Motion Recruitment’s 2027 Tech Salary Guide Finds Modest Overall Pay Growth, Double-Digit Gains in Specialized Roles as Emerging Tech Reshapes Talent Market
Key Highlights
- ➤Senior Cybersecurity Architect salaries increased 22% year over year.
- ➤U.S. tech salaries rose 2.1% overall, with regional gains led by Atlanta at 12%.
- ➤IT job postings increased from fewer than 380,000 in January to more than 629,000 in October.
- ➤Tech companies cut more than 122,000 jobs through mid-2026, despite net tech employment projected at 9.8 million.
- ➤Kelly will consolidate Motion Recruitment and Motion Consulting Group under Kelly Technology in 2027.
Expert Statements
James Vallone, President of Motion Recruitment
“AI and emerging technologies are changing the mix of specialized expertise companies need, from software and data to cybersecurity, cloud and infrastructure”
James Vallone, President of Motion Recruitment
“For employers, the strategic challenge is connecting those capabilities to turn investment into reliable, scalable systems. That means planning beyond your next hire to identify the skills, team structure and project delivery support needed to move from experimentation to execution.”
James Vallone, President of Motion Recruitment
“Employers need to assess not only what AI can do, but also the infrastructure, oversight and skills needed to make it effective”
James Vallone, President of Motion Recruitment
“Before making workforce decisions, IT leaders should be clear about what they expect AI to deliver, who is accountable for the results and where human expertise remains essential. AI is a force multiplier, not a one-to-one replacement.”
James Vallone, President of Motion Recruitment
“Employers want people who can contribute quickly, but they also need to build the talent they’ll depend on next”
James Vallone, President of Motion Recruitment
“Early-career candidates who can explain, test and improve what they built with AI deserve a closer look. The challenge is creating room to develop sound technical judgment, even as teams face pressure to do more with less.”
Facts at a Glance: * In-demand roles such as Senior Cybersecurity Architect saw salary increases of up to 22% year over year. * Most tech workers are now employed at non-tech companies. * The median tech wage is 126% higher than the national average. TROY, Mich., Nov. 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Technology staffing and solutions leader Motion Recruitment, a Kelly(®) (Nasdaq: KELYA, KELYB) company, has published its 2027 Tech Salary Guide, offering workforce trends and compensation data for the most in-demand IT roles. The guide finds that tech salaries have increased 2.1% year over year, with stronger gains in specialized roles, as today’s technology labor market is increasingly shaped by AI investment, shifting skill requirements and demand beyond traditional tech companies.
The tenth annual report analyzes thousands of job postings and real-time market data. It features insights from industry leaders to help employers and job seekers separate what is driving the market from what is making headlines.
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