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Demand for mobile apps by businesses should make it advantageous to work as a contract developer. But just how much can you expect to earn?

Working as a contractor offers more variety, but whether you can make a living depends on your skills, where your located Here are the contract jobs (and ;locations) that are paying well for IT pros right now.

Having trouble convincing your boss to give you a pay rise? That might well be because IT pro salaries are the fastest-growing area when it comes to technology expenditure.

IT contractor work can offer flexibility and decent remuneration, but the rates vary widely depending on your skill level and where you work. Rates are up for business analysts in WA, but the news isn't so good for NSW .Net developers. Check out what's on offer with our interactive spreadsheets?

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While there are still plenty of employment opportunities in information technology, data suggests that finding a new role will get harder over the next six months. What steps can you take to ensure you still have a job you like that pays well?

Working as a contractor is common in IT and the pay rates can be good if you choose the right specialisation, but it can make forward planning difficult. That's likely to become a bigger problem in the future, with one study suggesting that the average length of IT contract engagements is shortening.

Looking for a high-paying career in IT? The best contractor rates are for business intelligence consultants, project managers and accounting systems developers. However, there's a shift towards more full-time employees in some areas, so it might not be the path to riches you anticipate.