IT salary benchmarks and trends

Name: Salary negotiations
Creator: Robert Half

2027 Netherlands Salary Guide

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As organizations expand their use of AI, cloud and data platforms, tech hiring managers are aligning pay more closely to the specialized capabilities tech and IT roles now require, selectively exceeding budgeted salary ranges to secure the talent they need. Professionals with expertise in areas such as security and AI are the ones receiving higher offers.

These candidates combine technical depth with human judgment and know their value, making it harder for employers to compete when pay falls below market rates or roles expand in scope without corresponding salary adjustments.

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Salaries by job category

The salaries below default to national averages. Select a job category to find figures for a specific job. Starting compensation — pay for someone new to a role — can vary significantly based on a candidate’s skills, experience and certifications, as well as other factors including industry, company size and revenue, and demand for the role. To reflect this variability, we report our salary data in three levels: low, mid and high.

Business Analysis

Data & Business Intelligence

IT Infrastructure

IT Management

IT Project Management

Product Management

Software Development

Job title

25th percentile

50th percentile

75th percentile

IT Business Analyst

58250

71250

87500

Functional Analyst

52500

62250

75500

Application Consultant

51500

60500

71750

25th percentile

The candidate is new to the role or has limited experience and is building necessary skills.

50th percentile

The candidate has moderate experience in the role, meets most requirements or has equivalent transferrable skills, and may also have relevant certifications.

75th percentile

The candidate has extensive experience and advanced skills for the role, and may also have specialized certifications.

2027 Netherlands IT compensation trends

Insights at a glance

37%

of IT hiring managers are offering salaries above their planned ranges to secure top talent.

77%

cite the need to secure candidates with specialized skills as a reason.

37%

are paying more for professionals with generative AI skills.

Specialized skills commanding premiums

Professionals with the following skills may command higher pay:

Cybersecurity

Generative AI solutions use

Cloud (e.g. computing, security and architecture)

Software and applications development

Data science and database management

Web and mobile development and design

Machine Learning (ML) / Automated Machine Learning (AutoML)

Salary negotiations

Compensation in IT is becoming increasingly skills-driven, with employers offering targeted pay premiums to attract and retain professionals with specialized, hard-to-find expertise.

75%

of managers are willing to negotiate base pay.

44%

say candidates frequently negotiate higher salaries based on specialized skills.

35%

of professionals struggle with knowing their market worth.

Rewards that motivate career moves

When base pay is similar, technology and IT professionals weigh other factors heavily when considering a job change. Benefits, perks and incentives can help companies strengthen offers and stand out to in-demand candidates. Top benefits and perks that would motivate a job change include:

Work‑life balance and flexibility

Hybrid work options, flexible work schedules, unpaid leave, sabbaticals and leaves of absence

Financial

Bonuses, commuting discounts, home office equipment allowance

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Roles, skills and certifications on the rise

Salary growth above the 2,3% average in IT is expected for roles that require specialized skills in areas such as AI, data, cybersecurity, cloud and systems modernization. Positions with above-average salary growth include:

IT Manager (4,0%)

Application Manager (3,4%)

Network Engineer (3,1%)

Product Manager (2,9%)

As AI adoption accelerates and cloud-first strategies continue to expand, IT professionals are strengthening their technical capabilities to keep pace with evolving technologies, cybersecurity demands and modern software development. The skills being prioritized include:

Programming languages (Python, JavaScript, etc.)

AI-powered software development

Generative AI development

Cybersecurity and threat detection

Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud)

Certifications can contribute to higher salaries when they demonstrate proven expertise in cloud technology, security, systems architecture, and project management, including the following certifications:

Architecture: TOGAF

Cloud: Azure, AWS and GCP

Cybersecurity: CISSP, CISM, CISA and CCSP

Data platforms: Microsoft Fabric/Azure Data, Databricks and Snowflake

DevOps and containers: Kubernetes

IT service and project delivery: ITIL and PRINCE2

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Trends and salaries by professional field

Get projected 2027 starting salaries and salary insights in other professional fields.

Finance and accounting

Administrative, HR and customer support

The salary benchmarks in the Netherlands Salary Guide From Robert Half are the result of a rigorous, multistep process designed to reflect projected market trends for 2027. We factor in current and projected demand, talent supply and key market conditions. We gain additional local insights from our talent solutions professionals in offices across the country.

Non-salary data is based on online surveys developed by Robert Half and conducted by an independent research firm. Respondents include hiring managers and workers at small-to-midsized enterprises (20-249 employees), and large (250-plus employees) private, publicly listed and public sector organizations across the Netherlands.