Top 10 In-Demand IT Jobs for 2025 - A Guide to Skills, Salaries, and Hiring Trends

It's 2025, and no matter how much people talk about a recession, the rise of AI, or a lack of coding jobs, with major CEOs announcing layoffs, the reality is different. If you browse LinkedIn or Naukri, you'll find that the IT sector still has the most job openings.

Yes, the demand for certain skills has increased while it has decreased for others, and that's a valid discussion. But the sheer volume of jobs in IT remains unmatched. In this article, I'm here to discuss just that—the top 10 most in-demand IT jobs.

For each role, we will discuss the necessary skills, the expected salary package, and the types of companies that are hiring—from large MNCs and service-based companies to product-based startups and early-stage ventures. Stick around until the end, and you'll get a clear picture of how to prepare and which field is the right fit for you.

Let's dive in and explore the different skills in the IT industry.

1. Software Engineer / Full-Stack Developer

Call it a Software Engineer, Java Developer, or Full-Stack Developer—it all boils down to the same core role. These job titles are incredibly common. Why? Because a software engineer's job is to build things. People need websites and apps. Whether it's a large startup or a major corporation, no business today can thrive without an app, software, or a website.

Skills Required: I've discussed this many times and created detailed notes on it. The most sought-after skills are Data Structures & Algorithms (DSA) and Development. Nowadays, there's an added demand for familiarity with using AI tools, which can make you a more attractive candidate.

• Large companies tend to focus more on DSA.
• Startups will likely prioritize your development skills.

I have covered this in-depth in my other articles, which you can also check out.

Salary and Companies: The package depends heavily on the company. You can expect a minimum starting salary of around 6 LPA, which can go up to 20 LPA or even 30 LPA, depending on the company.

2. The Rise of Data-Centric Roles: Analyst, Engineer, and Scientist

While the demand for software engineers, which was at its peak in 2022 and 2023, is slightly decreasing, the demand for the roles I'm about to mention is rapidly increasing. These are the data roles: Data Analyst, Data Engineer, and Data Scientist.

The demand is surging because the amount of data being collected is growing exponentially, and AI models are being trained on this vast amount of data.

Understanding the Roles: - Data Analyst: A Data Analyst's job is straightforward. They look at data, use tools like Excel, Python, and SQL to clean it, and extract meaningful insights. For example, a friend of mine works at a company where their team determines which specific ad should be shown to which user. This is defined by data-focused roles. - Data Engineer: Once the analyst provides an insight, the Data Engineer integrates it into the tech stack. They build data pipelines to ensure that the right type of ad is actually shown to the user. - Data Scientist: The third and most crucial role is the Data Scientist. They train the algorithms. For instance, after an ad is shown, the algorithm learns from its performance. If similar users appear in the future, the system knows to show them similar ads. A Data Scientist works with ML algorithms to achieve this.

All three data roles are in high demand because they solve a common problem: determining which ads to show to increase revenue.

Skills Required: - Data Analyst: Proficiency in Excel, Python, and SQL is usually sufficient. - Data Engineer: This requires more coding knowledge. A decent level of DSA is needed, along with some DevOps knowledge for managing CI/CD pipelines. So, some software engineering and backend development knowledge (like Node.js or Python with Django) is beneficial, though not at an advanced level. - Data Scientist: You'll need all the skills mentioned above, plus a strong understanding of ML algorithms (supervised and unsupervised learning) and how to train them.

Salary and Companies: Packages generally start from 6 to 8 LPA and can go up to 20-30 LPA, depending on the company. - Hiring Companies: Large companies like Amazon and Microsoft are definitely hiring. Service companies also hire at a decent level. Established product startups like Zomato and Razorpay are major recruiters. Early-stage startups hire less frequently as they don't have enough data yet and are more focused on building.

3. Cyber Security Specialist

The more data we have, the higher the risk of it being hacked. This is why cybersecurity roles are becoming increasingly important. A software engineer can build a website, but if it gets hacked and data is leaked, public information is compromised.

This is where cybersecurity roles like Security Engineer, Network Engineer, and Cloud Engineer come in.

Skills Required: You need a solid understanding of Operating Systems and Computer Networks. A deep knowledge of how websites work internally and how data is transferred is essential.

Salary and Companies: - Hiring Companies: These roles are most in-demand at large companies like Amazon and Microsoft, as well as service-based companies. Medium-sized and early-stage startups don't hire as much because they are focused on building and are not yet major targets for security threats. - Salary: Starting salaries are often around 15 LPA and can go up to 30 LPA, but the hiring is predominantly done by large corporations.

4. DevOps and Cloud Engineer

This role is somewhat similar to the previous one but with a very different focus. When a website has 100,000 users simultaneously, how do you ensure it runs smoothly? That's the job of a DevOps Engineer.

Skills Required: A DevOps engineer needs expertise in cloud platforms like AWS, GCP, or Azure. Their job is to keep the servers running smoothly. Basic coding skills, like writing scripts in Python, are also necessary.

Salary and Companies: - Hiring Companies: Again, hiring is concentrated in larger companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google, as well as service companies. Wherever there is a large volume of data and user traffic, DevOps is crucial. Early-stage startups generally don't have this role; their software engineers manage these tasks. - Salary: Packages typically start from 8 LPA and can range up to 15-20 LPA. It's an excellent role that gives you deep knowledge of servers, and it's a highly valued position in large companies.

5. Software Testing and Quality Assurance

This role is also closely related to software engineering. When you have hundreds of developers writing code simultaneously, it becomes difficult to handle all the edge cases. If even one edge case is missed, it can lead to a revenue loss. This is why the demand for software testing roles is growing.

