2013 IT Skills & Salary Report

A COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY FROM GLOBAL KNOWLEDGE & WINDOWS IT PRO

Introduction
An optimist sees an opportunity in every calamity; a pessimist sees a calamity in every opportunity.
WINSTON CHURCHILL

OVERRIDING TRENDS
Ongoing challenges remain evident, but all the numbers arent bleak. In fact, this years results revealed many reasons for optimism.

COMPENSATION IS INCREASING.
Two-thirds of survey respondents reported receiving a raise last year, and nearly half reported they received a bonus. Though raises were typically modest, many professionals increased their value by adding skills and taking on broader responsibilities and were compensated for doing so.

Although the global recession has technically ended, findings from the 2013 IT Skills and Salary Survey, the sixth for Global Knowledge and the first in partnership with Windows IT Pro, suggest recovery is slow going. Organizations are still feeling the effects of a slowed economy, but data from this years survey suggests that conditions are improving for many. More IT and business professionals received raises this year, projects are on for many, and overall job satisfaction has remained steady since last year. The survey was conducted online during the fall of 2012. More than half a million survey invitations were e-mailed to recipients from the databases of Global Knowledge, Windows IT Pro, and partner companies. The survey yielded more than 23,800 completed responses from around the globe, with 49 percent coming from the United States and Canada. This report focuses on North America, where 11,646 IT and business professionals responded. Professionals from staff to C-level appear interested in sharing their opinions and learning from others.

JOB SATISFACTION IS HOLDING STEADY.

In last years survey, 60 percent of respondents reported being satisfied or very satisfied with their current position, a significant increase from percentages in the low 40s the previous two years. This year, higher satisfaction rates endure at 58 percent.

TRAINING MATTERS.
More than 80 percent of survey respondents who trained in the last year said it was a positive investment for their company and their career path, with 90 percent reporting that they gained new knowledge that could be used in their existing positions. More often than not, gaining new skills meant earning more money. Higher raises were likely for those who trained as well as for those who earned a certification within the previous 12 months.

CONDITIONS ARE IMPROVING.

Consistent with last years survey results, nearly 80 percent of this years survey respondents said IT and business projects are being initiated or resumed at their organizations. That number is even higher (88 percent) in companies reporting solid growth. Further, over half (53 percent) of this years respondents said business conditions their companies face are improving (39 percent) or good (14 percent).

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INTRODUCTION

PARTICIPANT PROFILE
Base Salary
$100,000 $80,000 $60,000 $40,000 $20,000

Average Bonus
$79,579 $84,552 $78,649
$10,000 $8,000 $6,000 $4,000 $2,000

$82,115

$8,645

$7,926 $5,920 $4,522

2010

2011

2012

2013

2010

2011

2012

2013

Received a Raise
43% 54% 63% 65%

Average Age
50 40 30

43

44

44

42

2010

2011

2012

2013

20 10

2010

2011

2012

2013

Raise Percentage
12% 10% 8% 6% 4% 2%

Average Tenure
20

10% 7% 5% 5%

15 10 5

15

16

16

14

2010

2011

2012

2013

2010

2011

2012

2013

Received a Bonus
39% 40% 48% 48%

Male vs. Female

3.9:1 3.6:1 3.7:1 4.2:1

2010

2011

2012

2013

2010

2011

2012

2013

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Compensation
The average salary of this years respondents was $78,649, nearly seven percent lower than last years average. One-fourth of the respondents earned less than $60,000, and 16 percent earned $100,000 or more.

SALARY RANGE OF RESPONDENTS

2010 2011 2012 2013

Less than $40,000

5%

6% 6% 7% 8% 8% 8% 10% 10% 10%

$40,000 $49,000

$50,000 $59,000

11% 11% 13% 12% 13% 13% 13% 13% 13% 13% 13% 14% 14%

Although an apples-to-apples comparison of survey data confirmed a lower average salary for this years respondents, factors beyond economics might have contributed to the lower numbers. At least part of the drop can be blamed on a change in this years data collection methodology instated to standardize the compensation data collected to facilitate comparisons to other industry surveys. Also, as a result of new and expanded partnerships, this year saw a higher rate of responses from those in entry- to mid-level positions. Interestingly, relationships between compensation data, such as salary by tenure, certification, job role, and industry, are consistent with prior years. Other measurements, such as percentage of respondents reporting that they received a raise and/or a bonus, continued to show a positive trend as well. Several factors affect compensation. Among those revealed in this years survey are job role, experience, company size, industry, and geography.
$60,000 $69,000

