Pay Rates in the Information Technology

Compensation in the Information Technology Field by Skill Sets - 2001
Survey Summary

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Summary of the 391-page Compensation in the Information Technology Field by Skill Sets - 2001 survey report of 36 benchmark jobs from Abbott, Langer Association Surveys. The following describes the highest and lowest paid job characteristics, the national median total cash compensation for 11 benchmark jobs, and the factors affecting salary (Geographic Area, Type of Employer, Size of Organization, Level of Education, Length of Experience, Hardware Environment, Primary Operating System Environment, Primary Network Operating System Environment, Primary Computer Language/System, and Primary Database Development/Maintenance Environment).

While the median Senior Systems Analyst/Applications Programmer makes $62,951 per year, the lowest-paid individuals reported in the group make under $29,000 annually, 10% make under $50,001, 10% over $80,476, and the highest-paid individuals reported in the group make over $99,000. This is a range of over 249% in starting salaries for the same basic job.

This information represents the briefest possible "boil-down" of part of the voluminous data gathered regarding the current salary, salary ranges, bonuses & profit-sharing, and numerous demographic variables provided by 129 organizations for over 1,200 employees in the Information Technology field by skill set. The end results of the survey appear in Compensation in Information Technology by Skill Sets, 2001. Copies of the 391-page report are available for $995.00 through our On-Line Order Form or from Abbott, Langer Association Surveys, 1725 I Street NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20006 (Telephone: (877) 210-6563, Fax: (877) 239-2457).

In addition to the income of the job already discussed, the median total cash compensation of some of the other 34 jobs included in the survey report are:

The apparent anomalies in the list above tend to "wash out" when consideration is given to the various demographic variables for which statistics are reported separately in the complete survey report.

Most Information Technology jobs are compensated best in the Pacific and Midwestern states and least well in the North Central and Southwestern/Mountain states, with the Northeastern and Southeastern states falling between. The overall difference in pay between the best-paying and worst-paying regions is 39%.

Looking at specific industries, the highest-paying employers tend to include automobiles and trucks manufacturers, consulting firms, and producers of food/beverage/tobacco and building materials products. The lowest-paying employers usually include the following: nonprofit organizations; hospitality organizations; transportation services; communication services; and health care organizations. The "spread" of median salaries between the best-paying and worst-paying industry is 127%.

This factor is generally a good predictor of compensation in the Information Technology field, whether it is in terms of fiscal size, total number of employees, or total annual IT budget.

Median income is highest in firms with total annual revenues of between $250,000,000 and $499,999,999 and lowest in firms making under $250,000,000, resulting in a 43% spread. The spread is 34% between organizations with an IT budget of under $500,000 and those with an IT budget of $2,500,000 or more. For organizations of 10,000 employees or more and organizations of under 500 employees, the spread is 24%.

Higher educational attainment is generally rewarded by higher income in Information Technology jobs. Overall income rises regularly with increased education (rising 24% from the median income of those with less than a BA/BS/BBA to the median income of those with a graduate degree, and 12% from the median income of those with a bachelor degree to the median income of those with a graduate degree).

As could be expected, length of experience is directly related to the income of Information Technology employees. The median income of those with 15-19 years of experience or more is 44% higher than those with under five years of experience.

Working in a large-computer environment brings a premium of 27% in income over the earnings of those working with single-user computers.

In a micro environment, those working with Windows 3.x/95/98 (the bulk of those in this environment) earned 3% more than the average in the field, with Windows NT making about the average, with UNIX 4% less than the average, and with Apple Macintosh making 23% less than the average.

In a mini environment, those working with UNIX earned 21% more than the average in the field, with OS/400 5% less, and with VMS 11% less.

In a mainframe environment, those working with MVS (the majority) earned 1% more than the average in the field, with VM 19% less.

In a network environment, those working with UNIX earned 36% more than those working with Windows NT, 18% more than those working with Novell, and 19% more than those working with OS/2.

Compensation was investigated on the basis of fifteen computer languages/systems. Those working with UNIX Shell (ic) earned most (with a median income of $79,246), followed by those working with: Java, C, SQL, PL/1, and COBOL (all between $71,121 and $60,000). C++ was the worst-paying field (with a median of $51,084), preceded by Visual Basic, RPG III/RPG400, and Power Builder (all between $53,950 and $59,748).

In a database development/maintenance environment, those working with Oracle fared best (with median annual incomes of $63,739). They were followed by those working with Sybase, DB2, and SQL Server (all between $63,166 and $50,000).

