2014 US IT Salary Survey
Research Findings
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Executive Summary
IT pros’ pay rose modestly in the past year, InformationWeek’s annual US IT Salary Survey reveals. Staffers report a median
raise of 1.6% in total compensation from last year, and managers got 2.4%. We also see IT pros getting more secure and
confident in their job prospects and the IT career path as the economy and employment picture improve.
InformationWeek’s Salary Survey is based on responses from 5,945 IT staffers and 5,717 IT managers. Other key findings:
>> Faith in IT careers has spiked. For staffers, 48% think the path is more promising than it was five years ago, a 15-point
jump from 2011. For managers, 55% think it’s more promising, also a 15-point increase.
>> Different job factors motivate different people. We listed 24 job-satisfaction drivers and asked which seven are most
important. No single factor was chosen by half of respondents, showing that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to keeping
employees happy. Staffers cite base pay most often (48%); managers cite having their opinions and knowledge valued
(46%).
>> A gender gaps remains. Male staffers make about 16% more in median total compensation than females; male managers
make about 11% more.
>> Just one in 10 IT pros feels insecure at work, with the rest saying they feel secure or somewhat secure.
>> Almost one in five (18%) IT pros has had a job benefit cut in the past year, compared with just 6% who had benefits
increase. But otherwise, the work picture is positive: 66% got raises, compared with 2% whose pay was cut and 13% whose
pay stayed the same.
>> IT managers on Wall Street and in the biotech, energy, consumer goods, financial services, IT and electronics, and
consulting industries earn the most, all topping $140,000 in median total compensation. IT managers in education,
nonprofits, and state and local government earn the least, at $94,000 median pay or less.
Respondent breakdown: 37% work for organizations with 5,000 or more employees; 22% have over 20,000.
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Salary growth over time
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Compensation growth over time
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Salary changes: Staff vs. management
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Compensation changes: Staff vs. management
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Salary: Male vs. female
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Compensation: Male vs. female
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Salary changes over time
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Contractor/consultant hourly rates
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Contractor/consultant salary
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Salary changes: Contractors/consultants
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Contractor/consultant compensation
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Compensation changes: Contractors/consultants
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Higher pay: Top contractor/consultant draw
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Salary trends by role: Staff
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Salary trends by role: Management
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Compensation trends by role: Staff
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Compensation trends by role: Management
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Salary changes by role: Staff
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Salary changes by role: Management
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Compensation changes by role: Staff
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Compensation changes by role: Management
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Salary by role: Staff
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Salary by role: Management
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Compensation by role: Staff
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Compensation by role: Management
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Salary based on company size
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Salary changes over time
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Bonuses are the norm
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Performance drives bonuses
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Non-IT experience: Staff vs. management
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Non-IT jobs held
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Most focus on IT functions
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Staff non-IT duties
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Management non-IT duties
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Key skills: Staff vs. management
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Salary by job market: Staff
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Salary change by job market: Staff
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Salary by region: Staff
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Salary change by region: Staff
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Salary by job market: Management
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Salary change by job market: Management
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Salary by region: Management
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Salary change by region: Management
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Top perks: Health insurance, 401(k) match
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Wanted: Tech-specific training
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More than half get company-paid training/certification
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Average out-of-pocket training: $1,000
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Staff: Base pay is most important
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Management: Feeling valued is most important
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Priorities: Staff vs. management
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18-20 years in IT
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7-8 years at present company
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Loyalty is the norm
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Compensation satisfaction: Staff vs. management
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Compensation satisfaction over time: Staff
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Compensation satisfaction over time: Management
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Overall satisfaction: Fairly steady
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Overall satisfaction: Staff
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Overall satisfaction: Management
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Most find job challenging
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Job security: Staff vs. management
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Job security over time: Staff
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Job security over time: Management
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IT as a career: Staff vs. management
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IT career trend: Staff
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IT career trend: Management
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Only 10% say IT is less secure than other careers
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Biggest event: Raises
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Slim majority outsource IT jobs
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Outsourcing hits job availability, morale
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Outsourcing affects few personally
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Non-citizen employment status
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Most aren’t looking for a new job
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Job seekers want more money
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Job satisfaction matters
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Highest degrees
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Mostly male
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Management trends older through middle age
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High-revenue companies dominate survey
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Many industries represented
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Large companies dominate survey
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Earnings by industry: Staff vs. management
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Research Synopsis
Survey Name
InformationWeek 2014 US IT Salary Survey
Survey Date
February 2014
Region United States
Number of Respondents
11,662
urpose
P
To track IT salary and compensation trends from the perspective of those on the front lines, InformationWeek
conducts an annual US IT Salary Survey. Now in its 17th year, it’s the largest employee-based IT salary survey in the
country. This year 11,662 full-time IT professionals completed the web-based survey. The goal of this trendable study is to
measure various aspects of compensation, benefits, and job satisfaction. This report focuses on the 5,945 IT staff and
5,717 IT managers who participated in the survey.
Methodology
The survey was designed by InformationWeek and fielded online. The survey was promoted in
InformationWeek’s daily and weekly newsletters. In addition, email invitations with an embedded link to the survey were
sent to qualified IT professionals from UBM Tech databases. The survey was fielded from November 2013 to February
2014.
The information in this report is based on responses from 5,945 IT staff and 5,717 IT managers. Unemployed and parttime workers were excluded from these results, as were respondents from outside the United States. This report uses
median rather than mean or average figures for salary and percentage changes to eliminate distortions caused by
extremes at the high or low ends of the responses.
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