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America is one, if not the, pioneer in the global information technology (IT) realm. California is home to Silicon Valley, where many of the internet’s first start-up companies were founded and continues to set the trends for the future of computing. If you are an IT expert, there are few better places to work than America.

The demand is such that the US government even offers special visas for people who are highly-trained and sought after in the IT sector to come and work for American companies. From Apple and Microsoft to Google and Facebook, American IT companies are the most powerful on the internet and in the computing universe.

Competition is so fierce that you have to be highly educated and very talented at what you do to even get a second interview for a job in IT. Graduate degrees in programming, computer engineering and design are mandatory for the top jobs, and can pay astronomical salaries and include amazing benefits.

But you don’t have to be the next Steve Jobs to land a position in America. There are many supporting roles in the IT sector that pay well and have strong job growth potential. Computer software engineers are very much in demand in the States. These software experts analyse operating systems requirements, perform tests to manage database systems and work on development. You can expect a salary of US$86,000 per year from this position.

A network administrator is the person responsible for keeping all those internet connections up and running smoothly. Besides installing and maintaining network security and systems, these technical people also analyse network applications and monitor network activity. While not a glamorous job, there are many of these positions in most US cities. The average salary is around US$67,000 per year.

Computer support specialists provide technical support to computer end users. Most major companies in the US keep their own in-house staff to provide technical support for the rest of the employees at the firm. They are responsible for solving technical problems with the computer hardware, software and sometimes even the networks. These positions are quite common and require only basic degrees in computer science but have lower salaries at around US$43,000 a year.

Database administrators supervise, test and maintain a company’s database. Depending on the size and function of the company this can be a crucial position. They must have expert knowledge of database management systems and be able to train and manage a group of database specialists for new implementations and projects. Average salaries are US$72,000.