median wage is $129,180. Cybersecurity engineers plan and execute security measures to defend sensitive systems, networks and data. It is an advanced role, and most people arrive from another IT discipline rather than straight out of education. The on-ramp is narrower than the headline number suggests, so if you are trying to break in, this guide to the 2026 entry-level market covers what the workforce-gap figures do and do not tell you.

• Designing and implementing firewalls, encryption, vulnerability testing, and other security solutions
• Monitoring networks and endpoints for suspicious activity
• Investigating breaches or attacks and assessing damage
• Building security infrastructure to prevent future incidents
• Performing infrastructure and network assessments to identify any vulnerabilities present in the environment.

Median pay (BLS, May 2025): $129,180

Certifications: CompTIA Security+, EC-Council CEH, eJPT, and vendor certifications from the platforms you actually work with. The vendor ones matter more than most people expect, because they are tied to the tooling on your CV.

Projected growth: 21% (2025-35, much faster than average)

2. Cloud Engineer

Cloud engineering is the role AI has arguably helped most, indirectly. BLS notes that "greater uptake of AI will only add to cloud computing demand, as AI systems often run on cloud infrastructure," and that training and deploying AI engines raises demand for data centres. There is no single BLS occupation called "cloud engineer", so treat the figures below as market rates rather than federal medians. Getting certified in AWS, Azure or Google Cloud is still the clearest signal that you can architect and run real cloud environments.

• Configuring, managing, and monitoring public/private cloud networks
• Migrating data and applications from on-prem systems to the cloud
• Optimizing performance and costs of cloud resources
• Automating provisioning and management of cloud infrastructure

Typical market range: roughly $110,000 to $155,000 depending on seniority, with cloud security specialisation pushing higher. No single BLS median applies.

Certifications: AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Microsoft Certified Azure Administrator

Outlook: Growing, driven by AI workloads moving to cloud. Not separately measured by BLS.

3. Network Engineer

Network engineers design, build and maintain the wired and wireless infrastructure businesses run on. The closest BLS occupation, computer network architects, has a median wage of $134,050 and is projected to grow 8% from 2025 to 2035. Note the distinction, because it matters for entry six: designing networks is growing, administering them is not. The CCNA remains the standard first step.

• Configuring, managing, and monitoring network equipment like routers, switches, and firewalls
• Troubleshooting connectivity issues and network bottlenecks
• Upgrading networks and implementing new network segments as needed
• Ensuring networks operate reliably and securely

Median pay (BLS, May 2025): $134,050 for computer network architects

Certifications: Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)

Projected growth: 8% (2025-35, much faster than average)

4. Information Security Analyst

This is the fastest-growing occupation on the list and the one most often recommended as a way into the field. BLS projects 21% growth from 2025 to 2035, with a median wage of $129,180 and about 14,100 openings a year. The Security+ covers the concepts you need to get started, though the entry-level market is harder than the headline number suggests.

• Monitoring systems and networks for security threats
• Investigating and reporting on security incidents
• Implementing security measures like access controls, encryption, and malware defense
• Educating staff on security best practices and compliance policies

Median pay (BLS, May 2025): $129,180

Certifications: CompTIA Security+

Projected growth: 21% (2025-35, much faster than average)

5. Software Developer/Engineer

Software development is the largest occupation on this list by absolute numbers. BLS projects 10% growth from 2025 to 2035, much faster than average, with a median wage of $134,040. The original version of this post claimed 22%. That figure was real for an earlier projection window and has since been revised down as the occupation matured and AI-assisted tooling raised output per developer. It remains one of the biggest sources of new jobs in the economy.

• Analyzing system requirements and translating them into secure, scalable software
• Coding applications using languages like Java, JavaScript, C#, or Python
• Debugging programs and improving software performance
• Implementing new features and interfaces
• Collaborating with product managers on technical designs

Median pay (BLS, May 2025): $134,040

Certifications: None required; demonstrated ability in a language matters more

Projected growth: 10% (2025-35, much faster than average)

6. Computer Systems Administrator

This one has reversed, and it is the most important correction in this post. BLS projects network and computer systems administrators to decline 4% between 2025 and 2035, with a median wage of $99,130. The original version of this post predicted 7.5% growth. The reason is the one running through this whole list: routine provisioning, patching, account management and monitoring are precisely the tasks that automation and managed platforms absorbed first. The work has not vanished, but it has moved into platform engineering, infrastructure-as-code and cloud roles, which are counted elsewhere.

If you are on this path, the useful move is to specialise outward rather than stay generalist. Configuration management, automation and cloud platform work are where the remaining demand sits.

