Here are the industries for which statistically significant salary data was available for IT employees, according to the Oct. 19 study that surveyed nearly 8,000 individuals. They are ranked by average salary in North America.
1. Aerospace or defense: $142,067
2. System integrator and value-added reseller integrator: $140,575
3. IT software: $135,680
4. Construction, architecture and engineering: $127,499
5. IT consulting: $126,614
6. Insurance, real estate and legal: $126,063
7. Media, film, music: $122,173
8. Professional business services: $121,220
9. IT hardware: $120,578
10. Natural resources: Mining, oil and gas: $118,515
11. Telecommunications: $115,879
12. Retail: $115,383
13. Accounting, auditing, banking and finance: $114,672
14. Healthcare: $113,758
15. Transportation or public utilities: $111,676
16. Manufacturing: Consumer and industrial: $111,453
17. Government: Military and homeland security: $107,701
18. Government: Nondefense, state, local: $99,551
19. Pharmaceutical, medical, biotech: $96,075
20. Hospitality, travel and recreation: $94,928
21. Communications, public relations, advertising: $92,244
22. Education services: $90,207
23. Automotive: $49,409
