Potentially Highly Wage Technology Employment in 2026, Including AI and Executive Roles

AI and data analytics skills can be a good bet if you are looking for a job that is in high demand with good wages.

Robert Half, a Talent Solutions company, has published their latest payroll guide. This includes numerous technical, finance, management and other job experience, skills, and forecast start salaries for accredited candidates for next year.

This forecast is based on compensation data and third-party recruitment data that match company professionals and employers over the past two years. Business Insider sorted the results of experienced mid-season candidates looking for technical jobs. The company said that the intermediate job in the experienced job “candidates may have medium experience in the role, meet most requirements, or have equivalent transferable skills, and may have relevant accreditations.”

The latest guides are a difficult time finding a job in the US. Recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data show that unemployment rates are rising and some industries are experiencing net job losses, indicating that there are more unemployed than unemployed people.

For those who can interview, pay negotiations can be important before accepting the coveted job offer. While it may be scary to seek higher wages in the frozen job market, companies may be willing to pay more for their desired skills.

“We found that companies pay more for certain skill sets, especially those around AI, when it comes to IT locations, especially those in high demand,” said Thomas Vick, a technology employment and consulting expert at Robert Half.

Robert Half predicts the average starting salary for AI architects in 2026 ranges from $142,750 to $196,750, depending on skill level and experience. The forecast for experienced job seekers in the middle of this role was $175,000.

According to the guide, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and data analytics are some of the other technical skills that allow employers to pay more.

Vic recommends job seekers conduct research, so they are ready to negotiate based on the amounts they consider to be valuable. People can study jobs in demand, how they mature, and identify experiences they already have for the role.

However, job hunters don't just care about their next pay.

“Candidates are more willing to look at the total package of compensation, if they allow for flexibility, better benefits, that type of thing,” Vic said. “They are negotiating more about these types of things.”