According to survey results, 51.2 percent of firms hired fresh IT graduates this year while 90 percent of these fresh graduates received an entry salary of more HK$10,000 per month. The average salary range for fresh graduates is HK$10,001 to HK$12,000, but 25 percent of the interviewed firms offer more than HK$16,000 to attract new blood, said the HKCS.

In addition, 35 percent of firms raised entry salary by more than 4 percent compared to a year ago and another 43 percent of companies gave an additional 1 to 3 percent, the HKCS added.

"There is an inadequate understanding of what an IT career might offer among students and their parents particularly after the dotcom bubble burst," said Michael Leung, vice president (Talent Cultivation), Hong Kong Computer Society. "The positive results of the HKCS employment survey--especially the salary growth and fresh graduate employment rate--help deliver a clear picture of the good prospect IT offers."