Datamation's 2008 IT Salary Guide reveals that IT salaries continue to rise due to a shortage of talent. Demand for IT pros is higher than it's been in five years, the guide to IT salaries reports.

The IT squeeze is so bad, that CIOs rank attracting and retaining skilled IT pros as their top concern.

But before rushing to complete certificate coursework in the hope of pushing salaries even higher, IT professionals should first consider that employers are today are less willing to pay a premium for certified skills.

For the first time since 2000, average pay for non-certified IT skills topped pay for certified skills, according to Foote Partners.

Learning Linux, on the other hand, is a ticket to abundant IT job possibilities. In September, job site Dice reported that Linux job listings were up 30 percent over January -- three times the increase of overall tech job listings.

By the way, the U.S. ranks sixth in pay for IT professionals, according to a report released last month by HR consulting firm, Mercer. Those who can't, or won't learn Linux, may still find fat paychecks in Switzerland, which topped Mercer's list of countries with the highest IT salaries.