Motion Recruitment Releases 2026 Tech Salary Guide Highlighting Compensation Trends as AI and Specialization Reshape the Talent Market
MWN-AI** Summary
Motion Recruitment's 2026 Tech Salary Guide reveals significant shifts in compensation trends driven by AI adoption and specialization within the IT job market. The report indicates that while average IT salaries remained relatively flat, with only a 0.8% year-over-year growth, specialized roles have seen substantial salary increases. Mid-level AI engineers led the charge, enjoying a 9.2% rise in compensation, followed by senior platform engineers at 8.9% and mid-level Salesforce developers at 8.5%. Conversely, traditional roles faced declines, most notably senior software developers and mid-level SQL developers, who experienced drops of 10% and 7%, respectively.
Entry-level and generalist IT positions are struggling due to AI's influence on hiring practices, as well as broader economic uncertainties. However, demand for specialized talent, particularly in AI, cybersecurity, and data engineering, has surged. Notably, job postings for AI-focused roles increased by 49%, reflecting the growing need for advanced skills.
Additionally, the guide highlights a troubling rise in candidate fraud, complicating the hiring landscape for employers. With scammers and bots infiltrating applications, companies are increasingly turning to verified networks and referral-driven hiring to secure qualified talent.
As remote work becomes a contentious point, with many tech workers prioritizing flexibility, geographical salary disparities are also evident. For instance, tech salaries soared in cities like New York, where year-over-year increases reached 10%.
Overall, the guide reinforces that specialized skills and direct, hands-on experience are essential for navigating today’s competitive IT employment landscape, which is evolving rapidly due to technological advancements.
MWN-AI** Analysis
The release of Motion Recruitment's 2026 Tech Salary Guide sheds light on key compensation trends underscored by the evolving demands of the tech industry, especially as AI adoption reshapes the landscape. For job seekers and employers alike, understanding these trends is crucial for strategic planning.
Mid-level AI engineers now enjoy significant salary increases averaging 9.2%, showcasing that specialized skills are in demand as companies invest heavily in artificial intelligence. This trend highlights the need for firms to prioritize recruitment efforts towards candidates with practical AI experience, as proficiency in advanced technologies will be a key differentiator in hiring and retention.
Conversely, traditional software and SQL developers have seen compensation declines of up to 10%. This downturn suggests that generalist roles are becoming less attractive amidst technological advancements, creating potential challenges in retaining talent who may seek opportunities with more lucrative prospects in AI-specialized roles. Employers should consider recalibrating salary structures to retain skilled employees while also enhancing training initiatives to upskill their workforce.
Additionally, with entry-level hiring slowing, there is a significant opportunity for educational institutions and training programs to step in, bridging the skills gap. Firms that invest in advanced training and mentorship programs for entry-level positions will not only enhance their talent pool but also increase overall organizational adaptability.
As the tech market grapples with heightened candidate fraud, reliance on verified recruitment channels becomes paramount. Organizations should develop strong referral networks and maintain relationships with past employees to streamline hiring processes.
Overall, both employers and job seekers must align expectations around compensation, flexibility, and skill specialization, recognizing that agility and continuous learning will define success in 2026.
**MWN-AI Summary and Analysis is based on asking OpenAI to summarize and analyze this news release.
- Mid-level AI engineers see largest salary increases
- Software and SQL developers experience largest drop in compensation
- Average IT salary stays flat year-over-year
- Tech leaders struggle with surge in candidate fraud
- Hiring slows for entry-level IT roles
TROY, Mich., Dec. 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Technology staffing and solutions leader Motion Recruitment, a Kelly® (Nasdaq: KELYA, KELYB) company, has published its 2026 Tech Salary Guide offering workforce trends and in-depth compensation data for the 100+ most in-demand IT roles. While AI adoption has slowed hiring for entry-level and generalist positions, specialized roles have seen sharp salary increases, the guide has found.
The ninth annual report analyzes thousands of job placements and real-time market data. It features actionable insights from industry leaders to help employers and job seekers navigate a rapidly evolving landscape where specialization, applied expertise, and AI fluency determine career mobility and hiring success.
Tech Pay Stays Flat Overall, But Specialized Roles See Significant Salary Growth
Average tech salaries in the United States grew by a modest 0.8% year-over-year, masking significant variation across specialized roles, according to Motion Recruitment’s analysis.
- Mid-level AI engineers experienced the highest salary gains at 9.2% year-over-year.
- Senior platform engineers saw compensation spike by 8.9%.
- Mid-level salesforce developers’ base pay jumped 8.5%.
- Machine learning engineers’ salary jumped 7%.
- Senior data warehouse developers’ compensation rose 5.8%.
Specialized roles like LLM developers reached averages of $209,000 in base-level compensation, while the average salary for senior data workers was $178,000 in 2025. Meanwhile, senior software developers (10%) and mid-level SQL developers (7%) saw the largest year-over-year drop in base compensation.
“Applied expertise and AI fluency are key factors to career and hiring success,” James Vallone, president of Motion Recruitment, said. “Specialized skills in data engineering, cybersecurity, infrastructure, and applied AI are driving the strongest compensation growth.”
AI Adoption Slows Hiring for Entry-Level and Generalist Roles
Demand for entry-level and generalized IT roles has slowed due to widespread AI adoption and ongoing economic uncertainty. Skills shortages persist, requiring organizations to recruit or train more advanced, specialized talent. According to 2025 job posting data, among the most in-demand tech skill sets are:
- AI specialization roles increased by 49%, reflecting rapid growth in AI-focused hiring.
