CARY, N.C., and Fort Collins, Colo. - Global Knowledge, the world's leading IT and business training provider, and Windows IT Pro, the leading independent community for Microsoft Windows IT professionals covering tech industry trends, today announced the availability of the 2014 IT Skills and Salary Report. The report is based on input from more than 12,000 IT and business professionals in North America who responded to the seventh annual IT Skills and Salary Survey.

Among the key findings in this year's IT salary survey report:

Training and Certifications Drive Salary

Respondents reported that gaining new skills often meant earning more money. Higher raises were likely for those who trained, as well as for those who earned a certification within the previous 12 months.

Compensation Is Increasing

Survey respondents' average salary is 13 percent higher this year, and 70 percent of respondents reported receiving a raise in the past year, a percentage not reached since the 2009 survey. In the highest percentage since the study's inception in 2008, 52 percent reported receiving a bonus.

Everyone Wears Many Hats

Thirteen percent of IT respondents reported their work was focused in only one of the four major functional areas designated in the study:

• Applications, Middleware, Asset Management Software
• IT Infrastructure
• Collaboration and Telecommunication
• Business Transformation

More than half of the respondents reported working in two or three functional areas, while one-third reported working in all four.

Security, Virtualization, and Networking Soar

Seventy-nine percent of IT respondents reported they expect their organizations to add skills in 2014. Respondents said their organizations will focus on enhancing security, expanding competency in virtualization, continuing the migration to cloud-based applications and services, revamping network infrastructure, and reviewing resources allocated to servers and storage.

Conditions Continue to Improve for Many

Consistent with results from the last two surveys, nearly 80 percent of this year's survey respondents said projects are being initiated or resumed at their organizations. Half of this year's respondents said business conditions their companies face are good (22 percent, up eight points from last year) or improving (28 percent).

The 2014 IT Skills and Salary Survey was conducted from September 13 to October 20, 2013. The online survey yielded more than 16,300 completed responses worldwide, with nearly 12,100 coming from the United States and Canada.

Download the complete IT salary survey report.

About Global Knowledge

Global Knowledge is the world's leading IT and business training provider. Offering the most relevant and timely content delivered by the best instructors, we provide customers with their choice and convenience in class times, delivery methods and formats to accelerate their success. With thousands of courses that span foundational and specialized training and certifications, our core training is focused on Cisco, Microsoft, IBM, Avaya, VMware, Red Hat, business process improvement and leadership development.

Founded in 1995, Global Knowledge employs more than 1,300 people worldwide and is headquartered in Cary, N.C. The company is owned by New York-based investment firm MidOcean Partners.

About Windows IT Pro

Windows IT Pro is an independent online community serving the information and education needs of IT professionals. Windows IT Pro is a cornerstone of the Penton Technology Group-an ecosystem of technology-focused communities that serve Microsoft and IBM IT professionals and developers and IT channel companies. Learn more at windowsitpro.com.