Mate Academy has analyzed the career choices of its 2024 graduates in the IT field. Based on data from 1,122 graduates who started working in junior positions, the academy shared its findings in an official blog.
The research revealed that the two largest age groups entering the IT field are 16-24 years (50%) and 25-34 years (39%). Fewer people from the 35-45 years (10%) and 46+ years (1%) age groups chose a career in IT last year.
Additionally, the majority of graduates are male, with 67% compared to 33% female graduates.
Mate Academy also noted that the time to secure a job has increased to three months. However, it now requires fewer applications—220 compared to 270 the previous year. On average, every 11th response leads to a test assignment. Graduates typically complete 20 tests before having final interviews with 5 companies.
Over the year, the highest salary increase was observed in the Python field. The average starting compensation for Python developers is $757, which is a 34% increase compared to the previous year. For other specialties, the situation is as follows: Java – $658, Frontend – $591, QA – $581, UI/UX – $573.
Regarding work format, 69% of graduates work remotely, while 31% work from the office.
The study also revealed that 82% of graduates found jobs in Ukraine, with the top three cities being Kyiv (24%), Lviv (12%), and Kharkiv (6%).
Proficiency in English remains an important advantage for building a career in IT. In 2024, the percentage of graduates with higher levels of English increased, with 19.1% at Upper-Intermediate (+8%) and Advanced (+0.9%). The largest group still has an Intermediate level, comprising 49.1%.
Among the main reasons students at Mate academy cited as motivations for learning IT professions, the top factor is the ability to work remotely (48%). This is reflected in the 8% increase in the number of remote job offers accepted. Following that, the second and third most common motivations are financial stability (32%) and self-development (20%).
