9/1/2004 -- Having weathered a cycle of job cuts, slower IT spending, and the outsourcing threat, salaries for Microsoft Certified Professionals managed to find stability. Still, the wins were minimal. This, according to Microsoft Certified Professional Magazine's 2004 Salary Survey, an annual survey of compensation and earnings for MCPs nationwide.

This year's results report an across-the-board average of $61,900, a minor increase of only $200 from the 2003 average. Between 2003 and 2002, the salary average grew 14 percent. MCTs had the largest average 2003 gain of 0.8 percent, to $75,700.

"The good news is that things don't appear to be getting worse for MCPs," says Keith Ward, senior editor. "Our survey shows that certified professionals continue to make good money and feel more secure about their future in IT."

As always, a number of factors affect average salary, including location and experience. The following chart shows averages by specific Microsoft titles as well as experience level.

Salary by Experience (Click image to view larger version.)

This survey was developed by Microsoft Certified Professional Magazine (a sister publication of CertCities.com) and conducted by Wilson Research Group. The results were derived from responses by more than 5,300 U.S.-based IT professionals.

Aside from salary, this year's survey also covers MCPs' take on a number of career-related issues, such as attitudes toward certification, outsourcing and more. To read more results, go to this page on MCPMag.com. To download the full results of the survey, including average salary by title/region, go here (free, although registration is required). -Michael Domingo and Becky Nagel