Software developers build programming, systems analysis and judgment skills that carry straight into hardware, data and management roles. The closest of the 25 careers below is Computer Hardware Engineers, an 80% match with a BLS May 2025 median of $161,740.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Computer Hardware Engineers | 80% | $161,740 | +19% | None |
| 2 | Data Scientists | 78% | $120,230 | −12% | None |
| 3 | Radio Frequency Identification Device Specialists | 76% | $130,220Pay for the broader BLS group “Electronics Engineers, Except Computer” | Not compared | None |
| 4 | Remote Sensing Scientists and Technologists | 73% | $122,570Pay for the broader BLS group “Physical Scientists, All Other” | Not compared | None |
| 5 | Computer and Information Systems Managers | 70% | $175,140 | +29% | None |
| 6 | Clinical Data Managers | 70% | $120,230Pay for the broader BLS group “Data Scientists” | Not compared | None |
| 7 | Business Intelligence Analysts | 68% | $120,230Pay for the broader BLS group “Data Scientists” | Not compared | None |
| 8 | Mechatronics Engineers | 68% | $122,930Pay for the broader BLS group “Engineers, All Other” | Not compared | None |
| 9 | Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | 67% | $130,220 | −4% | None |
| 10 | Aerospace Engineers | 66% | $134,960 | −1% | None |
Compared with Software Developers, median $135,980. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in software developers’ work (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
Writing software means breaking big problems into testable parts, judging tradeoffs and checking how systems behave. O*NET rates programming at 4 out of 5 for developers, and data science, hardware engineering and systems management all draw on it. Data Scientists use the same logic with statistics instead of features. Moving into management builds on the planning you do in sprints and code reviews. The main gaps are people and resource management, plus maintaining physical equipment for hardware roles.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
80% skill match · $161,740 · +19% pay
Repairing · Equipment Maintenance · Complex Problem Solving
78% skill match · $120,230 · −12% pay
Complex Problem Solving
76% skill match · $130,220 (broader BLS group)
Repairing · Equipment Maintenance · Management of Personnel Resources
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Computer Hardware Engineers (80%), Data Scientists (78%) and Radio Frequency Identification Device Specialists (76%), based on O*NET 31.0. Computer and Information Systems Managers (70%) is the main step up for developers who want to lead teams rather than write code.
5 of the 25 matches pay more than the $135,980 median for software developers. Computer and Information Systems Managers earn $175,140, a 29% increase, and Computer Hardware Engineers earn $161,740, a 19% increase, according to BLS May 2025 data. Data Scientists earn $120,230, 12% less.
Usually not. 21 of the 25 matches need no more education than a software developer usually has, based on O*NET Job Zones. 4 of them usually need a graduate degree, mostly research and science roles, so check the education column before you plan a move.
Within computing, the nearest roles are Database Architects (88% match), Computer Network Architects (87%) and Data Warehousing Specialists (86%). These keep you in technical work but shift the focus from building applications to designing data and network systems.