News

No Developer Jobs Make LinkedIn's Top 10 List for 2017 Salaries

• By David Ramel
• January 17, 2017

LinkedIn's new report detailing the highest-paying jobs for 2017 is the rare study that doesn't include any developer jobs (or any tech jobs, for that matter) in its top 10 list.

In the face of a prolonged industry-wide skills shortage, developers are accustomed to seeing their positions rank at or near the top of such salary studies. In fact, earlier this month, mainstream publication CNNMoney -- taking into account quality-of-life considerations in addition to salaries -- names mobile app developer the best job in America.

And even considering salaries alone, developers -- especially mobile and Big Data pros -- consistently rank near the top in tech studies like this and even all-industry reports like this.

In the Jan. 10 LinkedIn report, though, the top 10 U.S. jobs are totally dominated by medical positions, with one legal job clocking in at No. 10.

It isn't until No. 11 that a tech-related job -- staff software engineer -- makes an appearance. Based on data from more than 350 such jobs posted on the LinkedIn Salary platform, the median base salary for these engineers is $168,000. The top occupation, in contrast, is cardiologist, with a median base salary of $356,000.

According to LinkedIn's staff software engineer page (apparently out of date, as it lists a median base salary of $162,000), the median total compensation for this occupation is $195,000 per year.

The top-paying location for such a position is no surprise whatsoever: San Francisco Bay area. No. 2 is Austin, Texas.

Not that the report paints a bleak picture for developers, though. LinkedIn does pay homage to the insatiable demand for tech talent.

"If another eight years of school isn't on your bucket list, don't worry," LinkedIn said. "These jobs point to growing industries in the broader U.S. economy, meaning you don't necessarily have to be a doctor or engineer to get paid well. While the healthcare industry is growing faster than nearly every other industry, technology skills are the most in-demand among employers, and legal occupations are needed across every industry."

Somewhat surprisingly, staff software engineer salaries ranked higher than other dev-related jobs, even management positions like director of engineering (No. 13, at $164,000) and senior software engineering manager (No. 18, at $155,000), so take in the information with a grain of salt. The methodology section of the report says the data is based on information provided by verified LinkedIn members.

"The results of this analysis represent the world as seen through the lens of LinkedIn data," the report said. "As such, it is influenced by how members choose to use the site, which can vary based on professional, social, and regional culture, as well as overall site availability and accessibility."