Hawaii likely conjures images of pristine beaches, lush forests, and towering volcanoes rather than bustling tech hubs. But the island state quietly boasts one of the country‘s most attractive destinations for high-compensation technology careers.
You might be wondering – why Hawaii? Excellent question! Isolated in the heart of the Pacific, the state faces unique challenges when it comes to attracting and retaining top technical talent. As a result, tech salaries here significantly exceed national averages.
In fact, Hawaii‘s economy is rapidly modernizing. Technology and innovation have powered almost 20% of the GDP growth over the past 3 years alone. An energetic startup ecosystem crops up amidst the island paradise, focused on everything from hospitality apps to defense systems.
Intrigued about launching your technology career here? Let me introduce you to Hawaii‘s 4 hottest high-paying roles currently in demand, as your resident tech industry insider:
Software Developers – $117K Average
Tourism directly shapes almost 1 in 5 jobs in Hawaii. With 9+ million annual visitors scattered across 6 unique islands, you can imagine the sheer amount of apps and websites needed to cater to eager travelers. Resorts, excursion providers, restaurants – virtually every hospitality business needs software support.
That fuels major demand (and salaries) for developers versed in:
- JavaScript/TypeScript – For reactive web apps/sites
- Swift/Kotlin – Native iOS and Android development
- Python – Powering analytics platforms
And these are just a sampling of the languages utilized here!
Large players like Hawaiian Airlines and the Outrigger hotel group have sizable dev teams. But scores of smaller businesses also hire contractors to build custom solutions. Having niche skills like geofencing, payments integration, or chatbots can help your resume stand out from the coconut trees.
| Island | Avg. Developer Salary | Sample Employers |
|---|---|---|
| Oahu | $121K | Hawaiian Airlines, Matson |
| Maui | $115K | Hyatt Regency, Expeditions |
| Kauai | $103K | Grand Hyatt, Timbers Resorts |
No matter which island you call home, practical development skills are in hot demand. Our unique geography also enables remote work if you prefer your own slice of paradise!
Data Scientists – $142K Average
Did you know Hawaii sees almost 100,000 hotel check-ins daily? And that residents and visitors combine for 1.42 million daily payment transactions?
That torrent of consumer information powers a critical need for data experts to deliver actionable insights. Data scientists enjoy some of Hawaii‘s most lucrative tech salaries – averaging $142K/year.
Hospitality dominates, but healthcare, military and finance also boast significant data teams. You‘ll spend your days building models, designing experiments, developing metrics and more using tools like:
- Tableau – Data visualization/dashboarding
- Looker – Business intelligence platform
- SQL/NoSQL – Database query languages
- Python – Statistical analysis/machine learning
A Master‘s Degree or PhD in a quantitative discipline like statistics, applied mathematics or analytics is valued here. Domain expertise in Hawaii‘s key industries gives you a leg up as well.
For those just beginning, look for junior analyst roles with large resort groups like Atlantis or Disney‘s Aulani Resort to get your foot in the door.
And if stunning views like this still can‘t convince you, just know Hawaii boasts the 2nd lowest tax burden for data scientists nationwide!
Cybersecurity Engineers – $155K Average
Paradise has its drawbacks too.
Hawaii‘s isolation exposes increased cyber risk. Over 90% of goods are imported. Financial services, healthcare systems, military ops and more all rely heavily on interconnected technology.
Recent attacks like the 2021 Waikiki Marriott data breach illustrate the havoc hackers can unleash on our idyllic paradise.
That‘s why qualified security talent earns amongst the region‘s highest pay. On average $155K annually.
You‘ll secure complex, highly distributed IT environments across land, sea and air. Mitigating phishing campaigns. Hardening cloud infrastructure. Ensuring adherence to strict compliance standards like HIPAA and more.
Experience with tools like Splunk, Azure Sentinel and SumoLogic is a must. Certifications such as CISSP, CISA, CCSP or OSCP validate your skills.
And the work never slows down. With web traffic here surging almost 500% since 2020, your defensive expertise will be in continual demand!
Cloud Architects/Engineers – $159K Average
Enabling this technology revolution requires optimized, resilient cloud infrastructure tailored for Hawaii‘s unique landscape.
As a cloud architect or engineer, you‘ll design solutions leveraging hyperscale platforms like AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
The work spans on-premise, hybrid and cloud-native options. With focus on:
- Cost Optimization – Minimize expenses from imported bandwidth
- Business Continuity – Build distributed systems across islands/availability zones
- Compliance – Meet regulatory mandates around data sovereignty
Mastery over cloud services like storage, databases, containers, messaging and more is mandatory.
Average salaries exceed $150K thanks to high demand and low supply of qualified talent. And employers like Hawaii Pacific Health, Navatek and Elemental Excelerator offer problems tailor-made for the innovation-minded!
Still wondering if paradise awaits for your technology career? Hawaii offers the complete package – competitive tech salaries, a welcoming culture and natural beauty just steps from your door.
Drop me a note below if you want to chat more about opportunities across our islands!