$70,000 $79,000

$80,000 $89,000

14%

$90,000 $99,000

10% 10% 10% 8% 8% 8% 5% 5% 5% 5% 5%

11%

$100,000 $109,000

9%

$110,000 $119,000

4%

$120,000 $129,000

4% 4% 2% 2% 2% 1% 1% 1%

$130,000 $139,000

3%

$140,000 $149,000

2% 3%
3%

$150,000 or more

4% 4% 5%
6% 9% 12% 15%

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COMPENSATION

Job roles and compensation

Nearly half (47 percent) of this years survey respondents work in networking, servers and storage, or applications and programming. More than one-third (38 percent) of the respondents are involved in systems administration, support, or engineering. This number is up seven points from 2012 and is consistent with the increase in respondents whose focus is on Microsoft technologies. Not surprisingly, job role is a key differentiator for salary. The average salary for help desk support technicians was $49,899, 37 percent below the overall average of $78,649. Other job roles with salaries below the average include analysts (-10 percent), systems administrators (-15 percent), and specialists (-12 percent). Roles with salaries above the average include systems architects (+30 percent), project managers (+15 percent), IT managers (+17 percent), and consultants (+22 percent). Directors and above ranged from 37 percent to 71 percent above the average.

Company size
IT pros who responded to this years survey work in IT departments of one to hundreds, with one-third in departments of fewer than 10 employees. More than one-third (39 percent) of this years respondents work for organizations employing fewer than 250, and nearly onefourth (24 percent) work for firms with 10,000 or more employees. Salary increases with department size, due in part to technology specialization. The average salary in departments with fewer than 10 IT pros was $69,149. Average salaries increase 14 percent for those in departments of 1049 ($78,949), and salaries continue to increase, topping out at $89,499, for IT pros working in departments of 250 or more.
149 1,000 4,999

24%

12% 17%

9%

COMPANY SIZE
20%
50249  ,000 5 9,999

19%

250999  ore than M 10,000

Manager System Engineering

End-User Help Desk/Support

9% 11%

8%

Analyst

8% 7%

DOES EXPERIENCE PAY?

Systems Architect/Design

According to our survey respondents, experience pays. As IT pros took on additional responsibilitieswhether those included working with new technology, managing staff, or managing a budgetsalary increased. Further, skills training and certification are commensurate with new responsibilities. For example, project managers who trained in the prior year earned an average of $6,300 more (seven percent) than their counterparts who didnt train. Further, support technicians who havent earned a certification averaged $47,350 per year; adding certification and hands-on experience increased that average by more than 16 percent to $55,250.

JOB ROLES
System Administration/ Support

6%

Programmer

27% 4%
2% Other Roles 1% Training 1% Vice President

5% Project Manager 5% Consultant 5%

Specialist

Director 1% Executive Level 1% Technical Writer 1% Quality Control, Usability & Testing

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COMPENSATION

Industry
Across all positions and disciplines, industry is one of the strongest differentiators for salary. Average salaries range from $62,300 for educational services (21 percent below the overall average) to a high of $100,100 for those in software development (27 percent above the overall average).

Industry
Software Development IT Communication Manufacturing Quality Control Natural Resources: Mining, Oil, Gas VAR, IS Integration Aerospace/Defense Pharmaceutical or Biomedical Research Media, Film, Music Accounting, Banking, Finance Utilities IT Consulting Government: Civilian Scientific Research (Non-Bio) Professional Business Services Telecommunications Insurance, Real Estate, Legal Government: Military and Homeland Security Transportation and Logistics

Mean
$100,100 $99,249 $96,900 $87,699 $87,649 $86,350 $86,050 $85,750 $85,350 $84,899 $84,699 $83,549 $82,150 $81,750 $81,650 $81,400 $80,600 $80,550

Median
$97,500 $97,500 $92,500 $87,500 $87,500 $82,500 $82,500 $82,500 $87,500 $87,500 $82,500 $77,500 $77,500 $77,500 $77,500 $82,500 $77,500 $77,500

Industry
Construction, Architecture, Engineering Manufacturing: Consumer Overall Average Manufacturing: Industrial Healthcare IT-Related Services Automotive Retail Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing Wholesale Communications, Public Relations, Advertising Security Related Government: State and Local Hospitality, Travel, Recreation Sports and Entertainment Food and Beverage Nonprofit Education Services

Mean
$78,699 $78,649 $78,649 $77,649 $77,150 $76,500 $75,500 $74,549 $73,999 $73,549 $73,499 $72,200 $71,150 $71,100 $69,349 $67,699 $64,449 $62,300

Median
$77,500 $77,500 $77,500 $77,500 $77,500 $77,500 $72,500 $77,500 $72,500 $67,500 $72,500 $72,500 $72,500 $72,500 $67,500 $67,500 $62,500 $62,500

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COMPENSATION
Click here for a complete list of salaries by state.

