We are just about to lose one of software testers. We usually hire people from the field who know the product. They usually just bang on the keys and report bugs. This time I want to hire a trained test engineer who can make real test plans. To do this, I need to sell my boss, his boss and the test manager on the idea. To do this, I will need to know what we will have to pay such a person in my area. Anyone know of site that might report such things?
Also, try calling up friends you may have at competitive firms and try to get this out of them. A lot of times salary.com is accurate, but sometimes its observations seem out of whack with what I observe in industry.