IT Pay Grew Just 1% in Motion Recruitment's 2025 Tech Salary Guide

The tech industry is looking a little less like your favorite coder's hoodie and a bit more like a corporate presentation this year. That's right: Motion Recruitment released its much-anticipated 2025 Tech Salary Guide in November 2024, and it has some juicy insights for anyone hiring or job hunting in tech. We’re talking flat salaries, shifting demand for skills, and the ever-complicated landscape of IT hiring. Strap in, future techies; it’s gonna be a bumpy ride!

Are IT Salaries Still Rising?

In a world where every IT job posting seems more competitive than a reality show audition, the 2025 Tech Salary Guide aims to bring clarity to your life. Spoiler alert: salaries are barely moving. According to the guide, IT salary growth is nearly flat year-over-year, with only a 1% increase overall. The bright spot is AI. The guide says 48% of organizations plan to add workers due to an increase in AI investments, compared to just 19% looking to downsize.

Demand for tech talent is still there, too. The guide reports 56% more tech job postings than five years ago, and 70% of tech job seekers are receiving multiple job offers. Other areas like Quantum Computing, Digital Twins and Green Tech are also seeing more roles.

Companies are getting serious about talent. The guide says the IT skills shortage has led to an estimated $5.5 trillion in losses due to product delays, and over 89% of companies are happy with their change to skills-based hiring. Tech workers without a traditional college degree are also 20% more likely to stay in their jobs. For candidates with in-demand skills, that can mean more room to negotiate.

Is Remote Tech Work Disappearing?

Here’s where it gets really interesting. Even as fully remote work remains popular, the guide says more companies are requiring tech workers to return to the office. The average time spent in the office has jumped from 1.1 days per week to 3.4 days, and only 10% of job postings now offer fully remote positions.

Where you live still matters, too. Motion’s 2026 Tech Salary Guide says tech pay can vary by over 24% between cities.

Skills that Pay Off

Pay is only half the story. If you want to get ahead in the game, these are skill areas worth building:

1. Cybersecurity – With the surge of digital threats, employers value defensive and offensive skills.
2. Cloud Computing – Skills in platforms like AWS and Azure are in sky-high demand, pun intended.
3. AI and Machine Learning – Companies crave talent here like kids crave candy.
4. Data Analysis – If you're skilled at crunching numbers swiftly and accurately, you could be one of the most sought-after professionals around.

The newest data points the same way. Motion’s 2026 Tech Salary Guide, released in December 2025, found average U.S. tech salaries grew only 0.8% year-over-year, while mid-level AI engineers saw the highest gains at 9.2%. AI specialization roles increased by 49% and data security roles by 30%. Building skills in these areas is one of the clearest ways to stand out.

Where Is Tech Hiring Headed?

The IT hiring landscape keeps shifting. The guide notes that IT unemployment rates have been below the national U.S. average since 2019, yet with fewer fully remote roles and pay gains concentrated in specialized skills, the competition for tech talent will remain fierce. Think Survivor, but instead of campfires, it’s all about sitting in front of dual monitors, solving complex coding challenges, and juggling Slack notifications. Companies will need to innovate their recruitment strategies to stand out in this talent race, emphasizing flexibility, growth opportunities, and a compelling company culture.

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