The latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) puts unemployment within the tech industry at 2.6 percent in December 2015. Some 3,800 technology jobs were created that month. Data from the new DHI Hiring Indicators report (PDF) suggests that the average technology-job vacancy lasted 27.1 working days in 2015, roughly the same as the national average. Vacancies usually mean that employers are scrambling to lock down the best talent for the position. “In 2015, our customers continually told us the market for highly-skilled professionals was competitive, giving talent the upper hand in the negotiation process,” Michael Durney, President and CEO of DHI Group, wrote in a statement accompanying the data, “and driving employers to frequently offer oversized compensation packages or perks to hire the desired candidate.” Indeed, pay for tech pros has been steadily rising, with average technology salaries in the U.S. enjoying their biggest year-over-year leap ever, up 7.7 percent to $96,370 annually, according to the latest annual salary survey by Dice. Contracting saw a rise (5%) in hourly compensation, with contractors earning $70.26 per hour. Bonuses likewise saw an increase from 2014, and tech salaries in seven metro areas reached six figures for the first time since the survey began more than a decade ago. Just over half of those technology professionals surveyed (53 percent) expressed satisfaction with their pay, compared to 52 percent in 2014. With a robust economy, tech pros’ confidence in their job prospects remained high, with 67 percent claiming that they could find a favorable new position. Tech pros in Silicon Valley were again the highest paid in the country, with average annual salaries exceeding $118,243. Other top-earning markets included New York City ($106,263), Los Angeles ($105,091), Boston ($103,675), and Seattle ($103,309).