ENT's 2000 Salary Survey

• 08/16/2000

The red-hot, insatiable demand for e-commerce skills is reflected in the latest ENT salary survey of Windows NT/2000 managers and professionals. Across a range of positions, shops engaged in all the vital components of B2B e-commerce -- such as supply chain management and customer relationship management/sales force automation -- are paying top salaries and bonuses. Database administrators that work with Oracle are drawing top salaries, and any programmer or programmer/analyst that knows XML and Java is in demand.

At the top of the IT food chain, CIO salaries climbed by a steep 38 percent when B2B initiatives fall under the CIO's jurisdiction. Middle-level managers' salaries jumped by more than 30 percent for overseeing B2B e-commerce operations.

The latest ENT salary survey also confirms that additional vital components of an e-business strategy -- data warehouse and ERP site development and management -- also command above-average salaries. Where IT professionals support data warehouse implementations, for instance, companies are paying up to 21 percent above average salaries.

A typical Windows enterprise site manager draws an annual average base salary of about $78,000, a figure that jumps to more than $100,000 at companies involved in business-to-business supply chain management initiatives. In addition, typical bonuses for managers of supply chain, e-commerce, and enterprise resource planning (ERP) operations are topping 13 percent of annual salary, compared with average management bonuses of 11 percent. This edge isn't limited to management -- business systems analysts and programmer/analysts at B2B e-commerce sites are also enjoying generous bonuses.

Regionally, the Northeast United States and West Coast are competing to pay the highest rates to all levels of Windows NT/2000 managers and professionals. Across industries, the financial services sector is the most lucrative for IT personnel.

The ENT salary survey consists of readers that participated in a Web-based survey in June 2000. Respondents were asked to report their salary levels as well as those of their employees. A total of 650 questionnaires were returned, reflecting pay ranges for Windows NT/2000 and other enterprise computing positions nationwide. The survey covered several levels of IT professionals, from CIOs to database specialists.

Overall, the annual salaries and bonuses for IT managers and executives -- including CIOs and vice presidents -- start around $56,000 and climb to $120,000. Programmer and analyst salaries range between $35,000 and $75,000, depending upon experience and responsibilities. Network and Web administrators draw compensation in the $42,000 to $70,000 range.

The job of CIO can be a lonely and thankless job that requires absorbing slings and arrows if a system doesn't meet expectations. But the ENT survey finds CIOs are at least well-compensated for their troubles. Top senior managers at Windows NT/2000 sites in the survey -- the vice presidents and CIOs -- have an average annual base salary of $107,900, up more than 10 percent over last year's average of $97,600. In addition, these executives received a bonus of 16.5 percent on top of base pay, the survey finds.

When it comes to supporting business-to-business e-commerce and ERP implementations, however, salaries go through the roof. CIOs at companies deploying supply chain systems have average base salaries of more than $148,000, and are getting 18 percent bonuses. CIOs overseeing ERP installations also enjoy fatter paychecks -- averaging $133,000 with 18 percent bonuses.

The CIOs or vice presidents in the financial services sector collected the highest salaries, averaging $126,800, followed by CIOs in the retail sector at $105,300.

Regionally, CIOs in the Northeast fared best, drawing base salaries averaging $132,500, with bonuses of about 20 percent. The Western US followed at $102,600. When breaking out the West Coast to stand alone, however, CIOs there averaged almost $108,000.

It pays to manage multiplatform environments, too. CIOs in charge of all-Microsoft shops -- only 7 percent of total respondents -- had an average salary of $81,200, 25 percent below the average. CIOs that also oversee Unix implementations in the mix are drawing the highest salaries in terms of platforms, an average of $129,600. Interestingly, salaries are also higher than the norm at sites implementing Windows 2000 server.

2000 Salary Survey -- CIO/Vice President
CIO Compensation Trendline
(Average annual base salary)

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CIO Salaries by Platform
(All environments include Windows NT/2000)

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CIO Salaries by Application Environment

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CIO Salaries by Region

IT managers at Windows NT/2000 sites in the survey now make an average annual base salary of $77,900, up almost 11 percent over last year's average of $70,200.

As with top-level CIOs, managing B2B projects appears to be where the money is. IT managers at sites supporting supply chain management, data warehouse, and ERP implementations lead the overall group in annual salary and bonuses. Managers at companies deploying supply chain systems have average base salaries of more than $101,700, with 13 percent bonuses. This is almost 31 percent higher than the overall average. IT managers overseeing data warehouse projects also enjoy significantly higher salaries and bonuses.

As with their corporate-level bosses, IT managers in multiplatform environments fared better than their Windows-only counterparts. Managers in charge of Windows-only sites had an average salary of $71,200 -- almost 9 percent below the average. IT managers overseeing Unix and large-scale legacy systems draw the highest salaries in terms of platform mixes, between $84,000 and $85,000.

