When Glassdoor published a study showing the availability of blockchain jobs in October 2018, many were caught unprepared. At the moment when the study was published, there was a 200% increase for blockchain-related job openings when compared to the same period of the previous year. The median salary was $88,884, which was 61% above the overall median salary in the USA.
According to the current information provided by PayScale, the average blockchain jobs salary is $108K. That’s a significant increase, and it reflects the increased demand and lack of supply for these positions.
If you search through Glassdoor today, you’ll find around 300 jobs positions available across the USA. Many of them offer salaries of over $100K.
This is an expanding financial market that’s ready to absorb new talent ASAP.
What Do Bitcoin Jobs Mean for Students?
Although these jobs have great appeal for amateur enthusiasts, governments and organizations require formal education from the applicants.
If we look through the job ads through Glassdoor, we’ll see that most of them require at least a Bachelor’s degree in computer engineering, finances, or another field that’s related to the particular position. Clearly, they also require experience in working with Bitcoin and blockchain.
When students look at these opportunities, they can’t help but think: is there any way to gain the most relevant education possible for this industry? If someone is interested to work with blockchain, why would they waste time on finance thesis or general IT programs?
Yes; there is a way.
Many universities offer specialized courses and even MA programs for blockchain studies. These programs are quite challenging. In addition to theoretical knowledge, the students also gain practice working with blockchain. They complete several projects throughout the program. They often hire professionals from the essay website Edu Birdie, who help them research the industry and complete state-of-the-art case studies, reports, and other projects.
These are only a few of the many universities that offer blockchain education:
- University of California, Berkeley – a professional certificate program of two courses is available through edX.
- Stanford University – a course on Cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies is included in the Cyber Security Graduate Certificate program.
- Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology – three courses on blockchain are currently available for the students.
- MIT – Blockchain Technologies: Business Innovation and Application is available as a self-paced online certification program.
- University of Oxford – there’s a dedicated Oxford Blockchain Strategy Programme, after which the learners can continue their development through the Oxford Fintech Lab.
- University of Barcelona – a one-year Global Master’s in Blockchain Technologies program is available for students from all around the world.
This list could go on and on.
Many universities offer individual courses, but dedicated MA programs are also on the rise.
This is good news for people who want to pursue careers in the blockchain industry. They can take online certification courses, but they can also include this type of education in their college curriculum.
What Type of Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Jobs Are There?
The cryptocurrency job market is pretty versatile. It involves several industries, which demand the same type of skills.
Governments, in particular, are often present in the job market. Venezuela has its own cryptocurrency. Estonia uses blockchain technology to make government agencies more effective. The U.S. government is expected to increase spending related to blockchain to $123 million by 2022. Governments from all around the world are looking for blockchain and cryptocurrency experts, who can help them implement these technologies in the most efficient way possible.
Then, of course, tech companies also need blockchain professionals. Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and all other tech giants turn blockchain development into a top priority. Startups also need this technology.
If you have the knowledge and skill, you’ll be a viable candidate for an attractive job that pays really well.
Carolyn Coley is a blockchain reporter. She joined Smartereum after graduating from UC Berkeley in 2018.