• Adding new hardware and software, like servers and business applications
• Resolving issues with systems and networks
• Managing user accounts, permissions, email, VPN services, and cloud tools
• Performing routine maintenance and upgrades on IT systems
• Automating tasks through scripting or management tools

Median pay (BLS, May 2025): $99,130

Certifications: CompTIA A+, Network+; then move toward cloud and automation certifications

Projected growth: -4% (2025-35, declining)

7. IT Project Manager

IT project managers apply technical knowledge, organisational ability and communication skills to lead complex initiatives. The closest BLS occupation, computer and information systems managers, carries the highest median wage on this list at $175,140 and is projected to grow 16% from 2025 to 2035. It is a management role, so the usual caveat applies: it is rarely an entry point, and most people reach it after several years of hands-on work.

• Collaborating with stakeholders to define project scope, resources, requirements, budgets, and timelines
• Assembling project teams and assigning individual responsibilities
• Monitoring progress to ensure on-time, on-budget delivery
• Identifying and troubleshooting issues arising during projects
• Presenting reports on project status to executives and other stakeholders

Median pay (BLS, May 2025): $175,140

Certifications: CompTIA Project+, Project Management Professional (PMP)

Projected growth: 16% (2025-35, much faster than average)

8. Data Analyst/Scientist

Data roles carry the highest growth rate of any occupation on this list. BLS projects data scientists to grow 33.5% between 2024 and 2034, adding roughly 82,500 jobs, and notes that the surge in data generated by AI systems feeds demand further. The wider category of data analysts grows more slowly, so the two are worth separating rather than treating as one career. Tableau, Power BI and Python are the standard tools.

• Collecting, cleaning, and organizing large datasets
• Performing analyses with data analytics tools and SQL
• Building statistical models, machine learning algorithms, and other quantitative methods
• Identifying trends and patterns in data to drive solutions to business problems
• Creating visualizations and reports to communicate data insights

Typical range: roughly $60,000 to $150,000, with data scientists at the top of it

Certifications: Tableau, Microsoft Certified Data Analyst Associate

Projected growth: 33.5% for data scientists (2024-34, BLS); lower for analysts

9. Database Administrator

Database administrators and architects earn a median of $126,760, but growth is only 4% from 2025 to 2035, about the average for all occupations and well below the rest of this list. The original post claimed 10%. Managed database services did to this role what managed platforms did to systems administration: the routine backup, patching and scaling work moved to the provider. Specialising in performance, data engineering or data platform security is where the remaining advantage is.

• Designing and implementing new databases
• Modifying database structures and configurations as needed
• Controlling user access and permissions
• Backing up and restoring databases
• Resolving database performance issues and outages
• Executing scripts, queries, and migrations

Median pay (BLS, May 2025): $126,760

Certifications: Microsoft Certified Database Administrator Associate

Projected growth: 4% (2025-35, as fast as average)

10. IT Support Specialist

This is the second reversal, and it matters because this is the role most people are told to start in. BLS projects computer support specialists to decline 3% between 2025 and 2035, with a median wage of $62,890. The original post predicted 7% growth. Password resets, application troubleshooting and basic hardware faults are exactly the work that automation and self-service tooling handle now.

That does not make help desk useless. It remains a common way to get real exposure to tickets, systems and users, and plenty of good engineers started there. The mistake is treating it as a destination or assuming the demand will carry you. Treat it as a two-year apprenticeship with a deliberate exit: pick up scripting, Microsoft 365 or cloud administration while you are there, and move on before the roles shrink further.

• Troubleshooting software, hardware, and network issues
• Diagnosing and resolving common technical problems
• Installing and configuring operating systems, applications, and devices
• Managing help ticketing systems and documentation
• Directing users on the proper use of IT equipment and systems

Median pay (BLS, May 2025): $62,890

Skills that matter: customer service, troubleshooting, a solid IT foundation

Certifications: CompTIA A+

Projected growth: -3% (2025-35, declining)

The pattern across all ten is consistent. Roles built on judgement, design and specialisation are growing, and pay well above the $50,980 median for all US workers. Roles built on routine operation of systems a platform can now manage are flat or shrinking. Where you land in that split matters more than which job title you pick.

If you are choosing between them, the two fastest-growing entries here are information security and data science. The two most useful things to do next are to build something you can show, and to get comfortable with the AI tooling in whichever stack you choose. Detailed salary and hiring data for every occupation in this list is in the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, which is free and updated every year.

This post began as a response to NetworkChuck's video on IT careers, which is still worth watching for the mindset even where the numbers have moved.