Introduction
Let’s be honest: Everyone knows about software engineering and data science. But what if you want to work in tech—earn a six-figure salary—without becoming Yet Another Bootcamp Grad™?
You’re in luck. We pulled insights from Reddit, industry forums, and real job boards to spotlight under-the-radar careers in tech that don’t always make the “Top 10” lists—but absolutely should.
Whether you're pivoting from customer support, retail, or college, these roles can get you into high-paying, high-impact tech jobs faster than you think.
Why These Roles Are Underrated (But Growing Fast)
The tech world moves fast. Roles that didn’t exist five years ago—like prompt engineer or LLM product strategist—are now in high demand. Others, like solutions architecture or research operations, have been quietly thriving behind the scenes.
Here’s what these roles tend to have in common:
- Pay well above $100K, even at the entry-mid level
- Require transferable skills (no CS degree needed)
- Exist at the intersection of tech and something else—writing, sales, design, research
1. Solutions Architect
What They Do
Solutions architects help clients understand how to best use a company’s tech product. Think of them as tech-savvy consultants who translate between the sales, engineering, and customer sides of the business.
Why It Pays
Pre-sales technical expertise is worth a lot—especially in enterprise SaaS. At companies like AWS, Snowflake, or Databricks, solutions architects often earn $120K+ base, with equity and bonuses pushing comp well into the $200K+ range.
How to Break In
- Learn how APIs, cloud platforms, and databases work
- Get familiar with common B2B tools (Salesforce, Snowflake, Postgres)
- Start with Sales Engineer or Technical Support Engineer roles
Recommended Courses:
2. UX Research Operations (Research Ops)
What They Do
Research Ops professionals streamline UX research: scheduling interviews, managing participant panels, building templates, and enabling researchers to move faster.
Why It Pays
This is a sneaky six-figure role, especially at mid-to-large tech companies where research is critical. Pay ranges from $90K–$130K+, depending on experience.
Who Thrives Here
- Organized project managers with empathy
- People from academic research, admin, or operations backgrounds
How to Learn:
- Introduction to UX Research (Coursera)
- ReOps Community (reops.community) – an amazing resource for roles & guides
3. Developer Advocate
What They Do
Developer advocates are the bridge between a product and its developer community. They write blog posts, create demo apps, host workshops, and gather developer feedback.
Why It Pays
This is one of the most fun and flexible jobs in tech, especially for ex-coders or communicators. $100K–$180K depending on company size, with perks like conference travel and speaking opportunities.
You’ll Love It If...
- You’re a solid communicator with enough technical skill to explain APIs
- You like building community and content
To Try It Out:
4. Product Operations Manager
What They Do
Product Ops supports product managers and the broader product org. They track experiments, manage release calendars, gather feedback, and help streamline go-to-market motions.
Why It Pays
PM-adjacent roles are hot. At mid-sized startups and FAANG-adjacent companies, Product Ops earns $100K–$140K+, often with equity.
How to Learn It
- Start in customer experience or product support
- Learn product tooling: Jira, Notion, Mixpanel, Airtable
Recommended Courses:
- Product Management First Steps (LinkedIn Learning)
- Product Ops Community – join to see live job listings and templates
5. Security Analyst (No Coding Needed)
What They Do
Security analysts monitor systems for threats, help companies stay compliant, and investigate incidents. A lot of the job is reviewing logs, writing reports, and flagging risks.
Why It Pays
Security is a top priority across tech. Even entry-level cyber roles pay $85K–$110K, and there's a clear path to $150K+ as a manager or lead.
How to Break In
- Get Security+ certified
- Learn risk management and security tools (Splunk, Wireshark)
Courses to Try:
- Google Cybersecurity Professional Certificate (Coursera)
- TryHackMe.com – hands-on labs for beginners
6. Prompt Engineer
What They Do
Prompt engineers craft high-quality inputs for AI models to improve responses, build tools, or power features like chatbots and copilots.
Why It Pays
It's a new field—but high-value. Roles at Anthropic, OpenAI, and others have hit $150K–$250K+ depending on specialization.
What’s Required
- Deep understanding of LLMs (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini)
- Curiosity, experimentation, writing, and problem solving
Where to Start:
- Prompt Engineering for ChatGPT (Coursera)
- LearnPrompting.org – the best free curriculum
7. Marketing Analyst (SQL + Strategy)
What They Do
Marketing analysts track campaign performance, optimize customer journeys, and surface insights to drive growth.
Why It Pays
This is one of the most accessible tech-adjacent roles. SQL + curiosity = power. Salaries start around $80K–$100K, and experienced analysts can earn $130K+ at big brands.
Learn It Here:
