Salary Advice: How Much Should an IT Professional Earn?

The Average Salary for an IT Professional

The amount of salary IT professionals earn varies from one person to the next, depending on various factors. Like other professions, how much you earn will depend on the organization, experience level, job title and how well you negotiate. But that is not all for those in the IT profession.

Did you know an IT professional has a larger scope of negotiating a better salary package than most professions? If you did not know, allow me to explain further. Aside from the factors mentioned above, an IT professional’s salary is also based on their knowledge of specific software.

For IT candidates, negotiating a better salary is no longer about having a Degree. It is also not about how long you have been working in your field. It is now about how well you can navigate through the different IT software. Most employers don’t want to train new employees and so they will hire people who already know their craft. And the more you know, the higher chance you have at a better salary.

This information aside, lets’ talk about the average salary of professionals in the IT industry.

What is the Average Salary for IT Professionals with 2-3 years of Experience?

As the IT profession is wide, we will categorize the average salaries based on different positions and job titles. But sometimes job titles can differ, so check out the requirements of the position to see where you best fit.

IT Officer/ICT Assistant:  The roles of an IT Officer or ICT Assistant are more of the basic support kind. That is why you will find employers and recruiters asking for only a Degree and relevant work experience as the requirements. You may need to have SQL and Database Management experience, but they hardly go into detail about specific software knowledge as those roles are unique to other job titles.

The expected salary for an IT Officer or ICT Assistant with 2-3 years of experience ranges from KSh 40,000 to 60,000, depending on the hiring organization.

IT Technician/Assistant IT Officer: This position is a lower lever to the one above and candidates applying for this position should expect a salary between KSh 25,000 and 40,000. Unfortunately, most IT Technician positions never pay well.

If you are currently in this bracket and would like to earn more money, consider taking up an added IT course to improve your value to an organization. Only then can you demand a higher salary and actually get it. Organizations are looking towards automation so opportunities will not be an issue.

Programmer/Software Developer: This category of IT professionals has the best chance at negotiating a good deal. If you are confident about what you can do, are the best in the job and know it, go ahead and mention your terms. We will still give you a salary range of professionals with 2-3 years of experience, but don’t feel constrained by our numbers.

So how much do software Developers earn? On average, the salary of a Programmer in the 2-3 years bracket is between KSh 50, 000 and 80, 000. But again, the more you know and the better you can deliver in your job, the better the pay.

IT professionals’ salary will always vary based on the candidate’s qualifications, the organization and how well you negotiate during the interview. It is up to you to study your qualifications and match them up to the jobs being advertised. You can also match them up with the kind of salary you should be earning.

Do you have a question regarding salary or the IT profession? Write to us through clientservice@corporatestaffing.co.ke  and we will get back to you with assistance.

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