10 Best Non-Programming Computer Jobs
Computer jobs are growing fast, and along with them, the paychecks as well. But if you’re not a programmer, it can be hard to land top-paying positions like software engineer or DevOps specialist. Fortunately, there are plenty of computer jobs that don’t require coding knowledge.
Tapping career experts, we’ve got the answers for you. Below, you’ll find a list of the best careers in tech without coding. We’ve even included a bonus of an extra 10 computer jobs that don’t involve coding to get you started thinking about your tech career path.
How to get non-programming computer jobs
Getting jobs in computer science without coding takes a little wrangling. Follow these expert tips to help you find a career in tech without coding.
1. Find the right target job title
The first step is to know the job titles for tech jobs and how they fit your skill set. So, scroll through our list, and jot down the ones that fit your skills, experience, and especially your goals.
2. Search Google for Jobs
The best career sites are Google for Jobs, Indeed, Glassdoor, and LinkedIn. But searching those sites for computer jobs that don’t involve programming can be a full-time job in itself. Set up notifications so they ping you when they find openings you want.
3. Apply on the company’s website
To avoid the job search black hole, you can look for job openings on your target company’s website. You’ll have a higher chance of getting noticed by a human if you apply to the company directly.
4. Have a great resume
A working resume more than a summary of your experience and education. It packs achievements, so the hiring team knows you didn’t just do the job – you did it well. Anyone can list the job duties of a shipbuilder. But did you design the QE2 or the Titanic? Show that in your resume.
5. Write a personalized cover letter
Slow down. If you click “apply” on every job you see, you look like a spammer. Read the job description and learn a bit about the company. Then, tailor your cover letter and resume to the skills and job duties related to that particular position.
6. Look for a personal connection
Take a look at your LinkedIn connections to see if someone you know works with someone at your target company. Most people are happy to foster an introduction from a 2nd or even 3rd degree connection. Building a network is the most effective job search for this job search – and the next.
A word about average salaries
Don’t be fooled by the average salaries below. This isn’t necessarily what you’ll earn from these jobs. You’ll make less when you’re entry-level and more when you’re experienced. Use these numbers for comparison and to see how one career stacks up against the others.
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1. Project manager
Project manager is one of the best tech jobs for non-coders on our list because of its high pay and low barrier to entry. If you’ve got strong organizational and leadership skills and can prove it, you can get a work-from-home project manager job in the tech industry.
Project managers earn an average of $139,000 without a specific formal education. Almost any degree will do. You’ll need some kind of team management or project experience in your resume to get these jobs. There’s a big market at more than 1.2 million PM positions in the U.S., and thousands of openings online.
2. Product manager
Product managers guide a company’s offerings to ensure a smooth flow to market and high customer satisfaction. If you’ve got skills in gathering resources and leading cross-functional teams, this may be one of the best careers for you.
These managers earn an average of $119,000 per year. As long as you’ve got at least a bachelor’s degree, you’ve got enough education for this position. It’s more important to show achievements like leading teams to develop products and meet revenue goals. If you don’t have that, you can start out in a stepping-stone job like supervisor or UX (user experience) specialist and apply to the product manager positions after you’ve got some chops.
3. Marketing manager
If you have strong leadership and organizational skills, apply online for marketing manager positions. The Catch-22 is that you’ll need marketing and management experience, but you can start in entry-level jobs and work your way up fast.
The average marketing manager earns $106,000 per year and doesn’t need a specific degree or special training. Search online for related titles like sales manager and digital marketing manager.
4. Mobile designer
Mobile design fits the criteria for the best computer jobs that don’t involve programming because it can be done from anywhere with zero coding skills. If you’ve got the design talents of Milton Glaser (designer of the I heart NY logo) this is an excellent way to double your salary compared to a “generic” graphic designer.
Just adding “mobile” to your resume can bump your salary up to $96,000 annually. You’ll need mobile design experience, but you can get that from freelance projects. Even so, without at least one year of experience, you’ll need to start in a lower-paying niche and prove you’re worth your parchment.
5. Enterprise software sales
Job hunters with Ogilvy-level sales skills can turn the page on in-person-repping with enterprise software sales. This isn’t selling small, prepackaged titles like MS Word or Adobe Photoshop. Enterprise software sales reps sell specific software to support HR management, customer support, electronic medical records, and other business functions.
Enterprise software sales specialists earn an average of $95,000 per year, but that doesn’t include commissions, which can more than double your salary. You’ll need to show experience in sales, good computer skills, and excellent verbal and written communication skills.
