Salary Survey Extra: More data about salary satisfaction, Part 2

Posted on

May 5, 2022

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Salary Survey Extra is a series of dispatches that give added insight into the findings of our annual Salary Survey. These posts contain previously unpublished Salary Survey data.

The Salary Survey reveals that salary satisfaction, generally speaking, goes up as salary increases.

Fairly frequently we blow through a lot of hot air attempting to illuminate or clarify whatever raw data we have to share in these Salary Survey deep dives. And sometimes it's simpler or more, ahem, "satisfying" (for you and us both) when we stand aside and let the focus be on long columns of numbers.

We used this space last month to expand on the initial and limited findings about salary satisfaction that appeared in our January print edition. This week, we're taking a page from the "Say that again, Captain Obvious" annals by examining whether certified IT professionals who responded to our most recent Salary Survey express greater salary satisfaction on account of having, er, greater salary.

Put more simply, are people who have a relatively high annual income figure more likely to be satisfied with that amount than people who earn smaller salaries? Most people's immediate reaction would be that of course people who earn big money are going to happier with their paychecks than people who earn less.

On the other hand, one should never underestimate the basic human capacity for wanting more of a good thing. It's true that certified IT professionals with low salaries are generally more likely to express dissatisfaction than their higher-paid peers. As you'll see, however, that's not all there is to it. Once we get past the entry-level salary ranges, people have feelings across the spectrum.

What we've done below is cross reference salary and salary satisfaction. At the far right of the table from each listed salary range is the percentage of all survey respondents whose income falls within that range. The percentage figure under each salary satisfaction column is the number of individuals who a) are in that salary bracket, and b) expressed that level of salary satisfaction, as a percentage of all survey respondents in that salary bracket.

You'll also notice that this is just a reckoning of U.S.-based certified IT professionals. We'll probably circle back at some point to paint the same picture of non-U.S. respondents.

Salary (Down) / Level of Satisfaction (Across)

Completely Satisfied

Very Satisfied

Satisfied

Not Very Satisfied

Not at All Satisfied

Percentage of all respondents in this salary bracket

Less than $20,000	9.8 percent	N/A	10.2 percent	75 percent	5 percent	1 percent
$20,000 to $22,499	19 percent	21.6 percent	16.2 percent	43.2 percent	N/A	1.9 percent
$22,500 to $24,999	50 percent	16.4 percent	16.7 percent	16.9 percent	N/A	0.9 percent
$25,000 to $27,499	11.8 percent	12.2 percent	N/A	72 percent	4 percent	1.3 percent
$27,500 to $29,999	N/A	N/A	40 percent	60 percent	N/A	0.2 percent
$30,000 to $32,499	11.5 percent	23.1 percent	19.2 percent	42.4 percent	3.8 percent	1.3 percent
$32,500 to $34,999	13 percent	34.8 percent	17.4 percent	34.8 percent	N/A	1.2 percent

$35,000 to $37,499	4 percent	28.2 percent	20 percent	44 percent	3.8 percent	1.3 percent
$37,500 to $39,999	4 percent	16.7 percent	29.2 percent	45.8 percent	4.3 percent	1.2 percent
$40,000 to $42,499	16 percent	36 percent	28 percent	20 percent	N/A	1.3 percent
$42,500 to $44,999	5 percent	20 percent	60 percent	15 percent	N/A	1 percent
$45,000 to $47,499	4.5 percent	28.6 percent	38.1 percent	23.8 percent	5 percent	1.1 percent
$47,500 to $49,999	21.6 percent	22.8 percent	11.1 percent	44.4 percent	N/A	0.5 percent
$50,000 to $52,499	11.6 percent	37.2 percent	28 percent	20.9 percent	2.3 percent	2.2 percent
$52,500 to $54,999	N/A	42.6 percent	43.2 percent	14.2 percent	N/A	0.7 percent
$55,000 to $57,499	N/A	36 percent	16 percent	36 percent	12 percent	1.3 percent
$57,500 to $59,999	3.7 percent	44.4 percent	29.6 percent	11 percent	11.3 percent	1.4 percent
$60,000 to $62,499	9.1 percent	13.6 percent	50 percent	27.3 percent	N/A	1.1 percent
$62,500 to $64,999	N/A	28.6 percent	66.7 percent	4.7 percent	N/A	1.1 percent

