The number of U.S. information technology jobs increased by 13,300 in January to more than 4.1 million jobs, an all-time high according to a monthly index of IT jobs developed by the TechServe Alliance. January’s record surpasses the previous all-time high set in September 2008 when IT employment reached 4,088,600.

On an annual basis, IT jobs were up 3.4 percent in 2011, more than double the rate of growth that IT employment experienced in 2010 of 1.5 percent. These latest numbers are based on the re-benchmarked data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics this month.

“I am thrilled that IT employment has surpassed its previous all-time high — an encouraging sign not only for the IT services industry, but the economy at large,” said Mark Roberts, CEO of TechServe Alliance. “Given strong demand for IT talent, high wages these professionals command and the benefits of IT to the broader economy, policymakers should do all they can to create an environment which encourages such work to be performed in the United States.”

TechServe Alliance is a collaboration of IT staffing firms, solutions firms, clients, consultants and suppliers dedicated to advancing excellence and ethics within the IT services industry.