Computer Careers -- The Sky's Still The Limit

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The demand for data processing specialists continues to rise in 1981, with no end to the increase in sight. According to a survey conducted by the Fox-Morris professional recruitment and executive search firm, based in Philadelphia, the demand was 15.9% higher in mid-1981 than in mid-1980. The most sought-after professionals, the survey found, were applications programmers and systems/software programmers, followed by systems analysts and telecommunications specialists.

A new Department of Labor study tells a similar story. According to the study, overall employment in the computer field doubled in the 1970s and will almost double again by 1990. The fastest-growing job category is computer service technician, with a projected growth rate of 154% between 1978 and 1990. The number of systems analysts is expected to increase by 120%, and computer and peripheral equipment operators will more than double in number. These figures translate into an average 46,200 job openings a year.

Both the DOL and Fox-Morris note that colleges are not producing enough computer specialists to meet the demand. The shortage is expected to get worse as the use of computers increases: The DOL estimates that the value of minicomputer shipments by U.S. manufacturers will more than triple between 1978 and 1983, from $3.1 billion to $10.3 billion.

Salaries are keeping pace with demand. Programmer analysts this year earn an average of $405 per week, a 7.4% increase over the 1980 level of $377, according to a survey by the Administrative Management Society of Willow Grove, Pa. Programmers average $344 weekly this year, up from $312 last year.