Want to Work for Apple? Chances Are, You’ll Need These Degrees.

From the debut of the original Macintosh computer in 1984 to the intelligent assistant capabilities of Siri, Apple has been a constant pioneer in innovation. But the tech giant also is leading the way we define and think about tech jobs.

Apple ranked seventh in LinkedIn’s 2021 list of top US companies to work for, and is one of only three companies over ten years to have consistently made Glassdoor’s list of best places to work (the company is also included in this year’s rankings). According to Hired’s 2020 brand health report, Apple also is the sixth most appealing company in the world for tech workers.

Do you see yourself working with one of the biggest and most innovative tech companies in transforming the future of the industry? Job seekers should read on to learn more about the skills, educational background, and tech talent that Apple is looking for in its potential employees.

A bite of Apple history

Apple was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. The company’s first products were Mac computers, but in 2007, Apple shifted to consumer electronics with the launch of new products like iPhone and later, the Apple watch. Apple became the world’s first trillion-dollar company and reported a revenue of $81.4 billion during the third quarter of 2021.

Apple’s offices, also known as campuses, span the globe. Apple Park, its circular, spaceship-like corporate headquarters, is located in Cupertino, California. As of October 2020, the company had an estimated 147,000 employees. Along with building new campuses in Austin, Culver City, San Diego, and Seattle, the company recently announced plans for expansion, which includes creating 20,000 new jobs in the U.S. by 2023.

Behind the scenes at Apple

Apple employees are segmented into teams spanning design, hardware, machine learning and AI, operations and supply chain, retail, sales and business development, software and services, and support. As a job creator, Apple boasts 2,000,000 jobs across all 50 states—80,000 Apple employees, and the rest employed through US-based suppliers and the App Store ecosystem.

Data from Indeed indicates that Apple employees are well-paid, especially for those in hardware, software, and design roles. The highest-paid full-time positions at the company include the following job titles, which we’ve listed by average base salary:

Software engineering manager

$219,748 (58 percent above the national average)

Development manager

$214,113 (165 percent above the national average)

Design manager

$200,314 (181 percent above the national average)

Senior software engineer

$187,390 (50 percent above the national average)

Firmware engineer

$182,440 (64 percent above the national average)

Machine learning engineer

$179,937 (27 percent above the national average)

Engineering project manager

$179,538 (85 percent above the national average)

Product designer

$173,471 (64 percent above the national average)

Hardware engineer

$165,545 (53 percent above the national average)

Senior software test engineer

$153,937 (39 percent above the national average)

Design engineer

$150,476 (74 percent above the national average)

Quality assurance engineer

$143,859 (100 percent above the national averag)

Apple’s company culture encourages creativity, collaboration, and innovation. But, if you land a job at Apple, be prepared to work hard and fast, take in feedback, and embrace the organization’s emphasis on product secrecy and security. In turn, you’ll receive benefits like continuing education tuition reimbursements, health and wellness resources, stock grants, and special employee pricing on Apple products.

You’ll need these degrees to work among Apple’s elite corps

The Apple job site advertises numerous positions in tech and engineering, but those proficient in business, data and analytics, finance, and even education will find roles to suit their expertise.

Finance jobs at Apple

Apple has openings for financial analysts and finance managers. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to monitor financial performance, analyze metrics and trends, and develop more effective investment and risk management strategies. Earning a master’s degree in finance or financial economics will equip you with the skills you need, and having an MBA in finance is certainly a plus.

Education jobs at Apple

In terms of education, there are roles available for instructional design project managers and learning and development program managers. These positions develop training content, determine training needs, implement and manage learning projects, and measure the quality and effectiveness of learning. A master’s degree in education or instructional design is preferred for candidates seeking these jobs.

Software jobs at Apple

When it comes to software, Apple has positions for software engineers, iOS application developers, game development solutions engineers, front-end engineers, and software QA engineers. Applicants need a strong knowledge of software engineering methodologies, experience with software development and testing practices, as well as programming skills in C++, JavaScript, Python, and SQL. And don’t forget a master’s degree in computer science.

Information security jobs at Apple

In the information security field, Apple is looking for security engineers. You’ll need a firm grasp of authentication protocols, cryptography, and security architecture and compliance. Candidates seeking this role will need a master’s degree in computer science or cyber security.

Machine learning and AI jobs at Apple

Apple has interesting job listings for 3D perception and computer vision algorithm engineers, deep learning research engineers, handwriting recognition engineers, imaging and computer vision research engineers, and machine learning engineers. You’ll need a strong foundation in computer vision, a deep understanding of machine learning algorithms and technologies, and solid programming skills in languages such as C, C++, and Python. A master’s or doctoral degree in computer science, computer engineering, physics, statistics, or a closely related field is required, with a focus on computer vision or machine learning.

Data and analytics jobs at Apple

Apple has roles for business analysts, data analysts, data scientists, and operations research scientists. These positions are responsible for analyzing data and business requirements, translating these requirements into insights, and presenting and sharing these insights with various stakeholders. A master’s degree in applied math, business analytics, business intelligence, computer science, operations research, or statistics will help you land the job.

Business and marketing jobs at Apple

Apple jobs requiring business acumen include planning managers, program managers, and project managers. You’ll be assessing and mitigating risks, ensuring business objectives are met, managing resources and timelines, and working with different teams. Needless to say, you’ll need an MBA for this role.

Are you the type to “think different?”

In the words of Apple CEO Tim Cook, aside from the basic qualifications, the tech powerhouse looks for “wicked smart people who have a point of view and want to debate that point of view, and people that want to change something. People that want to make things better.”

Apple designs and produces exceptional products—and when it comes to the people behind them, it expects nothing less.

(This article was updated on October 21, 2021.)

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