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02.21.2025
State of Tech 2025: Key Trends & Opportunities
By The Fullstack Academy
The tech industry is in a constant state of transformation, and 2025 is set to bring significant changes and opportunities for professionals at every stage of their careers. With advancements in AI, cybersecurity, and more, the demand for skilled talent is surging.
Whether you're a seasoned professional, recent bootcamp graduate, or looking to make a career shift into tech, staying informed about the evolving landscape is essential for your success. To help you navigate this dynamic year, we’ve compiled some 2025 tech industry trends, tips, and resources.
Tech Industry Challenges and Opportunities in 2025
Booming Digital Transformation
Businesses require digital technologies to optimize operations, enhance customer experiences, collect and utilize data, and stay ahead of the curve. From small businesses to large corporations and organizations, skilled IT professionals are in high demand across most sectors, including healthcare, finance, retail, and manufacturing. For example, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a 36% surge in data scientist roles between 2023 and 2033, translating to an annual addition of 20,000 jobs nationwide. Similarly, software development is poised for rapid growth, with a projected 17% increase by 2033, significantly outpacing the average job market growth. This growing demand makes 2025 an opportune time to pursue a tech career.
Tech Hiring Trends
The tech hiring landscape is evolving. While some large tech companies have undergone layoffs, smaller and mid-sized companies across various sectors are actively seeking tech talent. This presents a unique opportunity for job seekers to explore diverse career paths beyond the traditional tech giants. Startups, in particular, are known for their fast-paced, innovative environments and offer valuable experience and growth potential. Furthermore, considering job stability across industries, focusing solely on large tech companies may not be the most prudent approach.
Persistent Skills Gap
On an organizational level, a global IT skills shortage could cost organizations $5.5 trillion in lost revenue by 2026, according to an IDC survey of North American IT leaders. This gap reflects a demand for professionals in critical areas like cybersecurity, data science, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and more. These roles are essential for protecting data, driving strategic insights, and developing intelligent systems that enhance efficiency. Addressing this shortage will require organizations to make significant investments in education, upskilling, and reskilling to ensure they remain competitive and innovation continues to thrive. This shortage is also an opportunity for career changers and upskillers.
On an individual level, a skills gap in tech creates ideal opportunities for career changers by increasing demand for diverse talent and lowering barriers to entry. Many companies are open to hiring from non-traditional backgrounds, offering training, competitive salaries, and recognizing alternative credentials like bootcamps. The need for skilled workers also encourages flexible work options and spans various fields, making tech transitions more accessible and rewarding.
Evolving Cybersecurity Threats & Technological Advancements
The rise of AI, ML, and quantum computing is revolutionizing the tech industry, offering opportunities for smarter automation, data-driven decision-making, and breakthroughs in fields like cryptography and pharmaceuticals. These advancements offer opportunities for professionals to work on cutting-edge innovations that reshape how businesses operate.
However, they also bring significant security challenges. AI and ML systems face risks like adversarial attacks and data manipulation, while quantum computing threatens to render current encryption obsolete. To address these challenges, professionals must prioritize cybersecurity, ethical AI, and quantum-safe cryptography, embracing continuous learning to balance innovation with security.
Make Your Move.
Take the first step in your journey by learning more about the immersive tech bootcamps at Cal Poly EPaCE Tech Bootcamps Powered by Fullstack Academy.
Further Exploration: Resources and Insights
This section offers additional information and resources to help you understand the broader context of the evolving tech landscape. We'll examine the forces shaping the industry, the challenges and opportunities they present, and the skills needed to thrive in this dynamic environment.
Best Cities for Tech Roles in 2025
Choosing the right city can be a pivotal decision for your tech career. Factors like job availability, salary potential, and networking opportunities all play a crucial role. This list highlights the ten best cities for tech roles in 2025, offering a strong foundation for your professional growth.
San Francisco, California
New York City, New York
Seattle, Washington
Austin, Texas
Boston, Massachusetts
Denver, Colorado
Atlanta, Georgia
Chicago, Illinois
Nashville, Tennessee
Raleigh, North Carolina
Whether you prioritize cutting-edge innovation in Silicon Valley, the vibrant tech scene of New York City, or a more balanced lifestyle in a city like Austin or Denver, these locations offer exciting opportunities for aspiring tech professionals.
