More than half of American IT workers are restless and actively looking for new job opportunities, according to a snapshot of the industry's labour market.
The survey by the Computing Technology Industry Association of nearly 1,000 IT workers found that 58 per cent are currently looking for new jobs.
Four out of five tech workers looking for new jobs said their job search was "somewhat or very" active.
Higher pay was the number one reason why tech workers were scouring career websites and help-wanted ads.
The desire for more money was cited by 73 per cent of individuals seeking new positions as their reason for doing so.
But the survey also found IT professionals were interested in more than just their pay cheques.
Nearly two-thirds of tech workers said there was no opportunity for advancement in their current job, while 58 per cent said they were looking for a new challenge.
The survey also found that nearly 60 per cent of those looking for new jobs had been with their current employers for three or more years.
And more than half – 52 per cent – had been in their current job role for at least three years.
"Tech workers who stayed put in their jobs over several years of uncertainty in our industry are clearly looking to move on now that we're in a period of growth," said Neill Hopkins, vice president of skills development at CompTIA.
This restless tech workforce was not limited to the IT industry. Among the workers surveyed a quarter worked with companies that were primarily in IT.
But 16 per cent worked in education, 15 per cent in government, eight per cent in healthcare and seven per cent in manufacturing.
"The survey findings are a mixed blessing for employers," Hopkins said. "Some organisations will lose the IT workers who've been responsible for building and maintaining their technology infrastructure.
"But employers looking to build internal IT expertise should be able to draw from a large pool of technology professionals eager for new challenges," he added.