Geography
Cost of living in a particular region is one of the most significant drivers behind salary. Salaries for VMware Certified Professionals in the US range from $87,699 in the Midwest to $97,599 in the Northeast. Network+ certification holders in a midwestern city such as Indianapolis earn an average of $62,849, while those in cities further west earn $67,400. Geography affects salaries for ITIL v3 Foundation certification holders as well. A certified ITIL practitioner in Seattle or the Bay Area earns an average of just under $100,000 compared to $92,150 for a practitioner in Atlanta or Miami.

1 PACIFIC
MEAN: $89,900 MEDIAN: $82,500

4 NEW ENGLAND
MEAN: $79,849 MEDIAN: $77,500

7 WEST SOUTH CENTRAL

MEAN: $78,099 MEDIAN: $77,500

2 MID-ATLANTIC
MEAN: $83,249 MEAN: $82,500

5 WEST NORTH CENTRAL

MEAN: $78,099 MEDIAN: $77,500

8 EAST NORTH CENTRAL

MEAN: $74,899 MEDIAN: $75,500

TOP 5 STATES BY SALARY

Virginia $90,200  ew Jersey N $89,949 California $89,049 Maryland $88,099 New York $85,900

BOTTOM 5 STATES BY SALARY

Wyoming $52,000 daho I $57,100 Mississippi $60,200 New Mexico $64,149 Alabama $64,399

3 SOUTH ATLANTIC
MEAN: $80,650 MEDIAN: $82,500

6 MOUNTAIN
MEAN: $76,850 MEDIAN: $77,500

9 EAST SOUTH CENTRAL

MEAN: $67,350 MEDIAN: $62,500

NOTE: Washington, DC, ranks highest with $93,499.

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COMPENSATION

Canadian Variations
Regional variations in salary are also common across Canada. Salaries for ITIL-certified respondents average $86,050 (USD) in the metro areas of Toronto and Mississauga and rise more than six percent to $91,500 in Alberta. The same certification in Vancouver and other parts of BC averages approximately $78,000nearly 9 percent less than the overall average for Canada ($84,749).

1 ALBERTA
MEAN: $84,199 MEDIAN: $82,500

4 NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR

MEAN: $76,550 MEDIAN: $67,500

7 MANITOBA
MEAN: $67,350 MEDIAN: $67,500

2 SASKATCHEWAN
MEAN: $78,549 MEDIAN: $77,500

5 BRITISH COLUMBIA
MEAN: $74,649 MEDIAN: $72,500

8 NEW BRUNSWICK
MEAN: $65,000 MEDIAN: $62,500

Seventeen respondents were from Prince Edward Island and the three territories Yukon, Nunavut, and Northwest Territories.
MEAN: $71,250 MEDIAN: $72,500

3 ONTARIO
MEAN: $77,350 MEDIAN: $77,500

6 QUEBEC
MEAN: $73,749 MEDIAN: $72,500

9 NOVA SCOTIA
MEAN: $63,299 MEDIAN: $62,500

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COMPENSATION

Raises and Their Reasons

Sixty-five percent of 2013 survey respondents reported receiving a raisetwo percent more than 2012 respondents and much improved from the low point of 43 percent in 2010. Raises typically were one to five percent, with 75 percent of those who got a raise receiving an amount in that range, which is consistent with the prior years data. More than half in that range took on additional responsibilities (55 percent) or added valuable skills (51 percent). Those receiving a raise higher than five percent, however, had additional drivers. Thirty-two percent of those who received internal promotions received a six to 10 percent raise. Half of those who received external promotions yielded a raise of 11 percent or higher, as did nearly a third (31 percent) of those who made external lateral moves. Adding new skills made a significant difference in some respondents base salary. Those who engaged in training were twice as likely as the overall average to see a raise of 11 percent or higher, and raises were more pronounced for those who had completed a new certification within the prior 12 months.

