With a digitising economy, programming skills are vital, and people who choose to gain them can expect a lucrative career path. Anyone who knows anything about programming knows that there are hundreds of coding languages out there, but some of them are more useful and relevant than others.
We’ve compiled a list of some of the most in-demand programming languages that businesses everywhere need. If you’re a software developer, or if you aspire to be one, these are languages you’ll want to ensure you add to your repertoire. Here are the highest-paying languages for programmers.
1. Go
Go, which was released by Google in 2009, has become one of the more popular open source programming languages out there. The Google brand is known for its industry-leading innovations, and Go is no exception. The language is optimised to run on multicore processors, networked systems, and large computation clusters.
Go is usually requested as a skill for DevOps engineer positions, according to Indeed, and is also commonly requested for full-stack developer jobs.
Did you know? Go started out as an experiment. Google engineers Robert Griesemer, Rob Pike, and Ken Thompson were looking to create a language that was simpler and quicker than the other popular languages available at the time, and Go was the result.
Developer demand: Go is currently holding steady at #12 on the PYPL index worldwide list, with a slight upward trend of +0.2% compared to a year ago, indicating a growing demand for developers in the years to come.
Average salary: The average salary for a Go developer is currently estimated at $112,854 per year.
2. C#
The C# language was developed by Microsoft in 2000 and is used in most of their products, including desktop applications and Windows 8/10 applications. It’s also the application of Microsoft’s .NET software framework.
This language can be used to develop a range of apps, from small desktop programmes to major web portals and web services.
Did you know? C# can be run on different non-Windows platforms (like Linux) without changing the source code. It can even be run on the Xbox 360 platform, using a special framework.
Developer demand: C# is fourth on the PYPL Index, garnering a 1% increase in worldwide demand and trend over the past year.
Average salary: C# developers can expect to earn an average of $108,894 per year.
3. Python
Python is a high-level, versatile language that has grown rapidly in the past few years. In fact, Python has become the most popular programming language in the world. In a study by Jetbrains, 85% of programmers used Python as their primary coding language in 2020.
Python is especially sought after in the machine learning and data analytics fields. Data scientists who are skilled in Python stand to earn well. The language is also used by DevOps engineers and full stack developers.
Did you know? Python is named after the television show “Monty Python’s Flying Circus”, and many tutorials for the language include jokes from, or references to, the show.
Developer demand: According to a data analysis from Future Learn, Indeed.com has over 14,000 job listings as of 2022, nearly double the number of listings for Java, and this trend is set to continue throughout the years to come. The PYPL (Popularity of Programming Language) Index lists Python as #1.
Average salary: Payscale estimates a yearly average of $87,812 for Python data scientists, but salaries vary depending on the position.
4. Java
Java is a very well-established programming language, which allows developers to “write once, run anywhere” (WORA). It’s relatively simple to learn and is widely used and favoured by big multinational companies. In fact, all apps developed for Android devices are Java-based.
Did you know? Java earns first place as the most searched language in Europe, South America, Africa, and Australia.
Developer demand: On Indeed.com, Java job listings have increased to over 80,000. It remains #2 on the PYPL Index, with a 1.3% increase in worldwide trends in the past year.
Average salary: The average salary for a Java developer is estimated at $78,604 per year.
5. R
R is another of today’s programming languages closely associated with machine learning. It’s a data processing and statistical analysis coding language which was originally developed in the 1960s.
Today, R is popular with data scientists around the globe, thanks to its huge number of data analytics libraries. The language is often requested for machine learning, data warehouse, and software engineer positions.
Did you know? R users can improve the software’s code or write packages for R that are suited to specific tasks. R packages offer advanced algorithms, graphical interfaces, and improved data mining techniques, allowing users to dig deeper and analyse more.
Developer demand: R is at #7 on the PYPL Index. While its demand hasn’t grown worldwide, it’s still considered a relevant and vital computer language across the globe.
Average salary: The average annual salary for an R programmer is currently estimated at $69,004 per year.
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Editor’s note: This post was originally published on 06 July 2018 and has been updated on 14 June 2022.