- Data security roles increased 30%, driven by rising protection and governance needs.
- Platform engineering roles increased 29%, supporting scalable and resilient infrastructure.
- Data warehouse roles increased 10%, tied to continued investment in digital infrastructure.
"The tech market is becoming increasingly specialized, and the pace of innovation is widening the skills gap faster than most teams can close internally,” James Vallone, president of Motion Recruitment, said. “The organizations that thrive in 2026 will be those who secure the right resources to fill critical skill gaps and scale capabilities quickly.”
As hiring needs shift, tech professionals must demonstrate implementation, not familiarity. Resumes that clearly show hands-on experience in AI, data, and cloud infrastructure through deployed projects or systems are more likely to stand out. Employers are prioritizing adaptability and continuous growth, favoring candidates who actively upskill through industry-recognized courses and remain engaged in relevant networks. Providing proof such as certifications, digital badges, or portfolios signals readiness for applied future-focused roles.
Job Seekers and Employers Clash Over Flexible Work Arrangements
Salary remains the top motivator for job changers, but tech workers continue to prioritize flexibility as more employers around the country move them back to the office.
While remote tech workers saw a higher pay jump than the national average at 2.8%, salary growth is highest in cities where employers are more likely to require workers to return to the office. New York City leads the way at year-over-year increases of 10%, followed by Washington D.C. and Atlanta at 6%. Tech salary can vary by over 24% between cities, highlighting the significant impact of location on compensation.
“In tech, the return-to-office conversation is not just about location, but about expectations and retention,” Vallone said. “As a result, companies that tighten workplace policies without balancing compensation, role clarity, or flexibility, risk losing experienced IT talent to employers willing to meet those expectations.”
Trusted Pipelines Gain Importance as Scammers and Bots Flood Applications
Hiring tech workers is becoming more difficult, as scammers and bots are more prevalent, making it nearly impossible for hiring managers to validate applications in a timely manner. The overall number of applications for tech positions and associated fraud risks have risen exponentially, and employers increasingly rely on referral-driven pipelines and returning employees to ensure quality and reduce risk.
“Verified networks matter more than ever,” Vallone said. “The most in-demand technologists, those with deep, applied expertise, are also the hardest to reach, which is pushing organizations to be more deliberate and relationship-driven.”
Marketplace changes and AI adoption will continue to reshape role design and the skills required across teams in 2026, the Motion Recruitment analysis has found. The Tech Salary Guide empowers both candidates and employers with the latest market data, offering a comprehensive look at salary trends across cities and technology stacks. Validated with leading industry reports, it delivers actionable insights for mid to senior-level technologists navigating today’s competitive IT career landscape. To explore the full report, access the 2026 Tech Salary Guide here.
About Motion’s 2026 Tech Salary Guide
Motion Recruitment’s 2026 Tech Salary Guide provides compensation ranges by role, location, and skill specialization, alongside market insights to support workforce planning, budget alignment, and career development. The guide is built from Motion’s proprietary data, verified job placements and employer demand trends, supplemented by survey findings and real-time labor market intelligence across the United States.
About Motion Recruitment
Motion Recruitment, a Kelly company, provides IT staffing and consulting solutions across North America to meet demand for technology expertise in contract, direct hire, and project-based delivery. Motion specializes in connecting exceptional talent across Software, Mobile, Data & AI, Infrastructure, Cybersecurity, Product & UX, and Functional technology disciplines. Through Motion Consulting Group, Motion’s dedicated solutions arm, we help clients accelerate digital projects across Motion's tech specializations, as well as Workplace Modernization, Data, AI & Machine Learning, Cloud Infrastructure, and Cybersecurity & Governance.
Motion is also the proud creator of Tech in Motion, a North American technology networking and awards program connecting more than 350,000 tech enthusiasts to meet, learn, and innovate. With more than two decades of success, Motion’s teams are experts at aligning people, processes, and technology, turning complex business challenges into opportunities for growth. Together with Kelly, we’re shaping the future of work and technology, one solution at a time.
About Kelly
Kelly Services, Inc. (Nasdaq: KELYA, KELYB) helps companies recruit and manage skilled workers and helps job seekers find great work. Since inventing the staffing industry in 1946, we have become experts in the many industries and local and global markets we serve. With a network of suppliers and partners around the world, we connect more than 500,000 people with work every year. Our suite of outsourcing and consulting services ensures companies have the people they need, when and where they are needed most. Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, we empower businesses and individuals to access limitless opportunities in industries such as science, engineering, technology, education, manufacturing, retail, finance, and energy. Learn more at kellyservices.com.
Media Contact
Christian Taske
248-561-8823
christian.taske@kellyservices.com
This press release was published by a CLEAR® Verified individual.
FAQ**
How does the 2026 Tech Salary Guide report impact the investment outlook for companies like Kelly Services Inc. Class B Common Stock KELYB, considering the shift towards specialized IT roles?
In light of the hiring slowdown for entry-level IT positions, how does this affect investor confidence in Kelly Services Inc. Class B Common Stock KELYB’s staffing solutions?
Given the rising salaries for mid-level AI engineers, should investors anticipate a stronger performance from Kelly Services Inc. Class B Common Stock KELYB in recruiting for specialized IT roles?
What strategies is Kelly Services Inc. Class B Common Stock KELYB employing to combat candidate fraud in tech hiring, and how might this impact its market valuation?
**MWN-AI FAQ is based on asking OpenAI questions about Kelly Services Inc. Class A Common Stock (NASDAQ: KELYA).
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