The average base pay for an IT manager is $97,461, and salaries range from $68,000 at the low end to $129,000 at the high end, according to Glassdoor.com’s Know Your Worth salary calculator, which can help you gauge the competitiveness of your current or potential pay, using your title, region, and experience level.
If you can work your way up to an IT Director title, the average rises to $130,000, according to Glassdoor's data - a significant bump.
“IT manager” looks like a title that’s going out of fashion in some ways: Many IT job titles simply reflect a higher level of specialty these days, in areas such as app development, cloud, or security, for example.
If you have been on an IT manager path, experience with project management and ITIL can bump your pay slightly, and a CISSP certification can hike it by eight percent, according to Dice.com data.
[ What certifications are emerging as valuable? Read our related article: 15 IT certifications worth watching ]
IT manager salaries vs. other specialties
You might also consider whether it’s time to pursue a more specialized title – based on your current work projects, open source contributions, or volunteer work. For instance, hiring in DevOps remains white hot - and so do DevOps salaries.
Even IT pros just beginning a transition into a DevOps-oriented job from a more traditional role are set up for success in this market.
“The DevOps market is very strong,” says Ryan Sutton, district president at staffing and recruiting firm Robert Half Technology, adding that the demand is a logical outcome of increasing cloud adoption among companies. “[DevOps-related hiring] has been very active as companies try to keep up with the technical trend and improve efficiency and collaboration across teams.”
[ For advice on breaking into DevOps, check out our related article, DevOps Jobs: 5 tips for making the transition. ]
The average base salary for a DevOps engineer (a broad title that is popular now) in the Northeast is anywhere from $120,000 [to] $160,000, or sometimes higher, says Sutton.
Are you considering a new geopgraphy? The CompTIA Tech Town Index 2018 shows that taking into account cost of living, job opportunity, and career growth can unearth some interesting options, like #12 Des Moines, Iowa in the “Silicon Prairie,” #14 Madison, Wisconsin for its rocketing career opportunities, and #16 Baltimore, Maryland, a growing cybersecurity center. The top two picks? Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina. (Read also: 10 cities with the best IT salaries.)
Finally, don’t forget to look past base salary: Perks can make a big difference in an IT compensation package.
[ Considering a new role? Arm yourself with winning tactics and relevant data. Get our free eBook: IT job searching in 2019: A practical guide. ]
