Salaries increased for all types of tech workers by an average of 3.7% in 2007, according to the 21st annual salary survey conducted by ComputerWorld. But while IT workers’ pay got better this year, some still received considerably more than others every year.

The lowest-paid techies belong to support groups or help desk, making only $47,717 a year. This is significantly low compared to the figures that other entry-level workers command, such as $67,464 by system administrators and $79,637 that software developers made. 

IT managers, IT directors and CIOs received an average of $87,964, $111,377 and $179,236, respectively.

The inequalities in pay scales among IT workers were not only pronounced among the various job classifications; men and women were also paid differently. The annual figures that men and women made had a $6,000 difference. According to the report, Women CIOs got an average of $173,052 while male CIOs received $179,026 in total compensation last year.

 

Gender differences aside, IT workers who are on the low end of the pay scale can still boost their annual compensations. In the face of a crunch in technology jobs due to off-shoring, the survey reported that tech companies are looking for workers who have “soft skills,” such as writing, public speaking and a good grasp of business processes. Fortunately, these skills are easy to learn with enough training, practice, and motivation.

For the more technically inclined, involvement in Web projects is a surefire way to fatten up their paychecks.