IT managers in the manufacturing sector collect the highest salaries, averaging $87,100, followed by managers in the computer and software industry, who pull in about $85,100.

Regionally, managers in the South fared best, drawing base salaries averaging $85,200. The Northeast followed at $82,800.

2000 Salary Survey -- Manager/Director
IT Manager Compensation Trendline
(Average annual base salary)

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Manager Salaries by Platform
(All environments also include Windows NT/2000)

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Manager Salaries by Application Environment

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Manager by Region

Bonuses used to be an exclusive perk of managers and CEOs. But ENT's salary survey finds significant levels of bonuses within professional ranks now, as well. For example, business analysts -- individuals charged with mapping business processes to systems development -- are seeing annual bonuses of about 10 percent.

Business analysts at Windows NT/2000 sites now make an average of $64,500, up almost 10 percent over last year's average of $58,900. E-commerce is driving a lot of this salary growth. Business analysts at companies deploying e-commerce systems have average base salaries of almost $70,000, with 10 percent bonuses. Supply chain management and ERP deployments are also driving business analysts' salaries to higher levels.

This year, Linux captures the top spot in terms of demand for specific skills within operating environments. Analysts working at sites with the Linux operating system along with Windows application sets are seeing the greatest rewards -- averaging about $68,300 a year. Those managing projects in enterprise-class sites with large legacy systems, Unix, or Window 2000 also make above-the-norm salaries.

Analysts in the financial and business services sector are commanding the highest salaries, averaging $73,100. Analysts in the computer and software industry follow at $68,900.

Regionally, analysts in the Northeast fared best, drawing base salaries averaging $70,900, followed by their West Coast colleagues at $65,101.

2000 Salary Survey -- Business Analyst
Business Analyst Compensation Trendline
(Average annual base salary)

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Analyst Salaries by Platform
(All environments also include Windows NT/2000)

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Analyst Salaries by Application Environment

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Analyst by Region

Programmer/analysts are the people who hold IT operations together. They are expected to find new ways to leverage available tools and technology to make businesses run better. Experienced programmer/analysts -- defined as having five or more years under their belts -- at Windows NT/2000 sites make an average of $60,300, up more than 7 percent over last year's average of $56,100. Entry-level P/As are starting more than 12 percent higher, with the salary average jumping from $43,800 to $49,300.

Once again, working with B2B e-commerce and ERP is a boon. This is especially the case with specific languages or standards. P/As working with XML are seeing the heftiest rewards -- averaging about $66,800 a year, which is almost 11 percent above the norm. Likewise, P/As working with Java are seeing compensation 8 percent higher than the average.

In application environments, the range is narrower than it was with management-level positions. P/As involved in B2B e-commerce projects have salary ranges no greater than 5 percent above the norm. Experienced P/As at companies deploying supply chain management and e-commerce systems have average base salaries of $63,000, along with 8 percent bonuses.

P/As in the retail and distribution sector command the highest salaries, averaging $71,300. P/As in the computer and software industry are making $70,300.

Regionally, P/As on the West Coast fare best, drawing base salaries of $69,400, followed by the Northeast at $61,300.

2000 Salary Survey -- Programmer/Analyst
Programmer/Analyst Compensation Trendline
(Average annual base salary)

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Programmer/Analyst Salaries by Language/Format

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Programmer/Analyst Salaries by Application Environment
(For P/As with five or more years experience)

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Programmer/Analyst by Region

Programmers -- the people that hammer out the code that makes up our mission-critical applications -- have long been the workhorses of the IT world. Increasingly, their hard work and contribution is being recognized, at least from a financial point of view. Programmers at Windows NT/2000 sites in the survey saw tremendous salary gains over the past year, averaging between 17 percent and 19 percent. A programmer with at least five years of experience makes an average annual base salary of $56,500, up from last year's $48,200. Entry-level programmers are in great demand, as typical salary grew by more than 19 percent, with the salary average jumping from $39,800 to $47,300.

As with their programmer/analyst counterparts, programmers working with XML are a hot commodity this year. Programmers in XML environments average close to $63,400 a year -- more than 12 percent higher than average. Java follows closely behind at $62,100, or 10 percent above the norm. From an application perspective, programmers working with CRM and B2B e-commerce systems are paid almost 12 percent higher than the norm. Experienced programmers at companies deploying CRM and sales force automation systems have average base salaries of more than $63,100 with 9 percent bonuses.

Programmers in the financial and business services sector command the highest salaries, averaging $65,800. Programmers in the retail and distribution industry follow at $61,800.

