The 2021 Technology Salary Guide also includes next year’s projections to allow you to assess trends and plan for the future.
However, after the turbulence of 2020, it is understandable that different industries have had to change priorities and, consequently, salaries.
Here are some of the biggest changes to tech salaries in 2021:
1. CIO
Salaries for this role are highly dependent on the number of reports – in 2021, average salaries for tech CIOs in the private sector could reach £130,000 for up to 50 reports, compared to £300,000 for over 500 reports.
This year’s guide also highlighted the difference for this role between benefits packages. Private sector CIOs could get an average of a £9,000 car allowance, 40% base salary bonus, and a long-term incentive plan average at 75% of base salary. On the other hand, the same job in the public sector received an average of an £8,000 car allowance, but a 20% base salary bonus.
In 2020, there was a reduction in demand for IT leadership roles. Businesses were consolidating and merging roles where possible, so the technical market certainly picked up faster than the leadership practice. Now, we are seeing a steady demand for transformation skills, as businesses look to change the way they operate.
2. Automation test analyst
Automation test analyst roles across the UK increased by 9.8% on average. In London, you are looking at average salaries between £46,600 and £57,300, while the same role averages between £43,400 and £57,300 in the rest of the UK, depending on region.
More so than other practices within the technology sector, the software development and testing market has remained highly candidate driven. Although businesses have more power than they did a year ago when it comes to hiring, good developers are being placed into roles almost instantly.
3. Web apps developer
In comparison, web apps developer average salaries dropped this year across the UK, with the biggest fall being in London, where average salaries were between £42,100 and £55,500.
Currently, businesses are trying to find a balance between keeping up with developers’ expectations of working on more modern frameworks and technologies, while being considerate of the difficulty of recruiting for these skill sets – as they are in short supply. Strong developers can pick up new technologies relatively quickly, and being flexible with tech stack requirements will mean vacancies are filled faster.
4. Cloud architects
Cloud architects’ average salaries have been divergent across the UK. Scotland saw an 8.2% increase in cloud architect salaries this year, averaging at £95,200, whereas the same role in the south of the UK dropped by 7.1% to £82,800, and average salaries in the North remained similar to 2020’s figure of £86,800.
The infrastructure and support tech practice has seen huge demand in supporting the agility of companies’ infrastructure, enabling their workforce to work from home. In 2020 there was a rapid growth in interest for these roles in industries like health, ecommerce, local government, and finance. Surprisingly, we have noticed a reduction in the need for contractors within the SME private sector, as companies are using resource from other areas of their business.
5. BI manager
BI manager salaries rose by 4.4% on average across the UK in 2020. If you live in London, this means your salary should average around £70,100, whereas in the Midlands and the East, you would receive £55,900, and in the North average salaries are £54,900.
This continues the general global trend in interest in BI and data science roles, and is great news for the sector after a turbulent year. More companies are looking to invest in their data functions and cloud technologies. However, there is a shortage of those with specific skill sets, such as those who use Python and R for data science. The most sought-after candidates use BI tools for visualisations and dashboards, like Power BI, are interested in cloud technology, have a strong ability to communicate, and can demonstrate strong commercial acumen.
6. PMO analyst
This year we saw stagnation in pay for PMO analyst roles. In Wales, average salaries dropped 9.4% to £39,400, with similar decreases in the north and south of the UK.
This was not surprising, given the number of ‘value-added’ projects being put on hold in the tech sector in 2020. The market was flooded with talented candidates, especially ex-contractors, so professionals need to make sure they stand out from the crowd. However, in 2021, we have seen product roles increasing across the UK, particularly in the North East. Businesses are keen to see candidates who are technical and have a good grasp of the technologies they have used in previous projects.
Has your tech salary gone through a dramatic change? Whether you are benchmarking how much you should pay your team, or you are looking to see if your own salary is on track, we’ve got your covered – download our 2024 Tech Salary Guide now.
