North-south divide colours IT pay

The UK's north-south divide is mirrored in IT salaries, according to results from the exclusive 2008 Skills Survey.

Techies who earn in excess of £70,001 are a fifth more likely to dwell in the southerly regions of England than in the North East or West of England, the Midlands or Wales.

More than a fifth (27 per cent) of southern IT workers reported salaries in excess of £70,001, compared to just six per cent of techies living in the North.

The largest proportion (26 per cent) of southern IT pros earn between £40,001 and £55k, followed by a fifth who earn £70,001 to £110k - though the survey also shows a good spread across the salary board for southern techies, perhaps reflecting the breadth of IT job opportunities in this region.

By contrast, wages for northern tech workers are more concentrated in the low-mid tier: IT pros here are proportionally most likely to earn £25,001 to £40k (35 per cent), followed by £40,001 to £55k (31 per cent).