Want to make £££ in IT? Go into quality assurance, security, architecture or programme management

Then work your way up to CIO - but avoid the helpdesk, which (as always) offers the worst-paid roles in IT

The best-paid roles in IT outside of the c-suite are in quality assurance, security, architecture and programme management - and the worst-paid roles are found at the helpdesk.

However, it is in business analysis and security that pay is rising the fastest worldwide, according to the latest Harvey Nash Tech Survey 2020 of more than 2,000 IT professionals worldwide.

For security pros, the average global salary has ballooned by 22 per cent in the past 12 months alone, and now stands at £94,673, while IT pros in business analysis have seen pay grow by 28 per cent over the past year, with average global salaries now weighing in at £66,596.

Other roles enjoying big increases in pay over the past year include project management, up 16 per cent to an average of £64,910, and testing, up by 11 per cent to £51,114.

The worst-paid staff in IT, though, can still be found taking calls from disgruntled end users at the IT helpdesk, averaging pay of £33,898.

Of course, the top jobs attract top pay, with the highest paid roles CIO, CTO or equivalent, as you would expect, enjoying the highest average pay, globally, of £119,443, according to Harvey Nash.

Strong pay rises across the sector has been fuelled by an ongoing labour shortage, the recruitment firm added, which Harvey Nash Group CEO Albert Ellis explored in detail for Computing in June last year.

Not surprisingly, the 'gold rush' is encouraging IT staff to look around for new jobs, with higher pay one of the chief considerations, according to the survey.