Even though you can earn a lot in your homeland, many IT people dream of working abroad, in particular in the USA. What makes America so attractive to the hearts and minds of our compatriots, how much does a programmer earn in the USA and how can a native of Ukraine find a job in one of the foreign companies? We will talk about this and much more below.
What is known about the American IT sector?
As soon as words like "America" and "IT" appear somewhere, Silicon Valley immediately comes to mind. Of course, because it is the most famous and most desirable place of work for representatives of professions in the field of information technologies or related fields. Everyone is interested in knowing how much a programmer earns in America, what working conditions a programmer receives, and how to get there.
In general, the IT sector is one of the largest and most profitable in the American economy. In particular, experts note the significant growth of the industry, for example, the IT sector has grown by 69% in three years, by 131% in the last five years, and by 513% in ten years. Popular areas for employment are:
- software development;
- manufacture of equipment, computers, and accessories for them;
- creation of systems that ensure reliable storage of information;
- telecommunications and communication services;
- various Internet technologies.
It is in America that the main offices of such global giants as Google, Intel, and Apple are located. Almost every developer dream of getting a job at one of these companies, given how much programmers earn there.
Firstly, because of the prestige, secondly, because of the high salary, and thirdly, an entry in the resume about such experience significantly increases the class of a specialist.
Another bonus of this type of employment is that when you apply for a work visa to America, the chances of getting a Green Card in the future increase significantly.
What does the salary of a programmer in the USA depend on
Before you find a good job as a programmer, you need to know what the salary depends on and representatives of which areas earn more than other IT specialists. The following factors affect how much a programmer earns in the USA:
- in which state and city the employer is located;
- the employer company and adopted policies regarding employee remuneration;
- experience, age, multifunctionality of a specialist;
- field of employment;
- knowledge of programming languages;
- position.
How much a programmer earns in America is also influenced by the employee's personal characteristics. People who possess such qualities as stress resistance, the ability to work in a team, inquisitiveness, and the desire to regularly improve their qualifications are highly valued.
If we talk in the language of numbers about how much IT workers earn, the situation is approximate as follows: a large part of employees in the field of information technologies (80%) receives about 40-90 thousand dollars per year, excluding taxes:
- about 16% receive 35 000 – 45 000 USD;
- 50% have a salary of 45 000 – 70 000 USD;
- 14% earn 71 000 – 85 000 USD;
- the other 20% have a salary of more than USD 85 000
Specialists in management positions earn more than the average programmer.
How much do programmers earn and how does seniority affect it?
To earn more, it is important for a specialist not to focus on knowledge of one programming language. The more a specialist knows, the higher the value to the company. Knowledge of rare languages also affects the salary level.
Americans attach great importance to employee experience. The higher the employee's work experience, the higher the salary. For example, having worked in the company for less than 5 years, an employee cannot count on a salary that will cross the $50 000 mark.
The salary of an employee with less than 10 years of experience is unlikely to exceed 65 000 USD. When looking for a job in America, it is worth considering that how much a programmer earns in the USA also depends on the deduction of taxes.
Americans have a high tax rate, so before you accept an offer, find out how much you will have to pay in taxes and what will be left in the dry balance. The size of the tax in America is influenced by the presence of a family and children, city, and state of residence.
The highest-paid IT specialists in the USA: top 5
As mentioned earlier, the amount of income depends on experience and knowledge of programming languages. Most of the employees have a working experience of 5-10 years, and this is considered optimal for a programmer. If we consider how much a programmer earns in America, depending on the knowledge of different languages, then we can make the following rating:
- the most highly paid developers are considered to be proficient in Ruby on Rails. Their annual income can exceed 110 thousand dollars;
- they are followed by professional Objective C developers. Employers are willing to pay an average of $108 000 to such employees;
- experts in the Python programming language can count on a maximum of $100 000;
- Java developers are also highly paid, their income is on average $95 000;
- C++ and JavaScript experts round out the top five, their earnings range from $92 000 to $94 000 per year.
Thus, knowing how much a java programmer in the USA earns per year, our compatriots can consider the possibility of employment in America.
