One of the best things about being a computer programmer is that there are a lot of different career opportunities for you and many of them come with a decent salary.
Some of them will require special education (often a degree in computer science or something at a similar level) or a particular programming language, but generally speaking, these are the jobs and careers that computer programmers can look to have.
Business Intelligence Analyst
You don't technically need to be a computer programmer to do this job, but an understanding of programming and coding will certainly help you when you apply.
A business intelligence analyst is a person that looks for trends in terms of business intelligence software.
You won't need an out-and-out computer science degree (but here are some of the best) to do this job, but if you've learned some programming languages and know how computer programming works, this line of work remains an option.
Business intelligence analysts also earn salaries similar to that of computer programmers and other related careers.
Computer Programmer
This is the obvious choice for somebody who studies computer programming. After all, if you learn computer programming, you'll likely become a computer programmer.
If coding was your favourite part of the whole process, then you don't need to complicate things. You can just become a computer programmer.
In this line of work, programming takes centre stage and you'll be writing programs or code and ensuring that everything works as effectively as it can.
These are the kinds of jobs where qualities such as patience, attention to detail, and problem-solving skills will be put to the test.
Your job will likely be to create and design the code for software solutions.
Computer Systems Analyst
A computer systems analyst's role is to make sure that computer systems are fit for purpose and work as effectively as possible.
This line of work usually combines an understanding of computer science and coding with an aptitude for business as most clients and employers will be big businesses with complex computing needs.
However, there's also the possibility of working outside of business for larger organisations like NGOs, charities, governments, or anyone else with IT needs.
Of course, they can also work for companies specialising in computer systems analysis who work as 3rd-party contractors for big businesses and other organisations.
Computer systems analysts also earn similar amounts to computer programmers and are also likely to see their demand increase in the coming years.
Computer Systems Engineer
Computer systems engineers also look to fix problems for computer systems and earn a similar amount to computer systems analysts for doing it.
However, a computer systems engineer usually looks to create software and can be employed by software publishers.
Computer systems engineers can also work in very specialised areas or fields as end customers often have very specific needs that vary from industry to industry.
Computer systems engineers who work within a company or organisation rather than for a publisher will be responsible for making sure the computer systems are operating.
While a computer systems analyst will look to collect data from the organisation and apply it to improve the systems, a computer systems engineer's job is to keep computer systems working.
Database Administrator
Computer programmers can also look into becoming database administrators. Put simply, their job is to manage databases and large amounts of data.
Depending on the type of data, this can involve security, organisation, and storage. The focus on each of these areas will vary from organisation to organisation.
Database administrators need to be natural-born problem solvers with a good understanding of computer programming to come up with solutions and implement them quickly and effectively, especially when it comes to sensitive or valuable data.
Employers tend to look for applicants with computer science degrees or specialist qualifications in database administration.
Network System Administrator
Much in the same way that database administrators concern themselves with the operation, security, and overall well-being of a database, network system administrators are tasked with ensuring that networks are safe and sound and have to keep them working at all times.
to ensure that computer networks are operating as planned. | Photo by Vishnu R Nair on Unsplash
This can involve everyday tasks like backing up data and making sure that the network is free from viruses, outside attacks, breaches, etc.
On average, network systems administrators earn slightly less than a lot of the other careers in this article and this line of work isn't expected to see the same rate of growth as jobs such as computer systems analysts and database administrators, but the outlook is still quite good.
Software Application Developer
When it comes to developing apps, you need computer programmers. Software application development is one of the quickest-growing industries for computer programmers and while you'll certainly need an excellent understanding of how to code, software application developers also need a whole heap of other skills.
As a software application developer, you'll be doing more than coding. You'll be responsible for the overall development of software applications which means you'll have to work with others, solve problems beyond the ones you find in the code, and work with your employer or a client to turn their requirements into a viable software solution.
Software application developers tend to command a higher salary than the other jobs we've listed here and the outlook for the industry is very promising. If you can specialise in this area during your studies, software application development is a good career path to follow for those with computer science degrees.
Software Quality Assurance (QA) Engineer
Both before and after the software is developed and coded, it needs to be tested. The roles that the quality assurance (QA) team and its members have will vary according to their seniority.
The most fundamental role of the QA team is to test software or applications and highlight issues, bugs, and problems to the development team so that they can rectify them. Beyond that, QA engineers may also be responsible for developing and planning the testing process, implementing testing strategies, and streamlining the whole process.
For smaller projects, the QA will be likely done by the programmer or developer, but for larger projects, QA engineers and teams are necessary as they focus on finding issues and bringing them to the attention of developers.
A QA engineer can work with developers in the same company or work for specialist QA firms that are contracted as 3rd-party assistance to development teams that don't have dedicated teams or need extra help with QA.
The entry-level salaries for QA are lower than the average for the other careers we've seen, but the future for QA looks healthy and could be a good option for those with an eye for detail.
Web Developer
Web development is a quickly growing job market for those with computer programming skills, but the average salary is quite a bit lower than some of the other jobs so while you're probably much more likely to find work in this field, your earning potential, at least in the early stages of your career, will be a bit lower.
Web development is quite a broad field and the industry likes to divide it into back-end, front-end, and full-stack development so we'll take their lead and go with that.
Front-end Developer
To oversimplify things, a front-end developer is responsible for the part of the website you can see. They focus on making sure that websites work for the end user and that they can be navigated and used by visitors.
This means they tend to focus on the layout, content, and structure of websites as well as the visual design of the site. They'll also add interactivity to the website and be given a lot of opportunities to flex their creative side on the client side, too.
Back-end Developer
Back-end developers operate “behind the scenes” or server side. They use their programming skills to create the foundations upon which the flashy facade of a website is built.
They usually work with apps, servers, and databases. It's common for back-end developers to be responsible for data storage, security, QA, access speed, and troubleshooting.
A website can't exist without both front-end and back-end developers as both sides of development will often work together and collaborate.
Full-stack Developer
A full-stack developer is a web developer or engineer who does all of the above. As they do more, they also tend to earn more, which is only fair, given that they need both the skills of a front-end and back-end developer and are expected to do both of their jobs.
Of course, there's the argument for specialisation, too, which means that while a very talented full-stack developer can do the job of both, there will be front-end and back-end specialists who are experts at what they do because they've spent their careers focusing on it.
The advantage of being a full-stack developer is that finding work is more likely to be easier as you can do it all, so to speak.
While these aren't the only jobs that computer programmers can do, they're certainly some of the best. Don't forget that some require you to specialise first so think carefully about which ones you find most interesting, do your research, and consider the disadvantages before committing to learning a particular programming language or attending a particular programming course!
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