Everyone wants to be a "Full Stack Developer." They want to build cool UIs with React, Next.js, and Tailwind. They want to work at a startup with a ping pong table and free kombucha on tap. They want to be on the bleeding edge, using the latest AI agents and serverless functions. Meanwhile, there is a guy named Dave. Dave works at a massive insurance company in Omaha. Dave writes COBOL or maintains a ServiceNow instance. Dave makes $250k a year, works 30 hours a week, and has never heard of "Vercel." Here is why "Boring" tech is the secret to getting rich in IT, and why you should stop chasing the hype train.
For more on high paying jobs, check out our guide on jobs that pay $200k.
The Scenario
The "Cool" Dev: You spend your weekends learning the new React Server Components because the old way is now "legacy." You apply to a startup. They ask you to build a clone of Twitter in the interview. You get the job. It pays $80k. You work 60 hours a week because the CEO "has a vision." The company runs out of money in 18 months. You are laid off.
The "Boring" Dev: You learned SAP ABAP in 2015. It hasn't changed since then. You apply to a Fortune 500 manufacturing company. They ask if you know how to fix the supply chain module. You say "Yes." You get the job. It pays $180k base + bonus. You work 35 hours a week. The company has been around for 100 years and isn't going anywhere. You buy a boat.
The Old Way vs. The New Way
The old way was "Passion." The new way is "Supply and Demand."
| Feature | The "Cool" Tech (React/Node) | The "Boring" Tech (SAP/ServiceNow) |
|---|---|---|
| Competition | High (Bootcamps churn out thousands). | Low (Hard to learn, expensive training). |
| Job Security | Low (Startups fail, tech changes fast). | High (Enterprises are locked in for decades). |
| Salary | $80k - $120k (Entry/Mid). | $140k - $200k+ (Mid/Senior). |
| Learning Curve | Easy (YouTube tutorials everywhere). | Hard (Proprietary systems, need access). |
| Impact | "I changed the button color." | "I ensured 10,000 employees got paid." |
1. The "Moat" of Boredom
If a technology is fun, everyone learns it. If it is boring, no one learns it. This creates a "Moat." You can learn React on YouTube for free. There are a million tutorials. You can build a portfolio in a weekend. This means the supply of React developers is massive. When supply is high, prices (salaries) go down.
You can't learn SAP without expensive training and access to a corporate server. You can't just "play around" with ServiceNow in your bedroom (well, you can get a dev instance, but it's not the same as enterprise experience). This barrier to entry keeps the supply of developers low. When supply is low and demand is high (every big company uses these tools), prices (salaries) go up.
2. Vendor Lock-In is Your Friend
Startups change their tech stack every 2 years. They rewrite their backend from Node to Go because a blog post told them to. Enterprises keep their ERP systems for 20 years. Once a global bank installs Salesforce or ServiceNow to handle their operations, they are stuck. It costs millions of dollars and takes years to switch. They are "locked in." They need people to maintain it. They can't just rewrite it in Rust because it's "trendy." This guarantees you a job for life. As long as the company exists, they need you to keep the lights on.
3. The "Critical Path"
If the marketing website goes down, it's annoying. The CMO gets mad. If the Payroll system goes down, people don't get paid. The company gets sued. The union strikes. "Boring" tech usually runs the critical infrastructure of the business. It handles the money, the inventory, and the employees. Companies pay a premium for stability in these areas. They don't care if you are a "rockstar" ninja developer. They care if you are reliable and can ensure the system never crashes. They will pay whatever it takes to keep the risk low.
4. The Top "Boring" Tech Stacks to Learn
Want to make money? Stop looking at the "Most Loved" list on Stack Overflow and look at the "Most Dreaded." That's where the money is.
- ServiceNow: The operating system for IT. It handles ticketing, HR workflows, and security operations. Massive demand, high rates.
- Salesforce: The king of CRM. Every sales team uses it. Developers who know Apex and LWC make bank.
- SAP / Oracle: The backbone of the Fortune 500. Supply chain, finance, logistics. It's unsexy, but it pays for the Porsche.
- Cobol / Mainframe: Yes, really. Banks still run on this. The devs are retiring, and rates are skyrocketing because no one new is learning it.
- Cybersecurity (GRC): Governance, Risk, and Compliance. It's mostly paperwork and spreadsheets, but it pays $180k because companies are terrified of being sued.
5. The Day-to-Day Reality
What does a "Boring" dev actually do? It's not all sunshine and rainbows. You will deal with legacy code. You will deal with bureaucracy. You will sit in meetings. But you will also have sanity. You won't be on call at 3 AM because a deployment failed. You won't have to learn a new framework every 6 months just to stay relevant. You will solve real business problems, go home at 5 PM, and enjoy your life. Your job is to be a steady hand, not a chaotic innovator.
6. How to Break In
You can't just watch a YouTube video. You need a strategy.
- Pick a Niche: Don't try to learn everything. Pick ServiceNow OR Salesforce OR SAP. Go deep.
- Get Certified: In the enterprise world, certifications matter. They prove you know the proprietary system. Get the "Certified System Administrator" or "Certified Developer" badge.
- Start as an Admin: It's hard to get a dev role with zero experience. Start as an Admin or Analyst. Learn the business logic. Then automate yourself into a developer role.
- Network: These jobs aren't always on LinkedIn. Find the user groups. Talk to the consultants.
The Real Numbers
Boring pays better. Here is the breakdown.
| Role | Average Salary | Competition | Stress Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frontend Dev | $95,000 | High | High |
| ServiceNow Dev | $145,000 | Low | Low |
| SAP Consultant | $160,000 | Very Low | Medium |
| Salesforce Architect | $180,000 | Low | Medium |
| Mainframe Dev | $150,000+ | Non-existent | Low |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is it soul-crushing to work on boring tech? A: It depends on what you value. If you value "building cool things," maybe. If you value "financial freedom" and "time with your family," then no. It's liberating.
Q: How do I learn SAP or ServiceNow if I don't have a job? A: ServiceNow provides free "Personal Developer Instances" (PDIs) that you can spin up to learn. Salesforce has "Trailhead," which is an amazing free learning platform. SAP is harder, but there are open courses available.
Q: Will AI replace these jobs? A: Unlikely in the near future. These systems are highly customized, complex, and critical. AI can write a React component, but it can't safely navigate the 20 years of custom business logic in a bank's mainframe without breaking something. The risk is too high.
Q: Can I switch back to "Cool" tech later? A: Yes, but you probably won't want to. Once you get used to the salary and the work-life balance, going back to the "grind" of web development is unappealing.
Q: Do I need a CS degree? A: For these roles? Often, no. Certifications and business knowledge are more important. If you understand how a supply chain works, you are more valuable than a CS grad who only knows algorithms.