After a period marked by major workforce reshuffles and a global wave of layoffs, the IT sector in Poland is entering a phase of stabilization—both in terms of job offers and salary levels. According to the latest “IT Salary and Trends Report” by Grafton Recruitment, the Polish IT market is maturing and redefining its competency priorities.
AI and Data Lead the Way
Artificial intelligence, data science, and cloud solutions remain at the heart of corporate hiring strategies. These trends are directly influencing salary scales. Some of the highest-paying roles include:
- AI Architect – up to PLN 40,000 gross/month
- MLOps Engineer and Generative AI Engineer – PLN 23,000–28,000
- Data Architect – PLN 28,000–35,000
- Data Scientist – PLN 21,000–28,000
- Big Data Developer – PLN 26,000–32,000
- NLP Engineer – PLN 20,000–26,000
- Computer Vision Engineer – PLN 19,000–25,000
This growing focus on AI and data solutions reflects the increasing integration of these technologies into core business operations.
Salary Growth Slows Down
The report highlights a clear slowdown in wage growth. While salaries in the IT sector grew by over 14% in 2023, that growth has now stabilized at 10.1%. This trend is linked to falling inflation (from 17% to 5.4%) and a more cautious approach by companies to compensation policies. Automatic pay raises are no longer standard; instead, salary decisions are more closely tied to specific skill sets.
Candidates have also become more flexible. Following the layoffs between 2022 and 2024, many professionals are now willing to accept salaries similar to their previous roles in exchange for greater job security.
“A maturing market rewards flexibility and skills that support real business outcomes. Today, there’s high demand for specialists who operate at the intersection of tech and strategy—those who understand organizational needs, can translate them into IT solutions, and clearly communicate their business value,” says Agata Jemioła, Branch Manager at Grafton Recruitment.
Job Market Recovery in Progress
According to the report, while the IT sector has not yet returned to pre-downturn levels, there are clear signs of recovery. The demand index for IT roles in Q1 2025 reached 0.90 compared to the same period in 2023. By contrast, the average index across the Polish job market currently stands at 1.04, indicating that IT recruitment still lags behind the national average.
However, strategic areas such as AI, big data, and cloud are accelerating rapidly. In Q1 2025, demand for AI/ML specialists was nearly twice as high as it was two years ago. This is a direct result of companies ramping up their deployment of AI-based solutions, increasingly positioning these technologies as key operational assets.
Market Maturity Drives New Hiring Strategies
The growing maturity of the Polish IT market is reshaping employment strategies. Companies are shifting away from mass team scaling and focusing instead on selective recruitment of experienced professionals. As a result, the number of junior-level job offers is declining, along with application volume and salary ranges for this group.
“The market is moving from a quantity-based to a quality-driven approach. Skills in AI, data, and cloud computing are now not just tech advantages—they form the foundation of business models. The ability to align these with a company’s operational goals is the real measure of an IT professional’s value,” explains Joanna Wanatowicz, Managing Director at Grafton Recruitment.
About the Report
The “IT Salary and Trends Report” is based on a CAWI (Computer-Assisted Web Interviewing) survey conducted between April and May 2025. It includes insights from 187 respondents, of whom 161 reported current employment in the IT sector.
Source: ceo.com.pl
