The computer programming industry is a field that only continues to grow as computers become more and more integrated into our lives. All the major corporations make use of multiple programming languages. As a result, the demand for programmers who can utilize the most used programming languages is increasing.
With so many programming languages, what are some of the best to learn for those trying to get into the industry? Although all of the programing languages listed below are more catered towards back-end use, these are some of the languages you should consider learning in 2021.
Python
Python is currently the most utilized high-level programming language in the industry. It is known for being easy to learn, due to its relatively simple syntax; it is highly versatile because of support with numerous libraries and toolkits. It is heavily used by some of the biggest corporations, such as: Instagram, Netflix, Sportify, and many others. In companies such as Netflix and Spotify, Python is used for data analysis alongside the back-end operations.[1]
National average salary for a Python Programmer
About $115,000, according to ZipRecuiter[3]
Java
Java, an object-oriented language, is also one of the most commonly used programming languages. Due to its great popularity, it is greatly supported, with many different avenues online to quickly learn the language such as W3Schools.[2] Java is able to be run on any platform that supports it (Windows, Max OS, Linux, etc.) Java is greatly utilized for application development and remains to be in high-demand. Companies such as Amazon, Twitter, and YouTube make great use of Java.
National average salary for Java Programmer
About $102,000, according to ZipRecuiter[3]
C++
Of the programming languages being listed, C++ is the most difficult to learn. C++ is another object-oriented language, known for not being very beginner friendly. Because of the difficulty, learning C++ to a great extent will be immensely beneficial, as you will have a much stronger understanding and comprehension of programming, in general. Facebook and Twitter are companies that primarily utilize C++ for their back-end services. Another way C++ can be utilized is through game development; the popular game engine, Unreal Engine, uses C++ as its primary programming language.
National average salary for C++ Programmer
About $80,000, according to Salary[4]
C#
The final programming language is C#; this is another object-oriented program. In comparison to the previous languages, it is also relatively easy to learn. C# is not as in-demand as the other languages but is still greatly used and has a lot of support. Microsoft has many resources for C# and are known for using the language. Another great utilization of C# is through the game engine, Unity. Although other programming languages are compatible with Unity, it, by far, has the most support and is heavily recommended over the others.
National average salary for C# Programmer
About $105,000, according to Salary[4]
Other Recommendations
There are many more programming languages than the ones stated here. Some examples of other very notable languages you should consider learning are: HTML/CSS, PHP, and JavaScript. These three are some of the most used web development languages. SQL is another good language to learn; used in database management, another big aspect to how corporations operate. Whether you’re a computer programmer or in a similar profession, there are many programming languages that will benefit you greatly in your career.
Sources
[1] Geoff van der Meer. (2021, January 13). How we use Python at Spotify. Spotify Engineering. https://engineering.atspotify.com/2013/03/20/how-we-use-python-at-spotify/.
[2] W3Schools Online Web Tutorials. (n.d.). https://www.w3schools.com/.
[3] 2021 salaries of jobs in US. ZipRecruiter. (n.d.). https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries.
[4] Personal salary reports and small business compensation solutions. (n.d.). Salary.com. https://www.salary.com/research/salary.