IT Salary Benchmarks: What to Expect in 2026

The IT labor market is entering a more mature phase. After several years of extreme volatility, 2026 is shaping up to be less about hype and rapid scaling, and more about clarity, efficiency, and deliberate hiring decisions.

This article is not a global market report.

It is based on real hiring activity, active negotiations, and a detailed 2025 IT salary & rate benchmark focused on the Central and Eastern European market (CZ, SK, PL, HU, RO), excluding DACH countries, where compensation dynamics differ significantly.

The goal is simple: help you make better compensation and hiring decisions going into 2026.

Market Context: From Expansion to Precision

Between 2021 and 2024, the IT market went through an extreme cycle:

• explosive demand for almost any technical profile,

• rapid globalisation of talent through remote hiring,

• followed by budget tightening, hiring freezes, and restructurings.

By 2025, most companies shifted into recalibration mode. Hiring didn’t stop but it became more selective. Fewer roles, clearer expectations, and more pressure on output rather than potential.

This context matters, because salary benchmarks don’t exist in a vacuum. They reflect how companies actually hire, not just what candidates want.

What 2026 Is Really About

Based on current hiring behaviour and benchmark data, 2026 is shaping up around three clear dynamics:

1. Seniority Is Paid When It Delivers

Senior and hybrid skilled professionals continue to command higher compensation, but only when they:

• reduce delivery risk,

• own complex systems or decisions,

• or combine technical depth with business awareness.

The gap between medior and senior compensation remains significant across most roles in the benchmark.

2. Generalists Compete on Value, Not Titles

Generalist profiles are still relevant, but their market position depends heavily on contextual value:

• frontend + UX and performance,

• backend + domain knowledge,

• cloud + automation or cost optimisation.

Without that overlap, generalist roles face much stronger price pressure.

3. Contractors Are Paid for Predictability

Contractors continue to command premium rates when they offer:

• clear scope ownership,

• predictable delivery,

• and minimal onboarding friction.

This is visible across DevOps, Cloud, Architecture, SAP, and senior engineering roles, where contract rates often scale faster than permanent salaries.

2025 Benchmark Snapshot (EUR)

Below is a small excerpt from the full 2025 IT salary and rate benchmark, presented here in EUR.The data reflects the Central and Eastern European market, primarily the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, and Romania, and intentionally excludes DACH countries, where compensation levels, tax structures, and hiring dynamics differ significantly.

The table shows gross monthly salaries for permanent roles and final daily rates for contractors, including agency fees. This snapshot is provided to illustrate overall market ranges and role differentiation, it is not intended as a complete market overview.

The full benchmark covers dozens of IT specializations, multiple seniority levels, and is available in both EUR and CZK versions.

Sample roles and rate ranges shown above are part of a broader CEE focused benchmark used as a reference for 2026 hiring decisions.

Role Specific Observations

Frontend Development

Frontend demand remains stable, but expectations are higher than in previous years.

Profiles that perform best in the market typically:

• own component systems end-to-end,

• understand performance and accessibility constraints,

• collaborate closely with product and design.

Senior frontend compensation increasingly reflects responsibility, not just coding output.

DevOps & Cloud Engineering

This remains one of the most strategically valued segments.

Compensation is driven less by years of experience and more by:

• cloud cost control,

• automation maturity,

• infrastructure ownership.

Contractors with strong cloud fundamentals and tooling (e.g. Terraform) consistently sit at the top end of the rate spectrum.

Why This Matters

For Employers

When compensation is misaligned with the market:

• strong candidates disengage early,

• hiring cycles stretch unnecessarily,

• and teams absorb delivery risk.

Benchmarks help you:

• anchor offers in reality,

• justify budgets internally,

• and plan hiring costs with fewer surprises.

For Candidates and Freelancers

Market awareness is leverage.

When you understand your real position:

• negotiations become factual, not emotional,

• pricing conversations are shorter and cleaner,

• and mismatched opportunities are filtered out earlier.

In practice, even small adjustments based on benchmark alignment can have a meaningful financial impact over time.

Access to the Full IT Rate Benchmark

The complete benchmark includes:

• permanent salaries and contractor rates,

• junior, medior, and senior splits,

• detailed role breakdowns,

• CZK and EUR versions.

If you’d like access, reach out directly: pool@blacklucas.com

Or connect with me on LinkedIn, happy to share insights and talk through how this applies to your specific situation.