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2007 Jobs Report Snapshots

Highlights and key statistics from Computerworld's 21st annual Jobs Report Survey of IT professionals.

November 12, 2007 12:00 PM ET

SALARY SURVEY DATA
July 2007; 9,290 RESPONSES

REGAINING MOMENTUM
IT salaries have risen at a slow but steady pace since hitting rock-bottom in 2002. Here are the IT pay raises from 1987 to 2007, as reported in Computerworld’s annual Salary Survey:

1987: 6%
1988: 7.3%
1989: 5.9%
1990: 5.7%
1991: 5%
1992: 4.6%
1993: 4.4%
1994: 4.4%
1995: 4.5%
1996: 4.6%*
1997: 5.2%*
1998: 6.7%*
1999: 6%*
2000: 6.2%*
2001: 5.8%*
2002: 2.6%
2003: 2.8%
2004: 3%
2005: 3%
2006: 3.1%
2007: 3.7%
*In these years, IT workers were surveyed about changes in their total compensation. All other years show only salary changes.


SALARY
The salary shift year to year is small, but 3% more respondents received a salary increase this year compared with 2006.

  • Across the board, salaries increased slightly in 2007, by 3.7%
  • Senior managers saw an increase of 4%.
    (Base: 1,406)
  • Middle managers saw an increase of 3.7%.
    (Base: 2,771)
  • IT staffers had an average salary increase of 3.6%. (Base: 5,113)

Seventy-five percent of respondents reported that their base salary had increased from one year ago. The average increase was 7%. Eighteen percent reported no change in base salary. Seven percent reported a decrease in salary. The average decrease was 8%.


BONUSES

  • Across the board, bonuses increased slightly in 2007, by 3.4%.
  • Senior managers saw an increase of 4.6%.
  • Middle managers saw an increase of 2.6%.
  • IT staffers saw an increase of 2.6%.

Year-to-year
Bonuses are creeping up steadily:

  • 2004: 1% increase in bonuses
  • 2005: 2.8% increase in bonuses
  • 2006: 3.2% increase in bonuses
  • 2007: 3.4% increase in bonuses

Note: Percentages are based on IT workers employed full time or part time in an IT department.


WHERE'S THE MIDDLE?
The 2007 median annual base salary is $80,000 (half the salaries are above the median, and half are below). For senior management, the median annual base salary is $115,000; for middle management, it’s $88,000; and for staff/technical positions, it’s $70,000.

The median base salaries by region are as follows:

  • Pacific: $89,000
  • New England: $84,750
  • Middle Atlantic: $84,000
  • South Atlantic: $84,000
  • Mountain: $80,000
  • North Central: $76,000
  • South Central: $75,000


Special Report

Salary Survey 2007 logo
Survey Results

In Depth: IT Salaries on the Rise
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