Australian IT salaries surge in 2007, US salaries low

By Stan Beer
Monday, 17 September 2007 17:15

Enterprise

IT salaries in a Australia have surged 11.54% in the past 12 months putting them on a par and in many cases higher than in other developed nations, according to a new survey. The survey also indicates that IT salaries in the US appear relatively lower than in markets like the UK, Hong Kong, Singapore and in some cases Australia.

The survey taken over the past 12 months by one of Australia's largest IT recruiters, Greythorn Group, shows that Australian salaries in positions such as .Net development, business analyst, database administration and project management are matching and in some cases surpassing those in highly paid centers such as the US, UK, Hong Kong and Singapore.

The report found that demand has increased across the whole range of IT positions, with critical shortages in high-end IT positions such as Project Managers, Business Analysts and Software Architects.
There is also a shortage of skilled developers with expertise in C#, C++, .Net and Java. A dearth of SAP, Oracle, and Data Warehousing skills is also causing hiring difficulties. Demand for Database, Storage, Networking and Desktop Support professionals is steadily increasing.

According to Greythorn's figures, a project manager in Melbourne can expect to earn around US$126,000, compared to $121,000 in Hong Kong, $115,000 in Singapore, $87,000 in the US and $153,000 in the UK.

A business analyst in Canberra or Melbourne could earn US$95,000 compared to $115,000 in Hong Kong, $99,000 in Singapore, $84,000 in the US and $92,000 in the UK.

A .Net developer in Brisbane could expect to be paid US$91,000, compared to $119,000 in Singapore, $117,000 in the UK and just $64,000 in the US.

A C++ software engineer in Sydney can earn US$83,000, the same in Hong Kong, $79,000 in Singapore, $84,000 in the US and $102,000 in the UK.

According to Greythorn, against a backdrop of steady economic growth, record low unemployment and increased corporate spending on technology, the demand for IT professionals has increased across Australia. The surge in demand has placed upward pressure on remuneration and as a result, salaries in the technology sector have increased significantly.

“The sharp spurt in remuneration is confirmation of the increasing robustness of the global - and Australian - IT employment markets. It reflects the limited supply of skilled IT professionals,” says Chris Digby, CEO, Asia-Pacific, Greythorn Group.

Digby says, “Hiring difficulty will be a common catchcry for organisations across the Asia-Pacific region. Employers have to work harder in creating and promoting attractive work environments to lure talent. In Australia, there is a strong focus on offering flexible employment arrangements and proper work-life balance as a way of attracting IT professionals. Retention of staff will be a key focus area for most organisations."

Further information on global salary comparisons can be found here .