Salary depends on the field of activity
We have already mentioned that a programmer is one of the most highly paid professions. However, programmers can work in different areas, and this also affects the salary of a specialist. Therefore, how much IT professionals earn also depends on the direction.
Web programming is considered the most highly paid area, here a good specialist with experience can earn about 100 thousand dollars a year.
A developer specializing in the Java programming language can expect a salary of $80 000 or more. We do not forget that representatives of other specialties can also work in the field of information technologies.
Yes, a marketer working in the IT industry is also quite a popular specialty, a representative of the profession can earn about 95 thousand dollars a year. Web designers earn a little less, their income can exceed 70 thousand dollars a year, provided they have good work experience and a high level of professionalism.
How much does a programmer earn in the USA: 10 most expensive positions
According to the latest salary statistics in the USA, the average "Aitishnik" earns approximately 95,100 USD per year. Salaries range from $49 000 to $155 000. Yes, how much a programmer earns in America mostly depends on the position itself and experience.
Position
|
Annual salary, USD
|
Application Consultant
|
107 000
|
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialist
|
108 000
|
Artificial Intelligence Developer
|
111 000
|
Capacity Planning Manager
|
121 000
|
Chief Information Security Officer
|
139 000
|
Enterprise Infrastructure Manager
|
142 000
|
Financial Systems Manager
|
143 000
|
Network and Infrastructure Manager
|
149 000
|
Information Technology Project Manager
|
151 000
|
Director of Technology
|
160 000
|
Where the salaries and prestige of the company are high, there are also attractive working conditions. After all, money is not the only way to encourage and retain a specialist, but also with an ecological team, a comfortable workplace, and other pleasant opportunities.
What global giants offer applicants
Ask an average programmer in Ukraine about the dream job, and in 9 out of 10 answers, you will hear Google/Twitter/Facebook/Apple/Intel. These companies are known all over the world not only for their products but also for excellent working conditions for employees. Yes, the Google office even has its own doctor and massage therapist. It is worth saying that "non-IT people" in such companies also earn decently, so there is a certain difference between how much a massage therapist earns at the same Google and, say, in a regular salon.
The management does everything to create the most comfortable working conditions for representatives of various areas of information technology. However, to get a place in one of these companies, you will have to work hard. It is not for nothing that the recruiters of the world's giants select only the best of the best for work.
However, as the experience of our fellow citizens shows, it is worth trying, trying, and submitting a resume. Add to this how much IT professionals earn on average in the following companies:
- Google - more than 130 thousand dollars per year;
- Intel - approximately 110 thousand;
- Apple - about 120 thousand;
- Twitter - approximately 123 thousand;
- Facebook - just over 121 thousand.
Of course, the employees of these companies value their workplaces, so new vacancies are opened infrequently. You can find out about the availability of current vacancies in the relevant sections on the websites of the employers themselves.
Several options for registration of employment in the USA
America is one of those countries that treat job applicants from other countries quite harshly. To get the opportunity to legally get a job, you will need to issue:
- "Green Card";
- work visa H1/B;
- L1 visa;
- J visa
It is impossible to get legal employment without these documents. The best option for employment is the H1/B work visa. Its owner has the right:
- to live in the country for three years and work for the company specified in the visa;
- after three years, submit a petition to the American government authorities to extend the visa for another three years;
- take family members with you to the country. At the same time, the spouse does not have the right to work on the work visa of the other spouse. If this requirement is violated, then everyone will be expelled from the country;
- to change the employer company (there is such a right, but in reality, it is very difficult to do);
- try to win a Green Card.
After six years, if you fail to win a Green Card, you will be asked to leave. During your stay in the country, you cannot receive any other income, except that provided by the place of official employment.
The rules for staying in the country are quite strict, which is due to the high influx of illegal migrants to America. However, despite the strict rules and high taxes, a large number of Ukrainians want to work in the USA, and many who work in the field of information technology have every chance to do so. Our specialists have a good reputation among American employers, so it is definitely worth trying your hand.
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