Survey: IT salaries getting pinched in 2009

The general economic downturn is leaving its mark on information technology salaries, according to an independent study.

Janco Associates issued its "2009 Mid-Year IT Salary Survey," which compared salaries in June with those in January of 2008. The mean salary in mid-size enterprises decreased 0.6 percent over that 18-month period -- $73,439 in June vs. $73,905 in January of 2008.

Those working in large enterprises showed a 0.2 percent increase in salary over that six-month period. The mean salary was $81,652 in June vs. $81,475 in January of 2008.

Janco Associates didn't perform a direct year-to-year comparison because that's tricky to do with mid-year statistics, according to Victor Janulaitis, Janco's CEO. However, the company plans to do a direct year-to-year comparison next time in January, he said.

"This year is a disaster," Janulaitis said. Businesses have gone away, IT contractors have been cut and people who would retire are staying in the workforce longer because their retirement investment portfolios have been eroded, he explained.

The cuts have affected IT planners and their support staff, help-desk personnel, and quality control and training employees, among others.

Those who earned big salaries weren't spared. The study found that more than 200 IT pros in New York City making six-figure incomes are seeking work as the result of being laid off, or because of bankruptcies and mergers.

In addition to finding decreased salaries, the study concluded that demand for IT pros has decreased overall.

The Janco Associates study surveyed 28,869 people in mid-size companies and 22,368 people in large companies. The study defined a large company as having more than $500 million in annual revenue. A mid-size company was defined as having more than $125 million in annual revenue.

More information on the survey can be found at the Janco Associates Web site here.