Tracking the state of software engineers, Hired released their annual report, delving into the top hiring trends, wages, and more. The report found that overall, wages for software engineers is rising in tech hubs such as London, Toronto, New York, and the SF Bay Area.
That’s not the only good news for software engineers. The demand for frontend and backend developers is increasing across all companies, as more and more businesses realize the need for the role.
Hired used data from over 400,000 interview requests and job offers and surveyed more than 1,600 software engineers. Let’s explore some of the takeaways, and how they compare to similar studies done by other companies.
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Investing in AR/VR
By far, the biggest growth in 2019 was the demand for AR/VR engineering roles, with a rise of +1400%.
Top 6 in-demand roles. Source.
We see the growth in AR/VR demand as a direct reflection of the technology itself coming of age for a broader swathe of business outside of gaming. From beauty companies like Sephora to furniture retailers like Wayfair, many different types of companies are embracing the capabilities of these world building and enhancing technologies.
74% of software engineers predict that within the next 5 years, we will see “the full impact of AR/VR”.
AR/VR Engineer salaries are near the top of the charts as well. In San Francisco, the average AR/VR engineer takes home a yearly salary of $150k/year. In London, the average is £82K a year.
Developer favorites
Even though JavaScript is the most commonly used programming language by software engineers, Python is most loved.
Most loved programming languages ❤
- Python
- JavaScript
- Java
CodinGame’s 2020 survey revealed the same top three most loved languages. Specifically, software engineers love the ecosystems and wide variety of resources for Python, JavaScript, and Java, and for many developers, programming with them is just plain fun.
Least loved programming languages 💔
- Ruby
- PHP
- Objective-C
The most common barrier from falling in love with a language is that is simply isn’t fun to program in.
What to learn next?
- Machine learning
- AR/VR
- User experience
- Blockchain
- Security
Software engineers are most interested in learning more about machine learning and AR/VR.
When asked what their goals for the decade are, the top response was that software engineers want to “continue building cool things”.
Top caffeinated drinks ☕
- Black coffee
- Tea
- Lattes
Of course, coffee is often an important part of programming and black coffee reigns supreme.
SEE ALSO: JavaScript developers average 2020 salaries hits $114,986 in the US
Learning leaves the classroom
Most software engineers have a degree in a relevant field, but increasingly, more and more people are taking a different route. According to Hireds report, 10% of respondents learned to program from a coding bootcamp, and 22% are self-taught.
Hired is not the only place reporting upon this trend. A recent report from HackerRank also discussed the rise of coding bootcamps, learning via non-traditional methods, and the fact that smaller companies are more willing to hire someone without a degree in computer science.
Especially in the United States, where college tuition is high, people are devising alternative ways to access programming knowledge. Between coding bootcamps, paid and free learning programs, there’s no shortage of methods to learn programming skills. The economic barrier of entry is lowering.