PRIMARY FACTORS THAT LED TO A PAY INCREASE

15% Raise 610% Raise 11% or More Raise

9% 18%
Performance at current job

73%

8%

3%

89%

8%

3%

89%

Standard company increase

Cost of living increase

22%
Internal promotion

47%

18%
Additional responsibilities

55%

31%
External lateral move

40%

32%

18%

28%

50%
External promotion

26%

24%
Added valuable skills

51%

24%

25%

SALARY CHANGE
2010
80%

2011

2012

2013

EFFECTS OF AGE AND JOB ROLE

63% 65%

Workers in their mid-20s to mid-30s were more apt to see a raise than those aged 50 or older.
46% 39% 29% 29%

60%

54% 43%

40%

Respondents in certain IT job rolesfront-line IT managers, analysts, systems architects, and engineers, and those in applications and development, security, servers, and
11% 7% 8% 7%

20%

storagewere more likely to see a raise.

Salary Increase

No Change

Salary Decrease
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OVERALL JOB SATISFACTION

Very Satisfied Satisfied Less than Satisfied

14%

42% 2013

44%

15%

Satisfaction and Security

According to current survey data, job satisfaction and job security have held steady over the past year. Echoing the prior year's respondents, more than half of this year's respondents said they were either satisfied or very satisfied with their current position, and more than two-thirds said they felt secure in their current position. Though not completely aligned, job satisfaction and job security certainly follow similar paths. Both are influenced by many of the same factors, including position in the organization, opportunities for training, business conditions, and industry, and both directly influence one's desire to stay in or leave a position.

40% 2012 45%

5%

56%

2011

38%

8% 32%

59%

2010

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SATISFACTION AND SECURITY

Job Satisfaction
Job satisfaction continues to rebound from the low point seen during the early days of the recession. In the current year, over half of respondents (58 percent) were either satisfied or very satisfied with their current position. This is consistent with our 2012 survey and up 17 points since the 2010 survey, which was a low point across many measures. The percentage reporting that they were very satisfied with their current position has increased from eight percent in the 2010 survey to 14 percent in the current one. Twenty-two percent of respondents reported being either unsatisfied or very unsatisfied with their current position, and 20 percent had no strong opinion either way. Job satisfaction varies with salary and across industries, companies, and positions.

TRAINING
The ability to advance ones career through training adds to respondents sense of work satisfaction. Those who trained in the prior year were more satisfied with their work than those who hadnt trained (59 percent vs. 52 percent). The quality of that training also affected this perception. Those who believed training benefited their company and their career were more likely to report work satisfaction.

BUSINESS CONDITIONS
Job satisfaction is directly related to perceived business conditions. Respondents who reported their organizations were facing worstever business conditions were three times more likely to report being dissatisfied than those who said business is good (52 percent vs. 17 percent).

COMPENSATION
The relationship between compensation and work satisfaction is one of the strongest observed in the study. Sixty-four percent of those reporting they received a raise in the prior year also reported being satisfied with the work they do. By contrast, 39 percent of those who reported a salary decrease indicated a sense of work satisfaction.

INDUSTRY
Industries in which IT professionals reported feeling more satisfied include aerospace, agriculture, IS integration, IT communication manufacturing, and natural resources (mining, oil, or gas). IT professionals in hospitality, industrial manufacturing, media, and government reported feeling less satisfied.

MOVING UP THE LADDER

Within the organization, job satisfaction increases the higher respondents move up the ladder. In fact, the further away one is from supporting day-to-day IT operations, the higher the level of reported satisfaction. Respondents in help desk, user support, and IT specialist positions were the least likely to report being satisfied (50 percent). Satisfaction levels increase with respondents whose focus is on systems, including architecture, engineering, and administration (59 percent), and satisfaction levels climb to more than 60 percent for those in managerial and executive positions.

STAYING OR GOING
Not surprisingly, job satisfaction is strongly related to a desire to enter the job market. Those who reported being satisfied with their jobs were less than half as likely to report plans to undergo a job search (27 percent vs. 63 percent for those who were unsatisfied). Sometimes all thats needed is a change of perspective. Those who indicated that they received an internal promotion, additional responsibilities in their current position, or an internal lateral assignment reported being more satisfied than their counterparts.

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SATISFACTION AND SECURITY

Job Security
Perceived job security remains fairly steady, with more than twothirds (69 percent) of respondents reporting that they felt secure in their current position. This finding is unchanged from the 2012 study and down four points from the 2011 study. Seventeen percent reported a sense of insecurityunchanged from the 2012 study and up four points from the 2011 study. Respondents sense of job security is a function of many variables, including age, position, training, business conditions, and industry. These findings are similar to those in the prior year study.

