For several months, IT companies have been facing a significant slowdown in the industry. Many of them faced a number of challenges and difficult personnel decisions related to this. Some of them were forced to make difficult choices in the form of layoffs, job cuts and salary freezes, while others took a cautious approach, prioritizing slow but steady growth in uncertain times. The reasons for these changes include, among others: a large number of IT specialists that have appeared on the labour market in the Czech Republic in recent years, in conjunction with the expanding impact of artificial intelligence and business revision in organizations.
Evolution or revolution in the IT industry? And how does this relate to the earnings of IT specialists in the Czech Republic?
Cpl experts estimate that earnings in the IT industry in 2024 will remain at the same level in most specializations. The amount of remuneration of IT specialists will depend primarily on experience and the position held, but the area of specialization will also be important - the differences may even reach several dozen thousand Czech crowns. The current salary rates in the IT industry in the Czech Republic, in selected areas, are as follows:
• IT Technical Support: 38,000 CZK - 130,000 CZK gross
• Software Development specialists: 45,000 CZK - 200,000 CZK gross
• IT Security: 70,000 CZK - 130,000 CZK
• Administration: 60,000 CZK - 110,000 CZK
• Database: 80,000 CZK - 110,000 CZK
According to data collected by Cpl, employers are currently most often looking for specialists in the following areas: FrontEnd/BackEnd Developer, Software Architect, Cloud Engineer, DevOps Engineer, Business Analyst/Consultant
Salaries in IT in the Czech Republic compared to Central and Eastern European countries
Cpl, conducting recruitment in CEE countries, compared the pay rates offered for the same positions. The results of the "CEE Salary Guide 2024" report show that Czechs, who had the highest salaries in the region a year ago, are currently earning less then Poles - their salaries are comparable or even higher (depending on the position) than the Czechs nowadays. Poland is a leader in the region in terms of availability of qualified talent, especially in the case of niche positions or the latest technologies. The availability and quality of employees attract international companies to the Polish market. According to the comments of Cpl experts in the Czech Republic, local IT companies are saving heavily and have not increased salaries - the only positive changes concerned roles related to cloud solutions or DevOps. Slovaks, Hungarians and Bulgarians earn less on average than Poles and Czechs, with differences in individual positions amounting to up to 58 000 CZK. The smallest increase in rates on the Slovak market was recorded in the IT sector. Current salary rates in the IT industry in the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Hungary, in selected areas, are as follows:
Software Developer Java
Czech Republic avg. 90,000 CZK gross
Poland avg. 108,000 CZK (18,500 PLN gross)
Slovakia avg. 73,000 CZK (EUR 2,900 gross)
Hungary avg. 69,000 CZK (HUF 1,072,500 gross)
Bulgaria avg. 88,000 CZK (BGN 6,850 net)
Software Developer C/C++
Czech Republic avg. 90,000 CZK gross
Poland avg. 88,000 CZK (15,000 PLN gross)
Slovakia avg. 66,000 CZK (2,600 EUR gross)
Hungary avg. 80,000 CZK (1,240,000 HUF gross)
Bulgaria avg. 84,000 CZK (6,500 BGN net)
Data scientist
Czech Republic avg. 100,000 CZK gross
Poland avg. 138,000 CZK (23,500 PLN gross)
Slovakia avg. 87,000 CZK (3,450 EUR gross)
Hungary avg. 57,000 CZ (885,000 HUF gross)
Business Intelligence Developer
Czech Republic avg. 75,000 CZK gross
Poland avg. 94,000 CZK (16,000 PLN gross)
Slovakia avg. 61,000 CZK (2,400 EUR gross),
Hungary avg. 71,000 CZK (1,108,000 HUF gross)
The level of remuneration is influenced by economic conditions in individual countries, the size of the labour market and the presence of foreign entities.
Investments in the development of new skills of IT employees will be key to maintaining the competitiveness of companies - both business and personnel. Employers should verify their plans as soon as possible - including their personal competences - in order to offer their employees, the opportunity to acquire new skills, thereby increasing the competitiveness of companies on the labour market. As Cpl experts note, flexibility, adaptation to new market conditions and the use of technological development, combined with human potential, are becoming key elements for companies and IT professionals striving to achieve success in this constantly developing industry.
The data quoted above are only a small part of the statistics presented in the Cpl report "CEE Salary Guide 2024". The results of the study, along with expert opinions and forecasts for 2024, are available on the CEE Salary Guide 2024 (cpl.com)