Gartner analyst, Diane Morello, said the poor pay figures are symbolic of the obstacles and roadblocks that are sending women away from IT in droves.

Late last year Morello presented a maverick study called "Men and Women in IT: Breaking through Sexual Stereotypes."

Morello said IT departments should look beyond gender to the unique and vital characteristics that women bring to a high-performance team.

She said research shows that women listen better than men, possess better language skills and score better on assessments of social skills and ability to understand other people's views, which aids in team-building and negotiations.