AGE
Job security was highest for those in the 2529 age group, where 80 percent reported feeling secure in their position. Comparatively, 63 percent of respondents 55 and older reported perceived security and 24 percent were more than twice as likely to report lacking job security compared to 10 percent of those 2529 years old.

POSITION
Perceived job security varies by ones position in the company as well. More than 78 percent of the executives who responded to the survey reported feeling secure about their situation compared to 69 percent of the non-supervisory staff respondents.

TRAINING

OVERALL SENSE OF JOB SECURITY

Feeling Secure Unsure Insecure

Respondents who trained in the prior year and who believed their training to be valuable to the company were more likely to report feeling job security than their counterparts who didnt train (75 percent vs. 60 percent).

17%

BUSINESS CONDITIONS 14% 2013 69%

Job security and current business conditions are strongly related. Those who stated that their organization was seeing solid business growth were two and a half times more likely to report that they felt secure than those whose businesses and organizations were struggling (83 percent vs. 33 percent).

17% 14%

INDUSTRY
Respondents in aerospace, defense contracting, the military and homeland defense, and telecommunications reported feeling less

2012 69% 14% 2011 73% 13%

secure in their positions. Perceived job security skewed upward for respondents in IT consulting, IS integration, and finance.

STAYING OR GOING
Those who reported feeling insecure about their current situation were almost twice as likely to report undertaking a job search than those who reported being in a secure position (62 percent vs. 34 percent).

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Training and Certification

Eighty-three percent of current respondents said they took some type of formalized training in the last 12 months, up from 77 percent in the 2012 study. Sixty percent of those who trained did so aimed at certification or recertification, and 40 percent trained to acquire new skills or sharpen existing skills, consistent with the 2012 study. The percentage of IT professionals who trained with an eye on increasing compensation by increasing their value to the firm rose from a low of 34 in the 2010 study to 45 in the current study. More than 80 percent of this year's respondents said training was a good investment for their company and their career path. Ninety percent reported gaining new knowledge that could be used in their existing position, and more than 70 percent of those who took certification training reported seeing gains in on-the-job effectiveness. In the past year, 88 percent of those in the largest IT departments sent staff to training, compared with 79 percent in the smallest. Thirty-four percent of those in departments with more than 250 employees and 27 percent in departments with fewer than 10 said their company allocates more than $4,000 per person for training.

TRAINING TAKEN IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS

Microsoft Cisco VMware Networking Security Project Management Virtualization Servers IT Management ITIL CompTIA Storage Application Development Wireless Cloud VoIP/Telephony/UC Business Analysis .Net Training Web Design UNIX/Linux Apple HP Governance IBM Oracle Red Hat Avaya Juniper Predictive Analytics & Business Intelligence Sun
NOTE: Multiple responses allowed

42% 20% 17% 16% 14% 14% 13% 13% 11% 11% 10% 9% 8% 8% 7% 7% 6% 6% 6% 5% 4% 4% 4% 3% 3% 3% 3% 2% 2% 1%
10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

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TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION

INSTRUCTIONAL DELIVERY METHODS

ILT in a classroom Printed study materials Online self-directed courses E-book or DVD for self-study ILT online Study groups One on one with a mentor
10%
NOTE: Multiple responses allowed

Managements view on new skills

73% 67% 66% 62%

Nearly 60 percent of respondents influenced training decisions at their companies, and 10 percent held decision-making authority for training. Despite 82 percent of respondents agreeing that professional development training is important, the percentage of decision makers authorizing staff to pursue certification-related training declined from 55 percent in the 2012 study to 42 percent in the 2013 study. Countering this trend is an increase in the percentage of decision makers who saw significant improvement in staff effectiveness after certification (nine percent in 2012 vs. 26 percent in the current study).

46% 20% 16%

20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Overall, decision makers responding to the current study seemed more bearish about authorizing IT training of any type. Still, IT decision makers who have previously authorized training and those who saw gains in staff-level effectiveness after training were more likely than the norm to continue authorizing training.

Training modalities
On average, IT and business professionals employed three separate instructional modalities to stay abreast of changing technologies and business practices. Instructor-led training remains the gold standard for IT and professional skills development, with 82 percent of respondents reporting they participated. Nearly three-fourths (74 percent) of respondents reported attending instructor-led training in a classroom (unchanged from last year), while the percentage of respondents who chose instructor-led online training increased from 38 in the 2012 study to 46 in the current study. Self-study methods, including self-directed online, printed materials, and e-books, are popular with more than two-thirds of the market. Although the training methods chosen may depend on several factors, including content available for a particular method, cost, scheduling, ability to be away from the office, and personal learning preference, survey data suggests a trend toward employing multiple instructional methods to meet training needs.

