New IT Salary Survey Strikes Hopeful Notes During Recession

The research firm, which specializes in IT management metrics, predicts that IT salaries will grow by about two percent this year.

IT executives, directors, managers and application developers will see slightly larger increases than that two percent. Computer Economics predicts that base salaries for IT management and for people in application development functions will creep up between two and three percent his year, as certain programming and IT architecture skills remain in high demand and as employers offset reductions in bonuses for managers with higher base salaries. Meanwhile, wages for other IT workers will inch up between 1.5 percent and 2.5 percent.

Computer Economics' IT salary projections are slightly lower than those released by Robert Half International in October, 2008. At that time, the IT staffing firm predicted salary increases of 3.7 percent for IT professionals in 2009.

John Longwell, Computer Economics' research director, acknowledges that his firm's forecast is conservative. He notes that a salary survey Computer Economics conducted during the fourth quarter of 2008 showed that the median pay raises IT organizations planned for their staffs was three percent. Computer Economics adjusted that figure to two percent to reflect the continued deterioration of the economy and rising unemployment.

Reference: http://www.cio.com/article/print/479579