At the end of every year, the news media loves to write lists.  Most of these lists are about the best and worst of the previous year, but some provide insight about the coming year.  Recently, CNN published a list of the highest paying jobs for 2012 and, not surprisingly, it includes a lot of IT jobs.  This particular list was compiled from a NACE survey on entry level salaries and focuses on major areas of study for college students.

Almost all of the top ten best paying jobs are ideal for engineering and computer science graduates, but the competition for these jobs is still pretty intense.

1. Chemical engineering majors – starting annual salary for 2011 grads was $66,886
2. Computer science grads – starting annual salary offer in 2011 was $63,017
3. Mechanical engineering students – average starting salary offer was $60,739 in 2011
4. Electrical, electronics and communications engineering – starting annual salary offer in 2011 was $60,646
5. Computer engineering – Average salary for recent grads in 2011 was $60,112
6. Industrial and manufacturing engineers – starting average salary for 2011 grads was $58,549
7. Systems engineering majors – starting salary averaged $57,497 in 2011
8. Engineering technology – average starting salary for 2011 grads was $57,176
9. Information sciences and systems – average starting salary for 2011 graduates was $56,868
10. Business systems networking and telecommunications – average annual salary for recent grads in 2011 was $56,808

After reading this list, many college students will look into switching to an engineering or computer science major, but not everyone will be successful at this type of career.  It takes a very specific set of skills, primarily in math and science, to get through the best computer science programs, but graduates say that the rewards at the end are worth it.  A recent CNN documentary mentioned how some companies are finding it difficult to fill their best IT jobs and engineering positions. Where there are plenty of business majors, English majors and psychology majors waiting tables, computer science and engineering graduates should have no problem landing an entry level position.

If you are looking for the best IT jobs in mid-career, the terrain may seem a bit more challenging.  That’s because many technology startups are owned by entrepreneurs who are still in their 20s and 30s.  These companies rarely hire anyone over 30 because they want the freshest minds with the latest skills in emerging technologies.

If you are in search of IT jobs and need that extra edge to remain marketable, a Dallas technical recruiter can help.