IT Pros Relish In-Demand Status, Tech Challenges

They work long hours. They're often in pursuit of the next great innovation. And due to an extended talent shortage, they're very much in demand in the job market. In this case, "they" are today's technology professionals, according to a recent survey from Harvey Nash. The accompanying report, "Harvey Nash Technology Survey: Disruptors & Disrupted—the New Tech Flux," reveals that IT employees increasingly value job stability and work-life balance. But they also relish challenges presented by disruptive tech, and they benefit from their rising presence as organizational influencers. Because of these and other factors, these tech professionlals are usually well-compensated: The average salary for U.S. tech workers is $102,729. CTOs pull in more than $137,000, software engineers make more than $100,000 and project managers take home just under $90,000, according to the findings. (Help desk crews, however, earn just under $52,000.) An estimated 3,000 global technology professionals and C-level tech leaders took part in the research, which covers a wide range of topics, including IT workers' sentiments about wearing the "geek" label.