Order the 391-page survey report, Compensation in the Information Technology Field by Skill Sets - 2001, described on this page for $995, with charges for shipping & handling. The report is IN STOCK and can be shipped out within two business days. The mean, median, 1st and 3rd quartile, and 1st and 9th decile data for base salary, bonus/commission/profit sharing, and total annual cash compensation are reported for many demographic variables, including education, experience, geographic location, type and size of employer, etc. To purchase the report, use our On-Line Order Form, call (877) 210-6563, , fax, or write per the information at the bottom of this page.

129 organizations supplied current compensation and demographic information for the survey report.

• Acme Structural, Inc.
• Aluma Shield Industries
• American Greetings, North American Greeting Card Division
• American Surety Company
• American Suzuki Motor Corporation
• Aon Consulting
• Ascent Management, Inc.
• Associated Grocers of Maine, Inc.
• Athens State University, Network Services
• Bailey Nurseries, Inc.
• Bank-A-Count Corporation
• Borsheim Fine Jewelry & Gifts Company
• Bowers Manufacturing
• Caranstar Custom Packaging
• CCI Manufacturing, Inc.
• Citizens National Bank
• City of Fergus Falls, Minnesota
• Columbus McKinnon Corporation
• Community of Science, Inc.
• Connexus Energy
• Cornerstone Support Services, Inc.
• CW Ohio, Inc.
• Dacotah Paper Company
• Dakota Machine, Inc.
• Democrat & Chronicle
• Dona Ana Branch Community College
• Douglas County Wisconsin
• Early Independent School District
• Em Care, Inc.
• Ergotron, Inc.
• Fallbrook High School
• Florida's Natural Growers
• Garden City Public Schools, Educational Support Center
• Garner Transportation Group
• GB Manufacturing Company
• Georgia Southern University
• Gregory, Inc.
• Grizzard Advertising
• Grubb & Ellis
• Hamilton Communities, Inc.
• Hartford Concrete Products, Inc.
• Hartz & Company, Inc.
• HealthReach Network
• Holston Valley Broadcasting Corporation
• Honeywell International, Inc.
• Hospice of the Western Reserve
• Hyatt Orlando, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts
• I.C.E. Builders, Inc.
• Interchange Technologies
• Jacksonville Savings Bank, SSB
• Jet Plastica
• Kandu Industries, Inc.
• Kobelco America
• L. A. Hearne Company
• L. E. Schwartz & Son, Inc.
• Lakeside Inn & Casino
• Lawrence Transportation Systems, Inc.
• Le Meridien Dallas Hotel
• Libbey, Inc.
• Little Chute Area School District
• Los Angeles Unified School District, Personnel Commission
• Manchester Manor
• Manheim Auto Auctions, Baltimore Washington Auto Exchange
• Marietta Industrial Enterprises
• Marlin Firearms Company
• Materials Transportation Company
• Matthews Metal Products
• McGlynn Bakeries, LLC
• Melling Tool Company
• Midwestern Electronics, Mercury EMS
• Mills Corporation
• Minnesota Daily
• Mira Costa College
• Mississippi Fast Freight Company, Inc.
• National Association of Independent Insurers
• Nexans Magnetic Wire
• NK Parts Industries, Inc.
• Norse Dairy Systems
• O.K. Industries, Inc.
• Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc.
• ODL, Inc.
• PAC Foundries
• Pan American Hospital
• Par Foam Products, Inc.
• Pickwick Manufacturing Services
• Potter Form & Tie Company
• R. L. Polk & Company
• Ray Mondville ISD
• Richland Community College
• Robert Morris College
• Roger Dean Enterprises, Bill Branch Chevrolet
• Rosboro Lumber Company
• Rose Acre Farms, Inc.
• ROSS Controls
• Ruiz Food Products, Inc.
• Sedgwick County, Information & Operations
• Shaker Heights City Schools
• Sierra Community College District, Information & Instructional Technologies
• Silver Spring Gardens, Inc.
• Sioux City Foundry Company
• Southern California Water Company
• St. Mary's Hospital
• State of Texas, Department of Insurance
• State of Utah, Department of Transportation
• Sunset Home
• TB Woods
• Tennessee Aluminum Casting, LLC
• Texwipe Company, LLC
• Trail King Industries, Inc.
• U.S. Tool Grinding, Inc.
• Union Electric Steel Corporation
• Unisa America, Inc.
• Vaughan & Bushnell Manufacturing Company
• Velux America, Inc.
• Victoria Advocate
• Villa Maria College
• VIP Underwriters Corporation
• Washington Bulb Company, Inc.
• Washington School for the Deaf
• WAWS Fox 30
• Weber State University
• Welch Community Hospital
• WellFound Technology, Inc.
• Weslaco Independent School District
• Western Textile Companies
• Worthington Industries