IT salaries rise 3.1% and 90% of companies still lack talent

A sector that pays more but still cannot fill vacancies

The Study on Salaries and Labor Policy in the Digital Technology Sector 2026, prepared by AMETIC, leaves a picture with two sides. The first is positive for the professional: the sector's average salary grows 3.1% to 47,300 euros. The second is uncomfortable for those who hire: 90.4% of companies had difficulties in 2025 finding qualified talent. This is not a one-off problem; it is structural.

For an SME or an internal IT team, the quick takeaway is that competing for talent with salary alone is a battle lost in advance against large companies. The good news is that the report also points out that size does not explain everything: the average in companies with more than 100 employees is 50,700 euros compared with 48,100 in smaller ones, a difference of barely 2,600 euros per year. That is, the gap exists, but it is not abysmal.

Which profiles get the best share

The study identifies the best-paid roles: Director of Consulting and Strategy (88,453 euros), Director of Systems Infrastructure (72,944 euros) and Chief Data Officer (61,580 euros). These are management profiles, but the signal matters: infrastructure and data are areas where SMEs also compete, even if under different titles. A systems manager or a senior data analyst at an SME can cover equivalent functions without the title.

Beyond salary, the report provides clues about workforce composition: the average age is 39.5 years, with 38.7 in service companies and 41.7 in product companies. Female representation reaches 39.3%, with very slow progress (0.1 points in a year). And 68.2% of professionals have higher education, concentrated in Computer Science and Telecommunications (53.4%).

The training mismatch, root of the problem

Beatriz García-Quismondo Gómez, director of digital policies, digital talent and connectivity at AMETIC, tells Computerworld that the shortage of professionals and the mismatch between training and real needs operate together. The gap, she says, is "wide and persistent." And she adds an idea worth emphasizing: it is not enough to train more professionals; the right skills must reach companies.

The labor gap is wide and persistent, affecting most companies in the sector

That diagnosis has a direct translation for an SME. If the market does not bring you the exact profile, the alternative is to build it internally. AMETIC's spokesperson herself insists on internal training, development opportunities and diversity policies. At ForgeNEX we see it every day: the teams that retain talent best are those with a technical learning plan and a visible career path, not just a good salary.

Flexibility: the argument that is in your hands

Remote work is consolidated: nearly 70% of companies in the sector offer it to the entire workforce, with an average of two days per week. García-Quismondo advocates a hybrid model with few fixed on-site days and working-time flexibility adapted to each company. For an SME, this is a real competitive advantage: you do not need to match a multinational's salary if you offer responsibility from day one, a close-knit team and genuine flexibility.

The report also highlights that nearly 78% of SME workforces have higher education, above the 68% for the sector as a whole, and that seven out of ten companies already apply flexible compensation. It is a tool within everyone's reach and, well designed, improves the perception of the total package without increasing fixed costs.

What we recommend at ForgeNEX

• Review your salary band with data, not intuition. Compare with the environment and adjust critical roles. A 3.1% average increase does not mean all your profiles are aligned.
• Design an internal training plan. Scarcity is not solved only by hiring; it is solved by reskilling. Identify two or three key skills and allocate time and budget.
• Formalize flexibility. If you offer hybrid work, write it down and comply. It is one of the most valued arguments and the cheapest to sustain.
• Review flexible compensation. If you do not have it yet, now is the time. It improves the offer without compromising the salary structure.
• Take care of the talent pipeline. Internships, dual training and collaboration with local centers are real paths for an SME that cannot compete for senior profiles in the open market.

The context of scarcity will not disappear in the short term. Half of the sector's organizations expect to expand their workforce in 2026, which will intensify competition. For an SME, the sensible strategy is not to win the salary auction, but to build an environment where the professional wants to stay. That also includes a solid and secure technical base: if your team grows, the security of AI agents or identity management must be part of the plan from the start, not as a later patch.

In short, the report confirms two realities that coexist: technological talent has increased in value and companies still cannot find it. An SME's response cannot be to wait for the market to correct itself. It is time to look inward, professionalize the offer and turn the limitation into a differential advantage.

Source: Computerworld. Analysis and adaptation: ForgeNEX.