Top Entry-Level Tech Jobs in 2025
The tech sector is experiencing constant growth, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting 3.8 million tech jobs by 2032. Here are some of the best entry-level tech jobs of 2025:
AI/ML Research Assistant
Machine Learning Engineer
Technical Support Specialist
Cybersecurity Analyst
Junior Software Developer
DevOps Engineer
Data Analyst
You can gain a foothold in the dynamic tech industry and build a successful and fulfilling career by exploring these roles and developing the necessary skills through education, training, and hands-on projects.
Best Tech Roles in 2025
If you’re looking to break into tech this year, we’ve highlighted some of the best tech roles of 2025:
Machine Learning Engineer: Designs and builds intelligent systems that learn from data.
Cloud Engineer: Manages and optimizes cloud computing infrastructure.
Data Scientist: Uncovers valuable insights from data through statistical and machine learning techniques.
Information Security Analyst: Protects computer systems and networks from cyber threats.
Software Developer: Creates, tests, and maintains software applications, including web, mobile, and desktop.
Tech Areas Hiring in 2025
If your goal is to change or level up your career, this year is the ideal time to transition into tech or advance your current skills. Here are some of the tech areas hiring in 2025:
Cybersecurity Analytics
Demand: From 2023 to 2033, the employment of information security analysts/cybersecurity analysts is expected to grow by 33 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Data Analytics
Demand: Nationally, the employment of data analysts is projected to grow 23.4% over the next 10 years (Lightcast™).
Artificial Intelligence
Demand: The PwC 2024 Global AI Jobs Barometer reports that the demand for AI jobs is growing 3.5x faster than all other jobs globally.
Web Development/Full-Stack Development
Demand: Web Development/Full-Stack Development roles are projected to increase by 17% by 2033 (BLS).
Highest Paying Tech Careers in 2025
According to a Robert Half survey, 80% of tech hiring managers struggle to find top talent. To attract and retain qualified talent, many companies offer high salaries. This strategy helps businesses reduce turnover costs and maintain a competitive edge. Here are some of the highest-paying tech careers in 2025.
Cloud Architect
Average Annual Salary: $201,572 [Glassdoor]
Network Security Engineer
Average Annual Salary: $148,821 [Glassdoor]
Data Scientist
Average Annual Salary: $160,617 [Glassdoor]
Machine Learning Engineer
Average Annual Salary: $165,999 [Glassdoor]
Cybersecurity Engineer
Average Annual Salary: $143,787 [Glassdoor]
Software Engineer
Average Annual Salary: $160,686 [Glassdoor]
Penetration Tester
Average Annual Salary: $138,745 [Glassdoor]
AI Research Scientist
Average Annual Salary: $131,809 [Glassdoor]
DevOps Engineer
Average Annual Salary: $141,164 [Glassdoor]
Information Security Analyst
Average Annual Salary: $140,378 [Glassdoor]
How to Set Career Goals in 2025
Setting goals provides a clear direction and focus, motivating you to take consistent action and achieve your desired outcomes. By breaking down large ambitions into smaller, manageable steps, goals enhance your productivity, foster personal growth, and increase your chances of success. Here are some steps to guide your goal-setting process.
Align your life goals with your work goals. Prioritizing your values should be your first step toward setting specific, actionable goals.
Inventory your skills. The next step is to create two columns for your technical skills and interpersonal skills. You don't have to put them in any particular order, but try to balance them out.
Research and refine. You're ready to research now that you know what you want from work and how you can contribute!
Identify any skill, experience, or education gaps. You should avoid classifying jobs with skills gaps in the same category as deal-breakers. To continue moving in the right direction, you'll need to define additional, actionable steps.
Create actionable steps toward SMART goals. Steps that are actionable are doable, efficient, and (mostly!) within your control. To further refine your overall goals, apply the SMART method to each actionable step. SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Ensure that every item on your list adheres to these criteria. If any step doesn't meet these standards, revise it until it does.
Track your progress with regular checkpoints–and an extra pair of eyes! Initially, a comprehensive list of SMART goals might appear more overwhelming than a brief list of general objectives. However, in the long run, your well-defined SMART goals and their associated actionable steps will provide a clear roadmap and significantly increase your chances of achieving success.
Tech Bootcamps for In-Demand Skills in 2025
Ready to begin your journey to a tech career or upskill in 2025? Explore Cal Poly Extended, Professional and Continuing Education Tech Bootcamps powered by Fullstack Academy to learn in-demand skills and gain the knowledge for a career in fast-growing tech industries. Cal Poly Extended, Professional and Continuing Education Tech Bootcamps are accelerated to prepare you with the latest skills fast and are taught by industry-experienced professionals live online.
