In recent years, the IT sector has experienced a slowdown in salary growth, especially for basic and routine roles. With the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, some positions lose market value, while specialists in AI, Data Science, and Cloud technologies continue to receive high compensation. This article analyzes which salaries are declining, the reasons behind it, and examples of IT professionals reskilling into other sectors.
Where Salaries Are Declining or Slowing
Basic and generalist developer roles: Junior Full Stack, Frontend without specialization, QA manual tester. Salary growth is slowing and competition is increasing.
QA Manual and routine testing roles: automation and AI tools reduce demand and salary growth.
DevOps roles: AI and IaC tools take over routine tasks, salary growth slows.
Roles Still Growing
AI/ML engineers, Data Science specialists, Cloud architects, Security engineers. These roles see 10–15% annual growth as demand exceeds supply.
Real Career Shift Stories
User: DevAlex92
“After our team introduced automation and AI for tasks I used to do manually, the company changed the compensation package. My bonus was reduced and the salary no longer grows as before — it feels like an ‘overall pay cut’.”
User: CodeNinja87
“When I asked for a raise, they offered a new contract with a lower rate instead. They said AI tools could replace part of my work and reduce the budget.”
User: Techcreator
“My salary may look the same on paper, but the company removed bonuses and stock options — so my effective income dropped significantly. Many people on my team experience the same.”
Expert Opinions
HR Analyst: ‘The IT sector is not in crisis, but general roles lose some market position while specialized roles accelerate salary growth.’
Tech Recruiter: ‘Since 2024, clients demand clear skill specifications. Budgets for basic dev positions are optimized, while AI, Data, and security roles see rising figures.’
The IT sector is not broadly reducing salaries. The trend shows redistribution: moderate/low increases for routine roles and strong growth for specialized AI/ML positions.
Reskilling has become a real strategy for career advancement rather than a coincidence.