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2004 Salary Survey Snapshots

October 25, 2004 12:00 PM ET

Computerworld - Contractor and Consultant Snapshots
Many of these snapshots are available for download as PowerPoint slides as part of our Data Points series.


Areas of Specialization

- Software design/development: 22%
- Project management: 14%
- Network administration: 12%
- Information systems design: 9%
- Quality assurance: 5%
- Database development: 4%
- ERP implementation: 4%
- CRM implementation: 3%
- E-commerce: 3%
- Data warehouse/data mining: 2%
- Hardware development: 1%
- Other: 22%
(Percentages might not add to 100% due to rounding.)

IT Salaries Over the Years: A Rollercoaster Ride
Back when Computerworld began tracking IT compensation in 1989, average pay raises were a comfortable 5.9%. The slip began in the early 1990s. And while the dot-com boom of the late 1990s pushed IT compensation higher than ever, the bust caused salaries to plummet. Now, the flat line of the mid-1990s has returned. So what does the future hold? IT expert Linda Pittenger, an analyst at Gartner Inc., doesn't expect any big changes. "I don't think there's a norm anymore," says Pittenger. "But I don't think we're going to see the same peaks and valleys that we've seen."




* In the years indicated, Computerworld surveyed respondents about their total compensation changes only. All other years show salary changes.

By the Numbers: Contractors/Consultants
Contractors and consultants who responded to our survey indicated the following changes in their 2003 base salary or hourly rate from one year ago:



BASE: 529 responses


Hourly Rate in 2003
On average, contractors who responded to our survey reported making $58 per hour last year.


Base: 7,607 (Percentages might not add to 100% due to rounding)


By the Numbers

- Across the board, salaries increased slightly in 2004: 3%.
- Senior management saw an increase of 2.5%. (Base: 1,529)
- Middle management experienced an average increase of 2.4%. (Base: 2,665)
- IT staff had an average salary increase of 2.3%. (Base: 5,670)
- Across the board, bonuses increased slightly in 2004: 1%.
- Senior management saw an increase of 2.0%.
- Middle management experienced an average decrease of 4.2%.
- IT staff had an average bonus decrease of 4.5%.


Salary
- 65% of respondents said their 2004 base salary had increased from one year ago. The average increase was 6.5%.
- 27% reported no change in base salary.
- 7% reported a base salary decrease. The average decrease was 11%.


Bonus
- 70% of respondents said there had been no change in their expected 2004 bonus compensation from one year ago.
- 12% said their bonuses had decreased from one year ago. The average decrease was 25%.
- 18% indicated an increase in bonuses. The average increase was 10%.
Note: Percentages are based on IT workers employed full time or part time in an IT department.


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