How much money is adequate for health IT professionals? According to a recent survey by HealthITJobs.com, many health IT professionals' actual salary is significantly lower than their desired salary.
The survey gathered responses from more than 700 health IT workers. Here are 10 key findings on health IT salaries from the HealthITJobs.com survey.
1. The average health IT salary in 2015 is $87,443, and the average bonus is $7,990.
2. Contracted workers reported an average salary of $91,241, and full-time employees reported an average salary of $86,156.
3. However, the average desired salary among survey respondents was $105,631, a significant gap of approximately $18,000 from the average salary.
4. One-third of respondents reported receiving a bonus.
5. The survey found having previous experience in health IT is more valuable — and translates into higher salaries. For example, respondents with prior health IT experience reported an average salary of $89,242, while respondents without prior health IT experience reported an average salary of $54,238.
6. Similarly, having IT certifications translates into higher salaries. Those with a certification reported an average salary of $95,689, and those without reported an average salary of $82,367.
7. Though a gender gap still persists, it was much smaller in 2015 than in previous years. In 2014, males made approximately $17,832 more than women, while in 2015 the gap shrunk to $1,185.
8. Here are the average salaries for five key job roles.
- Project manager: $107,674
- IT management: $94,275
- Business intelligence: $81,574
- Healthcare informatics: $80,907
- Implementation consultation: $78,147
9. Salaries also vary geographically. IT professionals in New England are on the higher end of salaries while those in the Midwest are at on the lower end.
- New England: $99,536
- Mid-Atlantic: $97,620
- Mountain: $97,381
- Southeast: $91,239
- Pacific: $90,401
- Southwest: $90,259
- Midwest: $80,311
10. Average salaries by organization type also fall along a wide range. Those with consulting companies report average salaries of $107,281; IT professionals at hospitals and health systems report $87,758; those at software vendors report $85,512; those at physicians groups report $85,094; and those at clinics report $76,884.
