2025: Tech Hiring & Job Market Update

Motion's Tech Hiring & Job Market Trends Midyear Report breaks down what’s driving today’s tech job market and what it means for the rest of 2025. Whether navigating your next tech career move or building out your team, the report offers data insights and advice from industry leaders to help you find success.

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The State of the Tech Hiring in 2025

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See What's Impacting the IT Industry in 2025

The first half of 2025 was marked by sharp ups and downs. What began as strong optimism across the tech industry was quickly tempered by economic uncertainty, leading to a rise in layoffs and a slight decrease in some IT salaries.
 
What will the rest of 2025 have in store for the tech industry? What are tech workers prioritizing most when looking for their next job? How is AI impacting the bottom line of tech companies? What tech roles are businesses struggling to hire for?
 
Motion’s 2025 Midyear Report explores how today’s industry trends are shaping the tech job market and how both job seekers and company leaders can position themselves for success in the months ahead.

63%

of CFOs plan to increase spending on IT and digital transformation

Many CFOs are looking to grow their tech teams, despite pessimism in the U.S. economy.

92%

of hiring managers value soft skills equally to people skills

Tech workers seeking to advance into management roles should refine their soft skills like leadership and critical thinking while still building technical expertise.
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Emerging Tech: AI Job Growth in 2025

With a 184% year-over-year increase in job postings, AI roles have been the biggest point of growth in the tech industry. This increase in AI spending has not led to revenue increases yet, but tech leaders are optimistic for future gains.

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Q: What Advice Would You Give Tech Job Seekers and Hiring Managers in 2025?

From John Rosenbaum, Chief Information Officer at Motion Recruitment:

"Navigating the tech industry in the second half of 2025 will demand more than technical expertise; it will require adaptability, continuous learning, and the ability to navigate the evolving landscape of AI, cybersecurity, and digital transformation. With a growing shift toward skills-based hiring, job seekers must highlight their impact and practical abilities. Similarly, employers should prioritize proven outcomes and demonstrated expertise to make more strategic hiring decisions."

What will I find in Motion's Midyear IT Job Trends Report?

What tech job data and trends are covered in the report?
  • The state of tech employment in 2025, with the impact of layoffs, economic conditions, IT job creation and the tech talent shortage.

  • How artificial intelligence continues to reshape the tech hiring market, and the ways workers and business leaders are adapting.

  • Tech hiring and workplace trends, including remote work being more available to contract workers versus full-time employees.

  • Advice from market experts on what you can do to succeed in 2025.
What valuable insights into IT salary data can I discover?

You will find the highest tech salaries for the first half of 2025, along with which tech skills have seen the biggest increase in demand since the start of the year.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good IT Salary?

A good IT salary varies based on experience, specialization, and location. According to Motion's national data, here are some examples of good IT salaries:

Mid-Level Positions:

  • Software Worker: $106,744 – $137,210
  • Back End Software Worker: $114,980 – $147,517
  • Front End Software Worker: $111,010 – $138,518
  • Python Developer: $122,941 – $155,230
  • Cloud Engineer: $122,241 – $152,930
  • QA Automation Engineer: $102,931 – $124,937

Senior-Level Positions:

  • Software Worker: $130,934 – $163,424
  • Back End Software Worker: $142,549 – $176,091
  • Front End Software Worker: $122,140 – $161,197
  • Python Developer: $141,281 – $177,027
  • Cloud Engineer: $137,396 – $177,349
  • QA Automation Engineer: $130,500 – $151,250
These salary ranges represent typical compensation levels across the United States.
What IT job has the highest salary in 2025?
In 2025, the IT job with the highest salary is a Chief Security Officer, with a salary ranging from $229,000 to $380,979. This reflects the critical importance of cyber security leadership in organizations.
What impacted IT job growth in 2025?
IT job growth in 2025 is influenced by several key factors: 

  1. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: AI and machine learning roles were among the highest priorities for many businesses looking to transform in the upcoming years. There was a significant focus on reskilling in AI and Big Data, driven by substantial investments and expected market revenue growth.

  2. Generative AI Technology: There's a marked growth in generative AI technologies, which impacted job growth through increased demand for tech professionals skilled in these areas. Companies were investing heavily in AI processors within data centers, leading to an estimated quadrupling of spending by 2025.

  3. Compensation and Talent Availability: High compensation for AI-focused roles was notable, with some roles offering significant salary boosts compared to non-AI roles. The availability of skilled candidates in AI, although challenging, improved year-over-year, which influenced job market dynamics. 

These trends highlight how technological advancements, particularly in AI and machine learning, are significantly shaping the IT job market in 2025.
Are IT salaries increasing?

While IT salaries have decreased overall at the start of 2025, some IT salaries have actually risen, with various roles showing different growth trends. The highest-paying technology roles not in the c-level in 2025 include:

 

Machine Learning/Data Science – $178,510 

Golang – $175,406 

Software Engineering – $171,539 


Overall, IT salaries are slightly down, though many roles are seeing growth. The changes varies by role, level and location, reflecting market conditions and demand for specialized skills.