InformationWeek

hen it comes to earning the bigger bucks, sometimes it's not what you know as a techie, it's what you know about your users that counts.

Brian Taylor, 36, is MIS manager at General Technology Inc., a Newport Beach, Calif., software reseller with revenue of under $50 million. Its major customer is the Federal government.

Taylor--the sole internal IT person at the company--not only handles all of the reseller's IT operations, but also provides "consulting and advice" for customers--specifically, software asset-management solutions to government agencies and departments.

Taylor has worked for the company for about four years and earns approximately $100,000. In addition, the company paid the $70,000 down payment on his California home when he was hired and relocated from Memphis in 1996. Until that time, Taylor had worked for nine years as an IT contractor doing mostly programming for the U.S. Postal Service.

"Quite frankly, my IT skills are a dime a dozen," Taylor says. "What I bring to this company is niche expertise of the federal government. I've got market expertise of our customers."

--Marianne Kolbasuk McGee

ne network planner at a large Midwestern bank goes against the grain when it comes to salary. While IT workers nationwide reported a median increase in salary of 7.8% this year, he received a raise of 3%--same as last year, too.

Needless to say, the planner isn't too pleased with the situation and may be looking for another position. It wasn't his performance that caused the small increase, he says, 3% was reportedly the average raise at the bank last year.

Banking isn't a particularly low-paying industry, according to the InformationWeek Research salary survey. It falls in the middle range of vertical industries ranking below aerospace, energy, and chemical industries, but ahead of retail and hospitality. It's possible that geography plays an even bigger part in the figures. Minneapolis-St. Paul ranked the lowest in pay among all of the metropolitan areas. But another Midwestern city, Chicago, ranks higher on the list.

What keeps him and his IT co-workers on the job? The people, for one thing. The camaraderie is strong, he says. Many people in the IT department have been there 10, 20, and even 30 years, and have forged strong friendships. "Plus, I get a chance to work with a lot of new technologies," he says.

But longevity on the job is not the norm. The typical IT staff member has been at his present company just three years and worked only three years for his previous employer. About half the survey respondents say they expect to change jobs in the next three years. Managers have only slightly more loyalty, as they've worked a median of four years for their current employer and put in three years at their previous job. But the economy may put an end to some of the job-hopping. Many companies are already seeing less turnover and more stability among their staffs.

A year ago, many IT professionals surveyed cited opportunities being too good to pass up as a leading reason for job-hopping. This year, in light of market changes, those who are looking for new positions are searching for more stability.

--Mary Hayes

ven among the lowest-paid IT professionals, regional cost of living differences help level the playing field, says Harold Ross, who earns $30,000 a year as the IS manager at Automated Equipment Manufacturing Co., the maker of Blue Ox towing product, in Pender, Neb.

"For our region, I'm doing well financially," he says. Ross' company is located near an Indian reservation where he lives with his wife and two children. He also works at the reservation on weekends and evenings as a minister. Says Ross, "A big reason I have this [IT job] is for the health insurance benefits."

--Marianne Kolbasuk McGee

Random Facts:

--Health insurance and a 401(k) match are the two most common benefits offered IT professionals. At least one out of four receive stock options and a company-paid phone/fax/cable modem/DSL line at home. While continued education and development are critical to a successful career in IT, only one in five receive certification reimbursement.

--Among managerial titles, vice presidents receive the highest base salaries--a median of $111,000, which surpasses the median of $102,000 reported by CIOs. With all bonuses included, the gap widens significantly. VPs will reap median total cash compensation of $145,000 compared to $133,000 for CIOs, $130,000 for chief technology officers, and $71,000 for supervisors on the bottom of the pay rung.

--Those who are working more hours are just as satisfied with their compensation as those who are working the minimum amount of hours. Almost half (49%) of staff overtimers are satisfied with their pay compared with 51% of those who work less than 50 hours.