The European market for software engineering is booming, with employment in this sector projected to grow by 21% by 2028. This is a widespread forecast. 

The less explored aspect of it is that software engineers can participate in plenty of ways in this upsurge — including with positions that don’t require coding at all.  Let’s review the top roles for Software Engineers:

Read our Guide on Being a Software Engineer →

1. Data Scientist

These professionals dive into massive datasets, extracting valuable insights that drive strategic decisions. AIs and their supposed job-replacement prospects once threatened this role, but being a data scientist requires intuition and knowing how to code. That alone makes them less likely to be replaced by AI that still can’t accurately render an image of a Pope. This is one of the jobs that software engineers can apply to even outside tech. Organisations from healthcare and finance and any company with a subscription-based model could hire a data scientist. 

Average salary:

• 🇺🇸 USA: $129,436 per year
• 🇬🇧 UK:  £47,930 per year
• 🇩🇪 Germany: €70,172 per year

2. Full-Stack Developer

Being a “full-stack developer” is not as reputable as many other positions on this list. Many seasoned developers think it's a senseless term made up by bootcamp sellers. But it’s still a job with a market, and it can earn you enviable pay cheques.

What’s the Difference Between Frontend and Backend Development? →

Plus, full-stack developers usually know something else that niche developers won't, either on the front or back-end side of things. Their skills for juggling different aspects of development could earn them extra perks from employers who want to keep them around.

Average salary:

• 🇺🇸 USA: $91,135 per year
• 🇬🇧 UK: £47,916 per year
• 🇩🇪 Germany: €60,000 per year

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3. DevOps Engineer

According to the 2022 Tech Hiring Survey conducted by CodinGame and CodingPad, tech recruiters identified DevOps as one of the industry's top three most sought-after skills. 

When you look at DevOps content, you see the same techs we’ve seen for years: Kubernetes, Docker, and more. But the general trends seem to change all day long. For example, the terms serverless and DevSecOps became increasingly common only recently.

Average salary:

• 🇺🇸 USA: $108,769 per year
• 🇬🇧 UK: £48,474 per year 
• 🇩🇪 Germany: €65,800 per year

4. Video Game Developer

People love video games so much that they’re willing to accept a salary cut to participate in their development. While the video game industry is infamous for its “crunch,” programming a product that some users might consider a work of art is… so rewarding that programmers still send their CVs. And the creative nature of the job, involving storytelling, character development, and gameplay design, sets it apart from AI-replaceable roles, although some AI activists might dissent.

The work-life balance in this field can vary. During the development phase, designers often face demanding deadlines. However, some companies offer flexible schedules and remote work options. Indie companies are probably more human-centric than the biggest ones.

Average salary:

• 🇺🇸 USA: $118,000 per year
• 🇬🇧 UK:  £55,000 per year
• 🇩🇪 Germany: €43,784 per year

5. Cloud Engineer

With businesses increasingly migrating to the cloud, software engineers willing to lean to the infrastructure side could land jobs as cloud architects or engineers. Vendors or companies that offer cloud migration and maintenance services might be the ideal targets for professionals looking for open positions.

Average salary:

• 🇺🇸 USA: $136,427 per year
• 🇬🇧 UK: £84,577 per year
• 🇩🇪 Germany: €78,822 per year

6. Product Manager

This is not a programming role. However, software engineers and engineers are generally sought after for product management positions because they’re primarily analytical and understand what companies need to get things done. Also, they’ll figure out when a request is rocket science and when it’s not. This is a good role if you prefer talking about software with multiple audiences, not just with low-level programmers. Since it's important, it's well paid.

Average salary:

• 🇺🇸 USA: $125,565 per year
• 🇬🇧 UK: £60,458 per year
• 🇩🇪 Germany: $84,000 per year

7. Software Project Manager

Software project managers oversee the planning, execution, and delivery of software projects. So, project management positions are not programming roles. And they usually have to deal with incredibly fluctuating and perplexing requests. 

When the week starts, they’ll have organised the hours for a new feature, and by Monday at noon, the developers will have been requested to work on something else entirely. That’s how just about every company works, and software project managers are in the middle of it. Also, in many companies, they interact with clients. It’s not an easy role, and it’s very well-paid and very respected in many sectors. .

Average salary:

• 🇺🇸 USA: $127,295 per year
• 🇬🇧 UK:  £51,345 per year
• 🇩🇪 Germany: €85,000 per year

8. Cybersecurity Specialist

The growing cybersecurity threats have led to a high demand for cybersecurity specialists. Software engineers have not traditionally worked in these positions because they seem to be earmarked for IT workers, especially if the role is about protecting a company’s assets. Still, reports consistently show there’s a lack of cybersecurity professionals, all around. So there’s a shortage of people to punch in code for cybersecurity solutions, or that can bring on the best practices in security to a software’s development lifecycle. It could be tricky getting into this field, but if you lay a foot on it, you’re in for a lot of work.

Average salary:

• 🇺🇸 USA: $124,038 per year
• 🇬🇧 UK:  £59,759 per year
• 🇩🇪 Germany: €90,000 per year

9. Technical Writer

Technical writers translate complex technical jargon into understandable language. This is an ideal role if you want to steer away from programming. Also, software engineers have the rare advantage of being able to fill in this role. Even the best writers out there will struggle with technical concepts that they’ve just been introduced to, and that’s understandable. . 

Average salary:

• 🇺🇸 USA: $81,984 per year
• 🇬🇧 UK:  £40,826 per year
• 🇩🇪 Germany: €58,000 per year

10. UI Designer

UI design could be a bit crowded because… you don’t need to code. So, as a software engineer, you should decide if leaving your coding skills at the front door to become a UI or UX designer is a good idea. Now, UI (more than UX) does benefit from knowing a thing or two about HTML, CSS and JavaScript. So, when contesting for a position, maybe you have a competitive edge if you’re a software engineer. Moreover, UI design is a typical choice for people pivoting from their professional careers into something else entirely. This means there are plenty of entry-level jobs at this position. Try your luck!

Average salary:

• 🇺🇸 USA: $85,582 per year
• 🇬🇧 UK:  £47,884 per year
• 🇩🇪 Germany: €55,459 per year

11. Quality Assurance Engineer

Quality Assurance professionals usually understand code, even if they don’t know how to program. A QA engineer could deal with APIs, JavaScript, Java, and technical debt in a single morning, so, yes, being a software engineer and understanding why an API won’t respond will certainly help. It’s tricky because companies expect you to document your findings exhaustively. Not a great choice if you’re still learning to be tidy.

Average salary:

• 🇺🇸 USA: $100,615 per year
• 🇬🇧 UK:  £40,976 per year
• 🇩🇪 Germany: €64,005 per year

12. Software Architect

Software architects are incredibly experienced coders… who don’t code any more. To become an architect, you must have worked in software engineering for a long time. At least, that’s how architects see it. That also explains their salaries. Architects handle code from fellow developers and need to understand it to pick out the right stack for the projects. 

Average salary:

• 🇺🇸 USA: $259,914 per year 
• 🇬🇧 UK: £102,763 per year
• 🇩🇪 Germany: €81,500 per year

Find a software engineering job in Europe

At WeAreDevelopers, we work to connect talented individuals with leading companies across Europe. Whether you’re seeking new opportunities or looking to expand your network in the tech industry, WeAreDevelopers is here to guide you along your journey. Join us today to access our job listings and find your next position as a software engineer — or as a full-stack developer, for that case. Good luck!