IT practitioners and managers' wages are closing in, as appetite for automation increases

Puppet has released the findings of its fifth annual DevOps Salary Report. The research, based on over 3000 responses collected through the State of DevOps survey, identified that DevOps salaries at the practitioner level are closing in on the manager-level, as businesses put hands-on DevOps experience and skill sets at the top of their priorities.

 

As software automation practices become mainstream, the Puppet DevOps Salary Report shines a light on the clear demand for diverse skill sets, with salaries for IT practitioners increasing globally. This is especially true for the UK, with 26 percent of IT practitioners reaching the $75,000 to $100,000 bracket, up from 17 percent last year. Even though the highest salaries have been recorded in the United States, the UK is seen to be paying more across Europe, with France lagging behind on the lower ranges and Germany paying more for higher positions.

 

“Companies are increasingly growing their DevOps practices and the way they deliver IT services and software across the globe, which means businesses are in desperate need of the right talent who can adapt to this shift, raise the bar with software delivery and play an integral role in innovation," said Nick Smyth, VP Engineering at Puppet. “DevOps requires a high level of desire to learn and improve, and this report shows that DevOps practitioners are getting their reward – and will continue to as we move into a new era of automation.”

 

The report also illustrates that large organisations with more complex technology infrastructures have more high-paying positions than smaller ones, with the need for more experience and diverse skill set at the manager-level as well. Enterprises are further along in their automation journey and therefore require fewer lower skill personnel to sustain IT activities.

 

“This year's report underscores that as more organisations prioritize DevOps, they are putting more resources into finding the best talent that can support their IT strategies and objectives,” commented Alanna Brown, Director of Product Marketing, Puppet. “To get ahead of the competition and stay relevant to clients, large organisations need sophisticated DevOps and automation technologies, so it comes as little surprise to see them paying more for highly-skilled practitioners and managers in order to sustain their complex technology infrastructure.”

 

Other key findings revealed in the Puppet DevOps Salary Report include:

●      At organisations with strong DevOps support, 43 percent of those surveyed reported incomes over $100,000 versus 37 percent where initiatives are supported sometimes, rarely, or never.

●      Retail appears to be a lucrative sector for IT practitioners, with an increased focus on digital commerce and omnichannel engagement

●      In Europe, there is more parity at top salary levels between men and women

●      The healthcare and pharma industry has more professionals earning more than $100,000 than any other industry, whereas education and manufacturing have a disproportionate number of salaries at the lower end of the range