InformationWeek

This year saw around a 6% jump in median base pay. Last year, median base pay was stagnant, and nearly all the gains in median compensation came from bonuses.

(Next chart: Manager total compensation cracks the $100,000 mark)

Bonuses are about 8% of base pay. The only time it's been a higher share was in the bubble days--a whopping 18% for managers in 2001.

(Next chart: Average raises are looking better)

Raises are still hard fought, but they've been edging up.

(Next chart: Women's pay about 30% less than men's)

Year after year, women's pay lags men's in our survey.

(Next chart: Pay by staff job function)

Five job categories pay more than $90,000 on average. Last year, only one did.

(Next chart: Best-paying management jobs)

Skills matter--managers in the top three job categories average 77% more than those in the three lowest.

(Next chart: The highest-paying staff job, by title)

Software engineer is now the largest of the eight broad job categories the Bureau of Labor Statistics uses to track IT jobs. In 2000, it was third, behind computer scientist and analyst, and programmer.

(Next chart: Salary by age category)

There's some premium for experience. But plenty see signs of age discrimination, as the next chart shows.

(Next chart: How many have been deemed "too old"?)

We did this as a follow-up to our main survey, which is why the smaller sample size. One-fourth is still a big slice.

(Next chart: Why older workers get fired)

This sample is from the 10% who said they've been laid off because of their age.

(Next chart: Salary by city)

The numbers change, but the order stays mostly the same.

(Next chart: What matters most to people about their IT jobs.)

Base pay has jumped in importance, rising more than 10 percentage points from last year for staffers and managers. Job stability plunged-down more than 20 percentage points. Feeling good?

(Next chart: Satisfaction is up)

This is better than last year--only two thirds were very satisfied or satisfied.

(Next chart: The intellectual challenge of IT)

This is key to retention: IT managers cite "challenge" more often than any other factor for what matters most to their jobs. Staff cites it second most often.

(Next chart: Nearly half of all IT pros feel "strongly secure")

The "strongly secure" numbers are up more than 10 percentage points from 2004.

(Next chart: The staff-management divide on career prospects)

In 2004, just 15% of staff said it's as promising today. Just 21% of managers did.

(Next chart: What outsourcing's doing to the IT profession)

The takeaway--the majority see outsourcing crimping the profession's opportunities, but far fewer have seen it hit paychecks, so far.

(Next chart: The opportunity outsourcing creates)

Most haven't been hurt by outsourcing. And the responsibilities are two-edged--have they moved up the ladder or just had more work dumped on them?

(Next chart: What job seekers are after)

The ranking of these hasn't changed the past three years. Money talks.

(Next chart: Has a headhunter called?)

Staff and management were contacted a median of three times each.