STAYING UP TO DATE
IT and business professionals are information seekers. Half reported utilizing seven or more methods for acquiring skills and information. The methods used to stay current on skills and technology trends changed somewhat between the 2012 and 2013 studies. Increases were noted in the percentage of respondents who: Attended a professional seminar (50 percent in the 2012 study vs. 63 percent in the 2013 study) Participated in a self-paced learning exercise (47 percent in 2012 vs. 57 percent in 2013) Took an online course led by an instructor (30 percent in 2012 vs. 36 percent in 2013)

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TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION

TOP 15 SKILLS THAT HAVE POSITIVELY IMPACTED SALARY

Microsoft

Certification trends
Half of the IT respondents who participated in the 2013 study have
50%

earned a new certification within the past two years, with 30 percent earning their most recent certification within the last 12 months. This is comparable to the 2012 study. However, for nearly 20 percent of respondents, five or more years have passed since they last certified.

Networking

24%

Cisco

23%

Two-thirds of IT professionals reported they are currently pursuing a certification or have plans to do so in the next 12 months. This finding is more pronounced for those under 40, those who have obtained a certification within the last two years, those who already possess certifications in three or more categories, and those involved in networking, security, servers, or storage.

Servers

20%

VMware

18%

Security

16%

Three-fourths of respondents said they see value in pursuing

Virtualization

15%

certifications that cross technology or managerial areas, and that belief is reflected in their practices. Fifty-eight percent have certifications across two or more categories, and 30 percent hold certifications in three or more categories. This represents an increase over the 2012 study, where 49 percent held certifications in multiple categories.

Project Mgmt

15%

IT Mgmt

13%

CompTIA

13%

TIME SINCE LAST CERTIFICATION

Storage

12%

Wireless

10%

19%

17%
 ave not earned a H certification Less than a year 12 years

ITIL Application Development/ Programming Business Analysis

10%

15%
9%

35 years

29%

More than 5 years

7%
10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

21%

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TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION

Click here for a complete list of certifications by salary.

Impact on Compensation
From a compensation perspective, Project Management Professional certification ranks highest with an average salary of $105,750. Certified IS Security Professional certification follows, while Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer, Microsoft Certified Database Administrator, and Cisco Certified Design Associate round out the top five. Other high-paying certifications include Cisco Certified Design Professional and Expert, Certified Scrum Master, Junipers JNCIA-Junos, Six Sigma Master Black Belt, and ISACAs Certified Information Security Manager. The trend is clear: certifications that focus on designing advanced networking solutions, securing networks, and keeping projects on track offer the greatest opportunity for salary growth.

TOP CERTIFICATIONS BY SALARY

Certification
Project Management Professional (PMP) Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer (MCSD) Microsoft Certified Database Administrator (MCDBA) Cisco Certified Design Associate (CCDA) Microsoft Certified Application Developer (MCAD) VMware Certified Professional (VCP) Certified Novell Engineer (CNE)

Mean
$105,750 $103,299

Median
$102,500 $97,500

Count
429 225

$97,849 $95,950

$97,500 $97,500

118 199

$94,799 $93,349 $92,400 $91,350 $90,900 $90,200 $90,100 $90,100 $89,949 $89,749 $89,399 $89,499 $88,149 $84,949 $83,549

$92,500 $92,500 $92,500 $87,500 $92,500 $97,500 $87,500 $92,500 $87,500 $87,500 $92,500 $92,500 $87,500 $82,500 $87,500

179 125 486 218 964 154 175 130 131 298 166 108 905 394 116

WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING TO PURSUE?

Of those respondents planning to pursue a certification in the coming year, Microsoft and Cisco technologies are on the radar for 37 percent and 27 percent, respectively. Project management, CompTIA, and virtualization certifications are on the list for 10 percent, and five to eight percent are looking at ITIL and security.

ITIL v3 Foundation MCITP: Database Administrator Citrix Certified Administrator for Citrix XenServer MCTS: SQL Server 2005 Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) Y  es Citrix Certified Administrator for Citrix XenDesktop Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD) Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) 2003 Citrix Certified Administrator for Citrix XenApp

36%

35%

N  o, but plan to within the next 12 months N  o, and have no immediate plans to do so

29%

CCNA Service Provider Operations

NOTE: Certifications listed here had at least 100 responses. For a complete list of certifications by salary, visit www.globalknowledge.com.

