3 Older Tech Skills That Will Get You a Starting Salary of $100,000

August 13, 2012

Let's face it: no matter how much we love our jobs, we're in them — at least partly — for the money. So when you're contemplating switching jobs, you might prioritize picking up some new skills to help you bring home the bacon. But what about your old skill set? Turns out, some of the dustier parts of your resume might be more valuable than you think.

Business Insider has a list of ten skills that will help you get a job with a starting salary of $100,000 or greater.

Of the list, columnist Julie Bort writes, "you are going to be surprised, because it's not all about the latest, greatest new thing. Sometimes an older technology is still in demand, with companies competing heavily for people who can still do the task."

So who knows? Maybe you already have one of these in-demand skills, and just need to brush up your resume. Here are three of the ones that surprised us the most:

Do You Know What You're Worth?

1. PowerBuilder – $102,000 and up.

This software development tool is mostly known for developing 1990s-era .Net apps that work with databases by Microsoft, Oracle, and Sybase. Because most developers study competing technologies, .Net developers are harder to find and therefore in greater demand.

2. Silverlight – $103,000 and up.

"If you don't already have Silverlight skills, don't kill yourself to get them," Bort writes. "Although Microsoft won't formally admit it, Silverlight's lifespan is limited."

Still, there are plenty of companies with rich media apps based on this technology who need developers, and fewer folks who have this skill. Might as well cash in now while you plan your next move.

3. Erlang – $107,000 and up.

This computer programming language is so old, Business Insider illustrates its entry with a sepia-toned photograph of the mathematician who inspired it. Erlang was released as an open-source language in 1998, and has gained popularity recently because of cloud computing.

More From PayScale:

Making Animated Gifs Is Now a Job

5 Career Training Tips Inspired by Olympic Athletes

Will NASA's Mohawk Guy Save Us From Business Casual Once and for All?