Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
1 / 28#28. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Median annual wage: $60,240
- Median hourly wage: $28.96
- Total employment: 40 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying computer and engineering jobs in Olympia
What do we mean when we talk about computer and engineering jobs? Well, that depends. These positions encompass various roles dedicated to new technology development and maintenance. Take software developers, who create and oversee computer programs, versus mechanical engineers, who design and build physical products, tools, and systems. However different these careers may be, though, they do have a few things in common: bachelor's degree requirements, a focus on analytical thinking, and the allure of a steady paycheck, particularly for recent college graduates.
First, the bad news—ongoing technological advancements have massively impacted these industries. As the use of artificial intelligence has exploded in the technology sector, finding an entry-level job has become increasingly difficult. LinkedIn Chief Economic Opportunity Officer Aneesh Raman noted in a May 2025 op-ed for The New York Times that artificial intelligence is decimating the "bottom rung of the career ladder" in technology, while a May 2025 report from SignalFire found that the hiring of new grads at the nation's 15 largest tech companies has dropped by more than 50% since 2019.
Yet, while the situation may seem dire, it's not all doom and gloom for computer and engineering jobs. Although these positions may be more selective than they once were, many pay far more than the country's 2024 median wages of $49,500. Those in computer and information technology occupations can expect to make a median salary of $105,990 as of 2024, while engineers earn median wages of more than $97,000.
Employment in these fields is also expected to grow at a healthy rate. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts an average of 356,700 new computer job openings yearly through 2033, and 195,000 new engineering job openings in the same period. Furthermore, growing interest in sustainable infrastructure and construction techniques could lead to exciting opportunities for engineers.
Though it's difficult to predict the exact future of computer and engineering jobs, those interested in these fields can at least consider one important aspect: salary. Stacker used BLS data to find the highest-paying computer and engineering jobs Olympia. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
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2 / 28#27. Architectural and civil drafters
- Median annual wage: $61,840
- Median hourly wage: $29.73
- Total employment: 70 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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3 / 28#26. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $66,090
- Median hourly wage: $31.78
- Total employment: 720 people (5.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
4 / 28#25. Civil engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $74,360
- Median hourly wage: $35.75
- Total employment: 200 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PR Image Factory // Shutterstock
5 / 28#24. Operations research analysts
- Median annual wage: $82,050
- Median hourly wage: $39.45
- Total employment: 540 people (4.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 28#23. Electrical engineers
- Median annual wage: $85,520
- Median hourly wage: $41.11
- Total employment: 140 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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7 / 28#22. Industrial engineers
- Median annual wage: $89,300
- Median hourly wage: $42.93
- Total employment: 40 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
8 / 28#21. Computer network support specialists
- Median annual wage: $90,070
- Median hourly wage: $43.30
- Total employment: 240 people (1.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Freedy // Shutterstock
9 / 28#20. Surveyors
- Median annual wage: $90,610
- Median hourly wage: $43.56
- Total employment: 40 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock
10 / 28#19. Web and digital interface designers
- Median annual wage: $91,920
- Median hourly wage: $44.19
- Total employment: 150 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 28#18. Cartographers and photogrammetrists
- Median annual wage: $92,980
- Median hourly wage: $44.70
- Total employment: 40 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
12 / 28#17. Mechanical engineers
- Median annual wage: $95,690
- Median hourly wage: $46.01
- Total employment: 180 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
13 / 28#16. Architects, except landscape and naval
- Median annual wage: $96,110
- Median hourly wage: $46.21
- Total employment: 80 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pheelings media // Shutterstock
14 / 28#15. Statisticians
- Median annual wage: $97,360
- Median hourly wage: $46.81
- Total employment: 60 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wutzkohphoto // Shutterstock
15 / 28#14. Civil engineers
- Median annual wage: $102,530
- Median hourly wage: $49.29
- Total employment: 840 people (6.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
16 / 28#13. Computer systems analysts (tie)
- Median annual wage: $104,020
- Median hourly wage: $50.01
- Total employment: 680 people (5.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Samborskyi // Shutterstock
17 / 28#12. Software quality assurance analysts and testers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $104,020
- Median hourly wage: $50.01
- Total employment: 340 people (2.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
18 / 28#11. Environmental engineers
- Median annual wage: $105,090
- Median hourly wage: $50.52
- Total employment: 140 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tonhom1009 // Shutterstock
19 / 28#10. Bioengineers and biomedical engineers
- Median annual wage: $106,420
- Median hourly wage: $51.17
- Total employment: 50 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N.Z.Photography // Shutterstock
20 / 28#9. Computer occupations, all other
- Median annual wage: $106,530
- Median hourly wage: $51.21
- Total employment: 200 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 28#8. Web developers
- Median annual wage: $108,190
- Median hourly wage: $52.01
- Total employment: Not available
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
22 / 28#7. Network and computer systems administrators
- Median annual wage: $109,250
- Median hourly wage: $52.52
- Total employment: 720 people (5.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DC Studio // Shutterstock
23 / 28#6. Database administrators
- Median annual wage: $111,900
- Median hourly wage: $53.80
- Total employment: 360 people (2.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
24 / 28#5. Computer network architects
- Median annual wage: $114,700
- Median hourly wage: $55.14
- Total employment: 280 people (2.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chaay_Tee // Shutterstock
25 / 28#4. Data scientists
- Median annual wage: $116,040
- Median hourly wage: $55.79
- Total employment: 110 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BalanceFormCreative // Shutterstock
26 / 28#3. Information security analysts
- Median annual wage: $120,440
- Median hourly wage: $57.91
- Total employment: 260 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wee dezign // Shutterstock
27 / 28#2. Software developers
- Median annual wage: $122,460
- Median hourly wage: $58.87
- Total employment: 1,970 people (15.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MinskDesign // Shutterstock
28 / 28#1. Database architects
- Median annual wage: $129,610
- Median hourly wage: $62.31
- Total employment: 200 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.