Regionally, programmers in the Northeast fare best, drawing base salaries of about $61,600, followed by $60,200 on the West Coast.

2000 Salary Survey -- Programmer
Programmer Compensation Trendline
(Average annual base salary)

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Programmer Salaries by Language/Format

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Programmer Salaries by Application Environment
(For programmers with five or more years experience)

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Programmer by Region

The network has become the corporate lifeline. Even a brief outage could spell trouble. That's why network administrators -- who monitor and maintain the network and fight to clear the bottlenecks -- have become vital to most businesses. Network administrators at Windows NT/2000 sites in the survey make an average annual base salary of $53,900, up about 5 percent over last year's average of $51,300.

Network administrators charged with deploying or maintaining customer relationship management systems are drawing the highest pay of the group at $60,100, or almost 12 percent above the average. Linking systems to data warehouse or data mart deployments also rates: Network administrators in these environments pull down about $58,200. Administrators working with groupware or collaborative environments -- such as Microsoft Exchange Server or Lotus Notes/Domino -- are topping the salary ranges for this position at about $58,000 a year.

Network administrators in the financial and business services sector command high salaries, averaging $57,800, followed by those in the computer and applications industry at $57,100.

Network administrators in the Northeast fare best, drawing base salaries averaging $61,600. The West Coast follows at $60,200.

2000 Salary Survey -- Network Administrator
Network Administrator Compensation Trendline
(Average annual base salary)

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Network Administrator Salaries by Environment

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Network Administrator Salaries by Application Environment

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Network Administrator by Region

Database administrators are the gatekeepers of the information age; the individuals charged with managing and storing all the information flowing in from transactions, customer information systems, and other sources. Database administrators at Windows NT/2000 sites now make an average annual base salary of $62,400, up more than 12 percent over last year's average of $55,500. Bonuses averaged about 9 percent.

The resurgence of Oracle as a popular database environment in B2B e-commerce is putting a premium on Oracle skills. Database administrators working with Oracle database environments are seeing the heftiest rewards -- averaging about $66,700 a year. By contrast, an administrator in a SQL Server environment makes about $62,500.

Database administrators involved in building and maintaining relationship management databases are being well compensated for this strategically important application. Administrators charged with deploying or maintaining CRM systems are drawing the highest pay level at $67,100, or almost 8 percent above the average for this group.

By industry group, database administrators in the financial and business services sector collect the highest annual base salaries, averaging $69,000, followed by administrators in the computer and applications industry at $64,500.

Database administrators in the Northeast fare best, drawing base salaries averaging $68,100. West Coast administrators follow at $64,800.

2000 Salary Survey -- Database Administrator
Database Administrator Compensation Trendline
(Average annual base salary)

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Database Administrator Salaries by Environment

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Database Administrator Salaries by Application Environment

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Database Administrator by Region

With tremendous emphasis on e-business and e-commerce, companies are scrambling to find individuals that know how to set these systems up and make them run. Web/Internet managers -- which include Webmasters and Internet specialists -- had an average annual base salary increase of more than 25 percent over the past year, to over $60,800. In addition, bonuses are averaging more than 9 percent of base salary.

Those Web managers involved in CRM efforts report the highest rates among their peers, averaging $73,000 -- about 20 percent above the overall average. Web/Internet managers at B2B e-commerce sites enjoy salaries in excess of $68,500.

Webmasters and Internet specialists in financial services do the best by sector, averaging $76,200 annually. Manufacturers also pay Web managers at above-market rates, averaging $67,800 per year.

By platform, employers building Web sites on Unix systems pay the most to their Web managers: $66,900 a year, or 10 percent above average. Linux also topped the salary scale for Web environments, with an annual compensation rate of $64,700.

2000 Salary Survey -- Web/Internet Manager
Web/Internet Manager Compensation Trendline
(Average annual base salary)

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Web/Internet Manager Salaries by Environment

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Web/Internet Manager Salaries by Application Environment

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Web/Internet Manager by Region

[Infobox] Demographics

Survey respondents were drawn from ENT's subscriber list, and all represent sites deploying Windows NT/2000 in some capacity.

Almost a quarter of the survey group -- 22 percent -- works in business or financial service firms, which is the largest segment of participants to this survey. Another 20 percent say they work with government, education, or nonprofit enterprises. Another large bloc of participants, 17 percent, is with high-tech firms, such as computer vendors or software development firms. About 17 percent are with manufacturers, and another 6 percent are with retailers or distributors.

Regionally, responses were evenly distributed across the United States: 29 percent came from the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic, 18 percent from the South, 25 percent from the Midwest, and 28 percent from the West.

In terms of company size, the survey group is also fairly evenly split: 43 percent of respondents work for small companies -- defined as less than 500 employees -- and 57 percent work at larger organizations.