Each year Kforce, a professional staffing firm, releases its Salary and Employment Guide that looks at what IT skills are most in demand and what cities are paying them the most.
Cost of living index numbers are courtesy of the Council for Community and Economic Research based on based on 307 urban areas. The national average for cost of living index is based on a score of 100
5.
Los Angeles, California
The City of Angels begins our look
at the top 5 highest paying cities. In LA tech workers on average make $109,000
annually and the top paying roles are no surprise.
Role.................................................................
Average Salary
CIO..................................................................
$309,400
VP/Director of Systems Engineering..................$185,500
Systems Engineering Director...........................$152,900
ERP Application Architect...................................$149,900
Quality Assurance Director................................$144,800
VP/Director of Systems Engineering..................$185,500
Systems Engineering Director...........................$152,900
ERP Application Architect...................................$149,900
Quality Assurance Director................................$144,800
ERP makes several appearances in the
countdown and LA is no different. That skillset clocks in at the 4th highest
paying role.
Cost of Living Index:
129.8
129.8
4.
New York, New York
Next in Kforce's rankings is the Big
Apple. In New York City IT Pros, on average, earn $100,100 a year, according to
Kforce numbers. These are the 5 top paying roles there.
Role.................................................................
Average Salary
CIO...................................................................$248,900
VP/Director of Systems Engineering..................$167,500
Quality Assurance Director............................... $149,500
Database Architect........................................... $148,100
Applications Development Manager..................$136,400
VP/Director of Systems Engineering..................$167,500
Quality Assurance Director............................... $149,500
Database Architect........................................... $148,100
Applications Development Manager..................$136,400
This is the first city where
database architect showed up in the Top 5, and New York is the only place where
applications development manager makes an appearance.
Cost of Living Index:
183.1
183.1
3.
Boston, Massachusetts
Beantown hits the charts at number 3
on our list of where IT pros make the most. Tech workers here on average earn
$111,700 annually. The top paying roles here include the following.
Role.................................................................
Average Salary
CIO..................................................................$239,200
VP/Director of Systems Engineering.................$161,200
ERP Application Architect..................................$155,000
Mobile App Developer......................................$147,500
Business Intelligence Architect/Designer.........$142,500
Configuration/Release Management................$142,500
VP/Director of Systems Engineering.................$161,200
ERP Application Architect..................................$155,000
Mobile App Developer......................................$147,500
Business Intelligence Architect/Designer.........$142,500
Configuration/Release Management................$142,500
What's surprising here is that
Boston is paying Business Intelligence architects more than anywhere else and
configuration and release management makes its only appearance on our list in
the Hub.
Cost of Living Index:
140.1
140.1
2.
San Diego, California
San Diego, also known as the City in
Motion, came in at number 2. On average, IT pros in this city make $116,200
annually. Here are the roles leading the pack in San Diego, in regards to
salary, for 2013.
Role.................................................................
Average Salary
CIO...................................................................$250,000
VP/Director of Systems Engineering..................$200,000
Business Application Director............................$160,000
Systems Engineering Director...........................$160,000
Technical Service Director..................................$160,000
Infrastructure Director.......................................$160,000
VP/Director of Systems Engineering..................$200,000
Business Application Director............................$160,000
Systems Engineering Director...........................$160,000
Technical Service Director..................................$160,000
Infrastructure Director.......................................$160,000
Cost of Living Index:
130.8
130.8
1.
San Francisco/ Silicon Valley/San Jose, California
California is home to the two cities
that tie for the number 1 spot. In both San Francisco and San Jose the average
IT professional makes $118,300 annually. According to the Kforce's 2014 Salary
and Employment Guide these are the fives roles that top the salary list in this
part of the country.
Role.................................................................
Average Salary
CIO...................................................................$265,000
Mobile App Developer.......................................$155,000
ERP Application Architect...................................$152,000
Applications Development Manager..................$151,000
Quality Assurance Director................................$147,000
Mobile App Developer.......................................$155,000
ERP Application Architect...................................$152,000
Applications Development Manager..................$151,000
Quality Assurance Director................................$147,000
San Francisco Cost of Living Index:
162.7
162.7
San Jose Cost of Living Index:
151.9
151.9
