Growing concern over security threats has increased demand for specialists in IT security, and forced up salaries by up to 25 percent over the last year in the United Kingdom.
According to new research commissioned by the Association of Technology Staffing Companies (Atsco), rates for contract staff rose by 25 percent to £50 ($90) an hour, while full-time employees' pay rose 22 percent from £37,000 ($65,500) to £45,000 ($80,000).
The average rise for IT staff as a whole was 10 percent.
"Security is now a boardroom issue with those skills are wielding ever more influence and commanding large pay packets," said Ann Swain, the chief executive of Atsco.
The figures are based on actual salaries. Swain said that advertised salaries tend to be 10 percent more.