Dive Brief:
- IT workers in the U.S. earn an average annual salary of $124,931, according to Skillsoft’s IT Skills and Salary report published Tuesday. The company surveyed more than 5,000 IT workers and decision-makers.
- Montana, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts and Alaska topped the list of states where the highest-paid technology pros reside. Montana IT pros topped the list at an average annual salary of $283,750, though the state had a comparatively small group of respondents in the study, according to Skillsoft.
- New Jersey was next with an average annual salary of $170,020, remaining in second place from last year. Maryland IT pros brought in an average annual salary of $159,669.
Dive Insight:
Montana IT pros make the most on average
Last year’s top five list was dominated by inland states as hybrid and remote work opportunities expanded talent sourcing possibilities, but things are reverting back to favor coastal states as return-to-office efforts continue.
About 90% of companies plan to implement RTO policies by the end of 2024, according to an August report from Resume Builder.
“We are definitely seeing a desire among employers to bring tech workers back to the office,” Orla Daly, CIO at Skillsoft, said in an email. Skillsoft’s research found more than two-thirds of employers encourage staff to return to the office, although only 11% plan to work fully in-person.
“Even with more organizations embracing in-person or hybrid work over the last 1-2 years, it would appear that, with the continued gap in available technology skills, it will be possible for people to maintain some level of flexibility and earn higher salaries — in particular for those highly sought-after skills,” Daly said.
There is slightly more geographic variation among the highest-paying states now than before the pandemic in 2019 when all of the top states were coastal.
There are also other factors, beyond workforce strategies, that impact average salaries, such as living costs and competition.
