Tech Wages Slide, But Is Anyone Surprised?

The Q3 Yoh Index of Technology Wages, a quarterly report that measures changes in employee demand and supply of technology talent worldwide, has indicated that wages for technology professionals appear to be on a steady decline. With more than a six percent drop, technology wages are at the lowest level since the beginning of 2006.

Marianne McGee at InformationWeek posted an interesting analysis of the most recent Index, including a great observation about the economy's role in the decrease. Yes, the stock market disaster had a definite impact, but other factors are involved, such as the rise of the lower-paid young worker and increases in off-shoring.

Let’s be honest – nobody should be surprised by this bad news, after the dismal month of October and factors described above. The real question is, what are normal, everyday IT professionals doing to stay above water in these difficult times?

Posted by Amy D.

Comments

[Tom]

What are American Tech workers doing? The same thing they have been doing for the last ten years, Training cheap H1B laborers to do their former jobs or training L1 visas to Offshore entire companies.

The rest (the brightest) have fled the field for professions that are not being attacked by the cheap labor lobby.

[therecruiter]

It is true that the rise of offshoring and use of H1B workers has had a lasting impact on tech wages and hiring, but I can't say I agree that these factors have pushed the best talent in the field to move on to other professions.

Almost every industry has seen a drop in wages during the current economic crisis, and skilled IT workers still enjoy high hourly pay and salaries compared to workers in other fields.