The annual survey of its members by Australia’s peak body for Information & Communication Technology (ICT) professionals, the Australian Computer Society (ACS), reveals steady growth in remuneration for the 12 months to May, with ICT professionals across the board receiving an average salary increase of 3.9 per cent, marginally down from an annual increase of 4 per cent reported a year earlier.
ICT professionals employed in the public sector recorded the greatest rate of increase of 4.6 per cent, a substantial increase from the 3.5 per cent reported a year earlier, while education sector employees reported an average increase of 3.5 per cent, lower than the 3.9 per cent increase reported a year earlier.
The research was undertaken for the ACS by the Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers, Australia (APESMA), and reveals that, overall, the median total remuneration package for ICT professionals in the private sector was $117,500 compared to $112,459 in the public sector and $100,211 in the education sector.
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The rate of ICT salary increases have recovered in the private and public sectors to be just ahead of general wages growth, and ACS Chief Executive, Alan Patterson, says that the findings of the 2012 Remuneration Survey demonstrate the “continued underlying strength of the ICT sector in Australia.”
“There are a number of factors at play when it comes to ICT salaries in Australia including the continued emergence of the Digital Economy, specific skill shortages and the roll out of the National Broadband Network.
“While it would be expected that mining-related roles continue to show the fastest increase, wage trends underline the demand for ICT professionals in areas as diverse as defence, energy and transportation.
“There are two key takeaways from these findings. The first is that ICT continues to provide strong, stable and well remunerated career paths for professionals. The second is that to help meet the continued business and government demand for suitable ICT professionals - more must be done to engage young people in ICT,” Patterson concluded.
Key findings of the ACS survey include:
• The mining industry continues to perform best over the past year, ICT respondents in the industry reporting an average salary increase of 5.6 per cent
• The communications sector also showed strong wage growth, with respondents in the sector reporting an average increase of 5 per cent
• In the twelve months to the end of June 2012 the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that annual Australian Average Weekly Earnings increased by 3.7 per cent
• General Management and Chief Information Officer roles continue to be the most lucrative ICT positions, based on the level of total remuneration packages
