According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the U.S. added more than 18,200 jobs. That's good news for IT pros looking to make a change.
So what roles are paying the most in 2013? Mondo, an IT staffing firm, reports that it has seen steady growth year-over-year and that's equating to six figure salaries for the roles outlined here. IT salaries are, says Mondo founder and CEO Michael Kirven, "trending upward across the board. Each guide shows the previous year's data over the current year and whether trending upward or flat. Very little has trended down in the technology space."
CIO - Chief Information Officer
Salary: $195,000-230,000Chief Information Officer (CIO) is a job title commonly given to the person in an enterprise responsible for the information technology and computer systems that support enterprise goals.
As information technology and systems have become more important, the CIO has come to be viewed in many organizations as a key contributor in formulating strategic goals. In many companies, the CIO reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). In some companies, the CIO sits on the executive board. Typically, the CIO in a large enterprise delegates technical decisions to employees more familiar with details. Usually, a CIO proposes the information technology an enterprise will need to achieve its goals and then works within a budget to implement the plan.
Remember the days proclaiming "the death of the CIO role?" Those days are long gone. CIOs and CTOs are again viewed as not only necessary, but highly desired as a strategic partner within the C Suite, according to experts. Technology is a major competitive differentiator and having a seasoned, forward-thinking CTO or CIO is a game changer.
"The CIO is more of a business strategist and technology visionary, a talent manager and change agent. They tend to focus on information, insight and innovation, influence along with a few traditional 'I's such as: integration, infrastructure, interface., etc.," says Mondo founder and CEO Michael Kirven.
Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
Salary: $145,000-208,000A Chief Technology Officer (CTO) is the individual within an organization who oversees current technology and creates relevant policy. A CTO should have the business knowledge necessary to align technology-related decisions with the organization's goals. Specifics of the CTO's job vary from one organization to another. Here are a few typical items in a CTO job description:
- Identify opportunities and risks for the business.
- Manage research and development (R&D).
- Monitor technology and social trends that could impact the company.
- Participate in management decisions about corporate governance.
- Communicate the company's technology strategy to partners, management, investors and employees.
- Maintain current information about technology standards and compliance regulations.
CSO (Chief Security Officer)
Salary: $145,000-208,000Security is more important than any time in history. The CSO also needs to put compliance in place to protect the landscape. High-profile breaches in security can hammer a stock price so CEOs see security as a real threat, and they continue to invest. "Technology dramatically increases in complexity every year, and it is critical that the CSO understands the complexity involved and fights for the necessary internal budgets," says Mondo founder and CEO Michael Kirven.
CSO responsibilities may include training others for security awareness, developing secure business and communication practices, purchasing security products, and ensuring that security practices are being followed. Depending on the size of a company and the perceived importance of security, a CSO may report to the Chief Information Officer or the Chief Technology Officer or, less frequently, report directly to the CEO. In companies without a CSO, the security responsibilities are usually held by the CIO or the CTO.
Vice President of Information Technology
Salary: $130,000-215,000According to Mondo founder and CEO Michael Kirven, the vice president of technology tends to be more technology driven; however, understanding the business is important because it relates to oversight of enterprise architecture, improving end-user experience and managing IT via effective governing.
IT Security Manager: (With 10 or More Years of Experience)
Salary: $145,000-177,000
IT security managers saw a huge spike in salaries year-over-year, jumping from 90,000 to 120,000. According to Mondo founder and CEO Michael Kirven, increased exposure to data online, security breaches and a higher demand for CISSP certified professionals have driven up not only demand but also what companies are willing to pay for the skilled security roles.
Software Architect
Salary: $144,000-170,000"High demand for their skills lets software architects demand hefty paychecks, and they are some of the highest paid IT professionals," says Mondo founder and CEO Michael Kirven.
They have the perfect combination of understanding the business value of a solution as well as the technology complexities it involves. They can toggle seamlessly between the business and technology worlds, which makes them highly desirable.
Application Architect (With 10 or More Years of Experience)
Salary: $136,000-185,000
The application architect helps to reduce costs and shorten development times. In many scenarios, they are responsible for the actual architecture of software and applications. Within the product lifecycle, once the basic requirements are formalized--but before developers begin their work--application architects do their work of creating high-level tasks.
"Application architects are important to an organization because they set the vision for future Web applications and demonstrate this vision with proof-of-concept applications. They typically work with development teams on the first few implementations of a roll out," says Mondo founder and CEO Michael Kirven.
Network Architect
Salary: $132,000-154,000These IT pros are responsible for a company's vast computer and telecommunications networks. These can include WANs, LANs, extranets and intranets. Network architecture has advanced more over the past eight years than in the previous 20, according to Mondo founder and CEO Michael Kirven. "There is a huge push to build private clouds or a hybrid between public and private clouds. This has put a lot of pressure on networking departments to address the challenges that the cloud has placed on the enterprise."
Android Developer
Salary: $130,000-170,000Tablets and smartphones are everywhere and prices have dropped to the point where many tech consumers have more than one and, according to Mondo, Android is winning, at least within the developer job market. "Android's market share continues to outshine Apple because the leading innovators prefer the "open" nature of Android over the closed structure of Apple. This is driving up prices for Android developers," says Mondo founder and CEO Michael Kirven.
Data Warehouse Engineer
Salary: $129,000-145,000Big data experts are in high demand, but most companies do not understand just how competitive the job market is or how expensive and complex big data can be. The engineers who specialize within this area of IT are highly sought after and driving up rates, according to Mondo's data.
"Everyone is talking about big data and how to drive top line revenue by investing heavily. Also for the first time, CMOs are building their own big data departments independent of the CIO and that is also driving up salary rates," says Mondo founder and CEO Michael Kirven.