2009 Technology Salary Guide

Robert Half Technology released their 2009 Salary Guide and you can request your free copy to learn the latest on IT compensation and industry trends in the US and Canada.

Even in the current economy, certain skill sets remain difficult to find, according to the 2009 Salary Guides from Robert Half International. The recently released guides point to modest overall salary increases for accounting, information technology (IT) and administrative roles, but highlight specialized expertise that can enhance a professional’s marketability. This includes account reconciliation and credit/collections experience for accountants and web development skills for IT professionals.

A summary of Robert Half's 2009 Hiring outlook for IT is available after the jump.

IT unemployment remains low relative to many other occupations, driven by the proliferation of new technology and the need for professionals to support Web 2.0 initiatives to foster information sharing and enable access to applications stored on web servers. Overall, IT salaries are expected to increase by 3.7 percent next year. A smaller pool of highly skilled candidates for technology positions, coupled with fewer college graduates with IT-related degrees, is making it difficult for employers to hire and retain individuals within many specialties.

Following are three in-demand IT positions:

• Web developers – The rise of social media and the expansion of companies’ online presence, Web 2.0 initiatives and interactive web functionality have fueled further growth in Internet technologies, creating a strong demand for web developers. These professionals can expect to see starting salaries in the range of $60,000 to $89,750 in the coming year.
• Programmer analysts – IT professionals with skills such as .NET, SharePoint, Java and PHP are at a premium across companies in all industries, including healthcare, finance and manufacturing. These workers are needed to write code, test and debug software applications, and analyze business application requirements for functional areas across the organization. The salary range for a programmer analyst is expected to be $60,000 to $100,750.
• Help desk professionals – Companies are implementing a wider range of technologies, migrating from older operating systems and upgrading desktop systems. This is contributing to the demand for professionals who can troubleshoot software and hardware problems. Base compensation for Tier 2 help desk professionals, for example, is projected to range from $36,750 to $48,250.