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Looking Ahead
Nearly one-third of this years IT respondents, whether in large or small departments, said they expect their organizations to add virtualization and security skills in the coming year. Respondents in smaller IT departments said they expect to add more network administration and desktop support skills, while those in larger IT departments anticipate adding those skilled in UNIX/Linux systems, application development, and all forms of business service processes. Executives and staff reported similar outlooks, with a few notable exceptions. Executives reported being more inclined to see future investment in areas that can impact project-level success as well as the ability to compete, including ITIL and business service management, business intelligence and predictive analytics, and project management. Respondents in organizations that are experiencing at least some level of business growth said they plan to invest more heavily in

SKILLS LIKELY TO BE ADDED IN 2013

IT Skills
Virtualization or Cloud Security Network Administration Windows Administration Database Management Storage Desktop Support App Development Wireless Network Management Web Development Telecommunications Unified Communications UNIX/Linux

34% 32% 30% 25% 23% 22% 21% 21% 19% 18% 16% 16% 11%

Business Skills
Project Management

38% 26% 25% 20%

application development, networking, unified communications, virtualization or cloud-based solutions, business service management, business analysis, and project management.

Business Service Management Business Analysis BI/Predictive Analytics

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2013 Global Knowledge Training LLC. All rights reserved. 

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LOOKING AHEAD

IT training expectations
There appears to be consensus that a highly skilled team is important to project success. More than 60 percent of IT managers and staff said they anticipate authorizing or attending skills and certification-based training in 2013. Whether managers expect to authorize training depends greatly upon the skill sets theyre looking to add this year. IT managers who reported that their organizations expect to add skills in Windows administration, security, wireless networking, telecommunications, unified communications, storage, or virtualization said they plan to spend more on training than their counterparts who arent planning to add those skills. When asked to elaborate on their training budgets, one-fourth of IT managers reported annual budgets of less than $1,000 per person. Almost 30 percent of managers reported their annual training budgets exceed $4,000 per employee, with the majority of this group reporting individual allotments of $5,000 or higher. Training budgets increase with IT staff size. Departments of more than 10 employees are more apt to allocate $3,000 or more per individual for training. Training budgets vary by industry. Industries with annual budgets greater than $3,000 per employee include defense, IS integration, natural resources, scientific research, logistics, aerospace, and consumer manufacturing. Those with annual individual training budgets lower than the median of $2,500 include education, nondefense government sectors, and nonprofits.

LIKELIHOOD FOR TRAINING IN 2013

IT Skills Project Managment Business Skills

Are managers likely to send IT staff to training?

Likely Unsure Unlikely

64% 19% 17%

Likely Unsure Unlikely

29% 31% 40%

Likely Unsure Unlikely

28% 29% 43%

What are the training expectations of IT professionals?

Likely Unsure Unlikely

62% 22% 16%

Likely Unsure Unlikely

24% 26% 50%

Likely Unsure Unlikely

24% 26% 50%

10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

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2013 Global Knowledge Training LLC. All rights reserved. 

35

LOOKING AHEAD

Non-IT training trends

For the second year, we invited non-IT pros to contribute their opinions on training and the importance of certifications to their career path. These respondents accounted for 14 percent of the overall response and were from a broad mix of disciplines, including some that are heavily certification-focused, such as non-IT project management, accounting, and engineering. Although certification is less important in general to non-IT pros, theres still a need to increase ones soft skills in order to stay current with business trends and processes. Approximately 80 percent of the non-IT respondents said they believe training is important to their career growth, and more than 60 percent predicted that they will take some form of training, most likely skills-based, in the coming year. Akin to their IT counterparts, nearly two-thirds of non-IT managers said they expect to send staff for training this year, with nearly half authorizing training that is for certification or recertification.

SKILLS CRITICAL TO NON-IT CAREER GROWTH

Communication skills Staff development Thinking and innovation

58%

52%

49%

Leadership

48%

Presentation skills Time management Project management Interpersonal skills

10% 20% 30%

48%

47%

44%

40%
40% 50% 60%

Future economic impact

The percentage of respondents reporting that business and IT projects are being initiated or resumed was 79 percentstable compared to the prior year. Looking at current business conditions, four percent of respondents reported that they are seeing the worst ever. This percentage has steadily declined since a high of 14 percent in the 2010 study. Over half of respondents (53 percent) reported theyre seeing at least slow growth, with 14 percent reporting business is good.