$65,000 to $67,499	N/A	11.8 percent	58.9 percent	17.6 percent	11.7 percent	0.9 percent
$67,500 to $69,999	N/A	26.6 percent	46.7 percent	13 percent	13.7 percent	0.8 percent
$70,000 to $72,499	10.7 percent	17.9 percent	46.4 percent	25 percent	N/A	1.4 percent
$72,500 to $74,999	6.5 percent	48.4 percent	32.2 percent	9.7 percent	3.2 percent	1.6 percent
$75,000 to $77,499	7.8 percent	11.8 percent	54.9 percent	23.5 percent	2 percent	2.6 percent
$77,500 to $79,999	10.8 percent	21.3 percent	36.9 percent	20.7 percent	10.3 percent	1 percent
$80,000 to $82,499	6.7 percent	36.7 percent	43.3 percent	10 percent	3.3 percent	1.5 percent
$82,500 to $84,999	5 percent	25 percent	30 percent	30 percent	10 percent	1 percent
$85,000 to $87,499	2.7 percent	24.3 percent	27 percent	29.7 percent	16.2	1.9 percent
$87,500 to $89,999	4.5 percent	22.7 percent	36.6 percent	36.1 percent	N/A	1.1 percent
$90,000 to $92,499	14.3 percent	28.7 percent	42.9 percent	14.1 percent	N/A	1.8 percent
$92,500 to $94,999	10 percent	40 percent	30 percent	15 percent	5 percent	1 percent

$95,000 to $97,499	18.2 percent	27.3 percent	24.2 percent	15.3 percent	15 percent	1.7 percent
$97,500 to $99,999	14.3 percent	35.7 percent	28.6 percent	7.1 percent	14.3 percent	1.4 percent
$100,000 to $104,999	11.4 percent	30.3 percent	34.2 percent	20.3 percent	3.8 percent	4 percent
$105,000 to $109,999	6.2 percent	26.6 percent	35.9 percent	29.7 percent	1.6 percent	3.2 percent
$110,000 to $114,999	6.2 percent	34.4 percent	43.8 percent	15.6 percent	N/A	3.2 percent
$115,000 to $119,999	17.9 percent	26.8 percent	41 percent	12.5 percent	1.8 percent	2.8 percent
$120,000 to $124,999	10.5 percent	34.8 percent	31.4 percent	19.8 percent	3.5 percent	4.4 percent
$125,000 to $129,999	18.6 percent	18.6 percent	48.6 percent	12.9 percent	1.3 percent	3.5 percent
$130,000 to $134,999	15.3 percent	23.6 percent	41.7 percent	18 percent	1.4 percent	3.6 percent
$135,000 to $139,999	9.1 percent	41.8 percent	38.2 percent	9.1 percent	1.8 percent	2.8 percent
$140,000 to $144,999	11.3 percent	35.5 percent	45.2 percent	6.4 percent	1.6 percent	3.1 percent
$145,000 to $149,999	10.8 percent	30.8 percent	43.1 percent	13.8 percent	1.5 percent	3.3 percent
$150,000 to $154,999	20 percent	32.9 percent	35.7 percent	10 percent	1.4 percent	3.5 percent
$155,000 to $159,999	20.7 percent	34.5 percent	22.4 percent	19 percent	3.4 percent	2.9 percent
$160,000 to $164,999	27.3 percent	45.5 percent	22.7 percent	4.5 percent	N/A	2.2 percent

$165,000 to $169,999	23.5 percent	31.3 percent	35.3 percent	9.8 percent	N/A	2.6 percent
$170,000 to $174,999	17.5 percent	42.5 percent	30 percent	7.5 percent	2.5 percent	2 percent
$175,000 to $179,999	15.9 percent	44.7 percent	34.2 percent	2.6 percent	2.6 percent	1.9 percent
$180,000 to $184,999	15.6 percent	37.5 percent	43.8 percent	3.1 percent	N/A	1.6 percent
$185,000 to $189,999	21 percent	15.8 percent	42.2 percent	10.5 percent	10.5 percent	0.9 percent
$190,000 to $194,999	18.8 percent	40.6 percent	31.3 percent	3.1 percent	6.2 percent	1.6 percent
$195,000 to $200,000	46.7 percent	33.3 percent	16.7 percent	3.3 percent	N/A	1.5 percent
More than $200,000	41.1 percent	28.8 percent	24.7 percent	4.1 percent	1.3 percent	3.7 percent

2022 Survey Data

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