This includes various types of testing like manual testing, performance testing, and stress testing. The goal is to ensure all edge cases are considered and that the system doesn't crash under a heavy load.

Skills Required: People in these roles are essentially software engineers. You need to have software engineering knowledge. If the system is built in Java, you need to know Java. If it's Python, you need Python. Some front-end knowledge (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) is also required to test the front end.

Don't assume that testing means you don't need software engineering skills. On the contrary, roles for SDETs (Software Development Engineer in Test) have increased in large companies. While you may not need the same high-level knowledge, a solid foundation in coding is essential to test the code effectively.

Salary and Companies: - Hiring Companies: Generally, large companies like Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and other big MNCs like Adobe and Goldman Sachs have a definite need for testers. Service companies also have a huge number of testing roles. The more data and code a company has, the greater the need for testing. Larger startups like Razorpay and Zomato will have fewer, but still some, testing roles. Early-stage startups usually don't hire dedicated testers. - Salary: Salaries can start from 4-5 LPA, and with seniority, you can expect around 12 to 15 LPA.

6. Scrum Master and Project Manager

Now, let's talk about a role that doesn't require extensive coding knowledge. In today's complex tech environment, coordinating between different teams—tech, design, etc.—has become a challenge. This is where a Scrum Master or Project Manager comes in.

When a founder wants a task completed, they communicate it to the Scrum Master. This person's job is to manage communication, assign technical tasks to the tech team, design tasks to the design team, and ensure effective collaboration and that deadlines are met.

Skills Required: No coding knowledge is required. However, you need enough technical understanding to know if a developer's time estimate for a task is reasonable. You should be proficient in using project management tools like ClickUp, Asana, and design tools like Figma to manage tasks centrally.

Salary and Companies: This role is more common in large companies where many teams need to be managed. You'll find these roles at Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and large service companies. You'll also find them in established startups like Zomato and Razorpay, where smooth team communication is vital.

7. Program and Product Manager

This role is critical and, while similar to a project manager, has a different expected outcome. As a Program Manager or Product Manager, you are given a problem to solve.

For example, my brother works as a Program Manager at Zomato. His role is to ensure the Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) for deliveries in our area is accurate. To do this, he has to communicate with the operations team managing deliveries and the tech team that manages order processing and user communication.

Skills Required: You need to communicate with different teams, but the outcome—improving the ETA—is your responsibility, not just the operations or tech team's. You are given a problem, and you need to coordinate with various teams to solve it. Excellent communication and coordination skills are a must.

Salary and Companies: The demand for these roles is increasing, especially in large companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google. They are also crucial in large service companies and have become very popular in startups. Startups often assign large problems to different product or program managers, and by solving these smaller problems, the company's larger challenges are addressed.

8. UI/UX Designer

A UI/UX Designer role is part of the creative domain. You need to be proficient with tools like Figma. Your job is to understand what the user will like, what they should see on the website, and what the overall user experience should be.

Where should the button be placed? Should this be a dropdown? What should the design look like? This is your domain. You might need to talk to users to understand their needs and create designs accordingly. You'll also need to coordinate with the tech team to ensure your desired design is implemented for a better user experience. Your UI must be beautiful and intuitive.

Skills Required: A creative and design-oriented mindset is key. Some basic knowledge of HTML and CSS is also helpful, as you'll need to explain to the tech team how certain things can be built using specific CSS.

Salary and Companies: The demand for these roles is high in large companies, startups, and even early-stage startups. A startup's success often depends on how good its website is. This field is largely unaffected by AI because it's about creativity, which AI cannot replicate. Your creativity and ability to create a great user experience will determine your demand.

9. Salesforce Developer

The demand for Salesforce Developers is on the rise. When a company has a lot of data, it needs someone to manage its CRM (Customer Relationship Management). The sales team needs certain data, the operations team needs other data, and a Salesforce developer manages this.

Your job is to handle the CRM, which means deciding which team gets access to which data. The development work involves HTML and CSS, depending on the requirements. For example, the operations team needs a certain dataset, the sales team needs another, and the accounts team needs a third. You develop these functionalities.

You are essentially an admin, but you are also a developer, building things for your internal teams to improve their productivity, not directly for the end-user.

Skills Required: It's a developer role that requires coding skills, including HTML, CSS, and some backend knowledge. You'll learn Salesforce development specifically.

Salary and Companies: The demand is growing because many companies are now using Salesforce's product. Large companies use it extensively—just look at Salesforce's revenue growth. Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and even service-based companies are using it. Decent startups like Razorpay and Zomato are also hiring Salesforce developers to increase their sales. The role is less common in early-stage startups. It's a great role that doesn't require extremely high-level coding but a decent level.

10. Support Engineer

When a company is in the tech space, users will inevitably face technical issues, like a feature breaking on the website. They can't talk directly to a developer. You need an engineer who can understand the user's problem and then assign it to the correct engineer.

This is where Support Engineers come in. They talk to customers and coordinate with different internal teams.

Skills Required: A support engineer needs basic engineering knowledge to understand and explain that a certain feature is broken on the website. If you don't know how a website runs, you won't be able to understand the user's query or communicate it to the tech team.

Salary and Companies: - Hiring Companies: Various companies hire for this role. If you look at Amazon or Microsoft, they have a large number of support engineers. Large service companies also employ many. Even medium-sized startups hire one or two support engineers. The role is less common in early-stage startups. - Salary: The package again starts from 4 to 5 LPA and can go up to 10-12 LPA. It's a good role if you enjoy solving customer problems and interacting with a lot of people. A satisfied customer leads to company growth.

I have outlined numerous different roles, the companies that are hiring for them, and the types of positions you can expect. I've covered everything from end to end.