6. ERP consultant
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems help organizations manage day-to-day activities like projects, accounting, and supply chain operations. An ERP consultant helps implement and improve those systems, often analyzing the existing workflow first. They may work as an employee within a company or as a contract employee.
ERP consultants earn an average of $91,000 per year. You’ll often need specific experience in HR, accounting, or another business area to give the best advice. For instance, if you’re switching from a career as an accountant into a role like this, your accounting experience will give you ERP consultant skills in the accounting silo.
7. Brand manager
Brand management makes for a good addition to our list of non-programming jobs for computer engineers, especially for those with marketing and branding experience. Job seekers with top-notch organizational and marketing skills can snag jobs in this field worth an average of $90,000 per year.
You’ll generally need an associate degree or higher in marketing or a related field, and experience in leadership as well as communications, marketing, PR, or graphic design. Some brand managers work exclusively on social media campaigns, making this an excellent work-from-home position, too.
8. Business analyst
If you’re strong on numbers and analytics, business analyst might be your dream non-programming job in the IT industry. This job pays an average of $79,000 per year and requires strong computer skills and the ability to dig through lots of data to find trends and insights.
If you can prove you excel in working closely with others on a team and you’ve unearthed business-boosting insights in the past, you can land a job as a business analyst. Getting any job is all about the accomplishments you show in your resume and interview, so do the head-scratching to unearth those times you discovered and solved problems hidden in a flood of information.
9. Data analyst
While some data analysts write code, it’s not a required skill, especially since data-busting tools like Hadoop and Cassandra can do all the number-crunching for you. Problem solving skills, data modeling, and use-case analyses are central to this role, so if your mind has hospital corners, this may be the job you’re looking for.
Data analysts earn on average about $75,000 per year. Most can point to achievements in some kind of data modeling, working with data analysis dashboards, and documenting and reporting on captured data. A data analyst certificate doesn’t hurt, either.
10. UX/UI designer
These are actually two different careers with similar titles. UX designers understand website flow and make sure an organization’s site presents a smooth, seamless experience to the user. They don’t have to know code. They do have to know how great websites work, but that can be as simple as sketching the flow out on paper and then working with tech teams to implement their vision.
UI (user interface) designers are skilled in graphic design, and they handle the look of a company’s website. They create layouts, artwork, graphics, and logos to the specs of the web development team. If you have the necessary visual skills, this may be a good career in the tech industry without coding. Both UX and UI designers earn an average of $74,000 per year.
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Bonus list: More great non-programming computer jobs
If you haven’t seen any attractive non-programming jobs in the IT industry yet, check out these other options:
- Financial analyst: Dig into financial data to help businesses and individuals make the right investment decisions. Average salary is $71,000 per year.
- Graphic designer: If your skills lean to the artistic, look for these jobs at digital marketing firms and earn $46,000 per year on average.
- Marketing consultant: Earn close to $66,000 per year for digging into marketing campaigns and plans and giving advice for improvement and implementation.
- Growth hacker: Help businesses grow their customer base by using low-cost guerilla marketing techniques and earn $71,000 per year.
- Marketing automation manager: Routine marketing tasks can be automated, making these good careers in tech without coding for those with marketing savvy. The average salary is $81,000 per year.
- Computer animator: If you’re good with computers and you’ve got a lot of patience and some artistic flair, you can earn $69,000 per year in this role.
- Tax expert: You’ll earn an average of $67,000 for this, but it’s still great because of its flexible hours and 100% work from home setup.
- Web analytics specialist: Use Google Analytics and other tools to assess the cost-effectiveness of websites. Earn an average of $62,000 per year.
- System administrator: Configure and manage computer systems and servers, earning nearly $63,000 per year.
- Software sales representative: With lots of product knowledge and some high-level interpersonal skills, you can make close to $62,000 per year in this gig.
Summary
Not every computer job needs programming skills. The 10 jobs above in computer science without coding (plus our 10 bonus picks) offer niches for artists, number-crunchers, accountants, and born leaders. Land one of these computer jobs that don’t involve programming, and you’ll transition to a new career to max out your potential.
About the Author: Tom Gerencer is a contributing writer for HP Tech Takes. Tom is an ASJA journalist, career expert at Zety.com, and a regular contributor to Boys' Life and Scouting magazines. His work is featured in The Boston Globe, Costco Connection, FastCompany, and many more.
