Want more money? Learn Java or .Net

Web scripting languages like PHP are hot, but it's Java and .Net that pay the bills, according to a new survey by Robert Half Technology's 2008 Salary Guide:

Next year, application developers and senior web developers skilled in Java, Java Enterprise Edition and Microsoft's C# and VisualBasic.NET look likely to have more leverage in salary negotiations and pull in more cash than those armed with Linux, Apache, MySQL and Perl/PHP/Python (LAMP) or AJAX, according to a new salary survey.

IT employment specialist Robert Half Technology's 2008 Salary Guide found application and senior web developers versed in Java and Microsoft's languages can add another 10 to 12 per cent on top of the salary range for developers. Those skilled in LAMP and AJAX can add around five per cent.

Time to dump open-source scripting languages for the old world of Java and .Net? Nah. It just demonstrates that much of the enterprise world is still driven by these two programming languages, and likely will be for some time.

[davidmartinomalley]

.Net and AJAX

This doesn't make a whole lot of sense - dividing AJAX from .Net. I've seen the new range of tools from MS, and AJAX and .Net are heavily integrated. I've also seen the reports from Robert Half - I get both the employee and management documents - and while .Net jobs may have large growth figured predicted, they are not paying parity with J2EE positions. .Net keeps you employed, but doesn't overpay. If you want to earn more - niche is where it's at (and no, I don't mean PHP!)

Cheers,

David