KEY CHALLENGES FOR NON-IT PROS

Improving internal communications Effectiveness despite unclear job roles Internal collaboration Managing remote teams Working with supervisors
10% 20%

60%

53%

39%

39%

31%
30% 40% 50% 60%

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2013 Global Knowledge Training LLC. All rights reserved. 

37

Conclusions
There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.
COLIN POWELL

Conditions for IT organizations continue a trend of gradual improvement, but challenges remain. More respondents to the current study than to last years reported difficult business conditions at their companies, and fewer managers authorized training in the past year. The percentage of respondents who reported feeling insecure in their position held firm since last years survey, remaining four points higher than in 2011. However, there are reasons for optimism. Though IT and business professionals have limited, if any, control over the global economy and its effect on their organizations, they do have the power to influence the value they bring to the organization. This remains a good step toward elevating personal success and economic stability.

When it comes to new skills, adding to ones skill set not only improves on-the-job effectiveness but also opens the door for advancement and an above-average increase in compensation. Certifications are still seen as valuable within the IT community. This trend is unlikely to change as the pace of technological innovation and market forces continue to demand new ways of thinking and executing. Continuing a trend revealed in recent studies, technical professionals can add to their earning potential by branching into areas of business process improvement, including ITIL and Six Sigma. Similar opportunities are open to those who pursue training and certification across technical areas. This years survey revealed that IT and business professionals can increase their compensation not only by leaving their company for another opportunity but also by increasing their value to the organization through developing new skills and participating in critical projects.

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2013 Global Knowledge Training LLC. All rights reserved. 

39

ABOUT THIS REPORT

About Global Knowledge

Global Knowledge is the worldwide leader in IT and business skills training, with more than 1,500 courses that span foundational and specialized training and certifications. Our core training is focused on Cisco, Microsoft, Avaya, VMware, Red Hat, business process improvement, and leadership development. We deliver via training centers, private facilities, and the Internet, enabling our customers to choose when, where, and how they want to receive training programs and learning services. Founded in 1995, Global Knowledge employs more than 1,300 people worldwide and is headquartered in Cary, NC. The company is owned by New York-based investment firm MidOcean Partners. Learn more at www.globalknowledge.com.

About the Primary Researcher

Greg Timpany is the Senior Market Research Manager at Global Knowledge. He has more than 20 years of experience in market research, competitive intelligence, and database marketing. He has designed and implemented consumer and B2B studies and is a published author and lecturer focusing on the effective use of marketing data. Greg has held positions with Guitar Center, Los Angeles Times, and Wilkin Guge Marketing, and he holds an MBA in Information Systems and Marketing from California State University, San Bernardino.

Thanks to Our Partners

Global Knowledge and Windows IT Pro extend a special thank you to our partners for helping make this years survey our biggest and best ever: ASPE Training Cisco Citrix CompTIA EMC Global IT Community Association (GITCA) Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) International Avaya Users Group (IAUG) International Professional Practice Partnership (IP3) Juniper Microsoft PEOPLECERT Red Hat

About Windows IT Pro

Windows IT Pro is an independent online community serving the information and education needs of IT professionals. Windows IT Pro is a cornerstone of the Penton Technology Groupan ecosystem of technology-focused communities that serve Microsoft and IBM IT professionals and developers and IT channel companies. Learn more at windowsitpro.com.

About Penton Media, Inc.

For millions of business owners and decision-makers, Penton makes the difference every day. We engage our professional users by providing actionable ideas and insights, data and workflow tools, community and networking, both in person and virtually, all with deep relevance to their specific industries. Then we activate this engagement by connecting users with tens of thousands of targeted providers of products and services to help drive business growth. Learn more about our company at www.penton.com. Penton is a privately held company owned by MidOcean Partners and U.S. Equity Partners II, an investment fund sponsored by Wasserstein & Co., LP, and its co-investors.

Survey Methodology
The 2013 IT Skills and Salary Survey was conducted online from September 10 to October 19, 2012. More than half a million survey invitations were e-mailed to recipients from the databases of Global Knowledge, Windows IT Pro, and partner companies. Links were also provided in online newsletters. The survey yielded more than 23,800 completed responses from around the globe, with 49 percent coming from the United States and Canada. This online survey was tabulated using SPSS.

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2013 Global Knowledge Training LLC. All rights reserved. 

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