New data from Scout Exchange, a platform for marketplace recruiting, forecasts the role of Cyber Security Engineer as the highest-paying and most recruited tech job for 2019. The analysis, based on tens of thousands of requisitions in Scout’s recruitment marketplace, identified the following five top-paying and most-recruited IT roles.

Cyber Security Engineer (average salary: $140,000)
Systems Administrator (average salary: $131,000)
IT Auditor (average salary: $130,000)
Software Engineer (average salary: $127,000)
Software Architect (average salary: $126,000)
Based on average salaries, rate of annual salary increase, and total volume of job postings, Scout’s analytics predict these five IT job types will be most in-demand over the coming year. The forecast is generated by Scout’s analytics engine, based on job post, candidate submission, and other recruiting trends in the Scout marketplace. Postings on the marketplace for these sought-after tech jobs occurred at over twice the rate versus categories of average desirability.  Additionally, the average salaries for these roles are increasing at faster rate than other positions in the IT category, with cyber security rising the highest.

“Because Scout’s analysis is based on live data, we can see demand changes and spot trends by job category and geography in real-time.  Regarding these sought-after jobs, we see demand continuing to increase, consistent with moving toward a more automated and networked world” said Ken Lazarus, CEO of Scout Exchange. “The good news is that machine learning and automation also allow us to optimize recruiting results to find great talent and fill open positions faster, even for these high demand jobs.”

Cyber Security: Growing Demand

Of all IT jobs, cyber security engineers are projected to have the highest demand heading into 2019. The vast majority of companies – 50 to 90 percent, depending on the industry – experienced a cyberattack in 2018, while high-profile breaches illuminated the significant reputational, legal and financial risks organizations face. Meanwhile, GDPR went into effect in the European Union in 2018, requiring any company doing business there to comply with the world’s most sweeping data protection regulation. Public companies were further affected by the SEC’s 2018 guidance that clarifies the responsibility of corporate boards in cybersecurity risk management. According to the Cybersecurity Jobs Report, there will be as many as 3.5 million unfilled positions in the cybersecurity industry by 2021.

“Cybersecurity has become critically important and employers are looking for up-to-the-minute skill sets,” said Lazarus. “They want candidates with experience in network security, endpoint security, malware analysis and encryption technology. With the current shortage of talent in the pipeline, companies are looking to solutions like on-the-job training and certifications, while engaging specialty recruiters to fill their needs today.”