How to choose a profession in IT: TOP-10 in-demand areas with salaries up to 400,000?

How to choose a future profession in IT: a complete guide for beginners

Who is this article for

This article will be useful for:

High school students choosing a field of study in the IT field

Students deciding on a specialization in the field of information technology

Specialists from other industries planning a transition to IT

IT workers considering a change of specialization within the industry

Parents whose children are interested in programming and technology

Career consultants and career guidance specialists

Anyone interested in current trends in the IT professions market

Why the IT sector continues to attract new specialists

The information technology market remains one of the most dynamically developing sectors of the economy. According to research, by 2030 the global demand for IT specialists will grow by 30-40%. In Russia, this figure may be even higher due to the active digitalization of the economy and import substitution in the software sector.

The main reasons for the popularity of IT professions:

High level of wages - wages in IT are on average 40-70% higher than in other sectors of the economy.

Possibility of remote work - most IT specialists can work from anywhere in the world.

Stable demand for specialists - even during periods of economic instability, the IT sector continues to grow.

Diversity of areas - IT covers many different specialties, from programming to design.

Possibility of rapid professional growth - with due diligence, you can achieve serious career heights in 3-5 years.

Intellectually stimulating work - constant challenges and the need to solve complex problems.

Main areas in IT: which professions are most in demand in 2025

The IT sphere includes dozens of different specializations, which can be grouped into several main areas:

Direction Popular professions Average salary (₽) Entry threshold Demand

Software development Programmer, developer, software engineer 180,000 – 350,000 High Very high

Data analysis Data Scientist, data analyst, ML engineer 200,000 – 400,000 High High

Web development Frontend/Backend/Fullstack developer 150,000 – 300,000 Average Very high

Testing QA engineer, tester 120,000 – 250,000 Low High

Design UX/UI designer, product designer 130,000 – 280,000 Average High

DevOps DevOps Engineer, SRE Engineer 200,000 – 400,000 High High

Information Security Cybersecurity Specialist, Penetration Tester 180,000 – 350,000 High Growing

Project Management Project Manager, Product Manager 170,000 – 350,000 Medium Stable

Mobile Development iOS/Android Developer 160,000 – 320,000 Medium High

Some new and fast-growing specializations include:

Blockchain Developer — creating distributed systems and smart contracts

AR/VR Developer — programming for augmented and virtual reality

AI/ML Engineer — creating and training artificial intelligence models

IoT Specialist — developing for the Internet of Things

Low-code/No-code Developer — creating applications without deep knowledge of programming

How to determine your inclinations and choose the right direction in IT

Choosing an IT specialization should take into account your personal preferences, strengths, and personality traits. Here are a few steps to help you decide on a direction:

1. Analyze your interests and inclinations

Ask yourself the following questions:

Do you like solving logical problems and puzzles?

Do you enjoy creating visually appealing objects?

Are you interested in analyzing data and identifying patterns?

Do you prefer working with people or with technology?

Is the creative component important to you in your work?

2. Take specialized tests

Career guidance tests will help identify your inclinations and predispositions to certain types of activities. A career guidance test will help determine which areas of IT may be right for you based on your interests, skills, and personal qualities.

3. Study the requirements of different IT professions

Different specializations require different skills and personal qualities:

Specialization Key skills Personal qualities

Programming Logical thinking, knowledge of programming languages ​​Perseverance, attention to detail, analytical mind

Design Sense of style, skills in working with graphic editors Creativity, empathy, visual thinking

Analytics Mathematical skills, knowledge of statistics Structural thinking, meticulousness, curiosity

Testing Methodicality, attentiveness Critical thinking, pedantry, skepticism

Project management Organizational skills, communication skills Leadership skills, stress resistance, multitasking

4. Try different areas in practice

The best way to understand whether a certain specialization suits you is to try yourself in it:

Take free introductory courses in various IT areas

Complete several