IT Salaries Down 3.2 Percent

The tough economy held salaries for IT professionals in check for the third straight year, with average salaries down 3.2 percent since 2010, according to a new survey by TechRepublic and Global Knowledge.

The survey found that the average salary for IT professionals in 2011 was $79,579, down 3.2 percent from $82,115. But even while salaries showed a decrease, it's important to note that they are still 8 percent higher than the average salary of $73,900 recorded in TechRepublic's 2008 survey.

In addition, 54 percent of respondents reported that they received a raise, which is up from 43 percent since 2010 but down from 70 percent in 2009, the study found. Performance in their current position was the main reason cited for receiving a raise. The number of IT professionals receiving a pay cut was down from 11 percent in 2010 to 7 percent in the current study.

IT workers in pharmaceuticals commanded the highest salaries ($96,421), followed by those working in aerospace/defense ($93,066), natural resources ($88,835) and IT consulting ($88,007). IT workers in government, particularly those in military and homeland security, also fared well, earning average salaries of $86,808, the survey found.

The survey included more than 12,000 IT professionals from around the globe. Respondents from the United States and Canada accounted for 84 percent of all responses. The latest survey included the largest number of survey respondents from the government sector, including federal, state and local but excluding defense.

Overall, 85 percent of respondents reported being at least moderately satisfied with their jobs, an improvement over last year's figure of 73 percent overall. Eighty-five percent of respondents selected competitive salary as the top contributor to their job satisfaction, while respect for the work performed (80 percent), ability to increase skill set (79 percent), work-life balance (76 percent), job security (66 percent) and comprehensive benefits (66 percent) also played a major role in satisfaction among IT workers.

The report also identified some current trends affecting IT workers, including changes in the way IT departments are funded and staffed, leading to layoffs and salary and benefit reductions, and shifting some IT activities to the cloud, managed services or offshore outsourcing.