2026 Remote Tech Salary Guide

Stay informed in the tech industry with Motion's 2026 Remote Tech Salary Guide. Whether you're hiring or seeking a new job, this guide offers valuable salary insights for over 100 tech roles. You’ll also find expert analysis on the evolving IT landscape and industry trends, helping you make informed decisions about your career or hiring strategy.

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IT Salaries and Tech Market Insights for 2026

Motion’s 2026 Remote IT Salary Guide gives you the info needed to navigate either your tech job search or hiring plans.

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Map Out Your 2026 Strategy for the Tech Hiring Market

with Expert Insights & Salary Data

The tech industry continues to evolve, and Motion Recruitment’s Tech Salary Guide is here to help workers and company leaders better understand the IT job market in 2026.
 
Artificial intelligence has shifted the skills companies are looking for in tech workers as Agentic AI appears to be the next step in the technology. Businesses are bringing their workers back to the office, and boomerang hiring has exploded in the past year.
 
Motion’s 2026 Guide explores these topics and other trends shaping the IT job market, providing salary information for the top tech roles.

175,000

added to the tech workforce

Core tech employment is projected to grow by just under 175k workers annually, showing the consistent need for skilled IT workers.

 

$148K

average salary for remote IT workers

The average base level salary for all remote tech workers in the United States is $148,930.

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Emerging Tech: Agentic AI and a Lack of Upskilling

While tech workers are the most concerned about getting laid off out of any group in the U.S., with many looking at advancements in Agentic AI tools leading to job losses. However, tech workers across the US are passing up the opportunity to grow their AI skillset. With over half of workers doing little or no upskilling in GenAI, those who are prioritizing learning to use AI programs as a productivity tool will thrive in the current market.

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Q: What Advice Would You Give Tech Job Seekers and Hiring Managers in 2026

From James Vallone, President of Motion Recruitment

“As artificial intelligence reshapes expectations across the tech industry, leaders are seeking flexible, comprehensive solutions tailored to their unique needs. IT leaders who combine market insights with data-driven decision-making will be best positioned to build teams — and careers — that are ready for what’s next. Staying current on emerging tools and cultivating strong professional networks is essential to driving progress for both organizations and individuals.”

What will I find in Motion's IT Salary Guide?

What tech job data and trends are covered in the guide?
  • The state of tech employment in 2026, with the impact of layoffs, economic conditions, IT job creation and the tech talent shortage.

  • The continuing impact of artificial intelligence on the job market, including a spike in data center construction, the need for upskilling in the tech industry and how AI is evolving the wearables market.

  • Tech hiring and workplace trends, including tech workers heading back to the office and IT workers boomeranging back to previous employers.

  • Advice from market experts on what you can do to succeed in 2026.
What valuable insights into IT salary data can I discover?
  • You will find starting salaries for mid and senior level ranges for over 100 specific job titles across technology areas. There are also city-specific variances included, which you can use to measure the regional salary ranges per tech job.

  • You will see IT salaries for top roles from the most in-demand technology areas: Software, Data & AI, Security, Infrastructure & DevOps, Mobile, Functional, Product & UX and Executive.

Previous Salary Guides

Tech Hiring Market
Midyear Update 2025

Download Guide

Tech Salary Guide
North America 2025

Download Guide

Tech Hiring Market
Midyear Update 2024

Download Guide

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Motion Recruitment is an equal opportunity employer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which IT job pays the most?

The highest paying IT job category in the tech industry is typically the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) role. Based on current salary data for 2026, senior level Chief Technology Officers earn between $187,377 and $260,644 annually, depending on location and whether the position is remote. For example, remote senior level CTOs can earn up to approximately $260,000, while in regional markets like Houston and Phoenix, salaries range from around $191,966 to $244,724.

By comparison, IT administrator salary ranges are notably lower. Remote senior level Network Administrators earn between approximately $113,292 and $121,081, reflecting the mid-tier positioning in the IT salary hierarchy. Other IT roles such as Information Security Engineers and Cloud Engineers command mid-level salaries ranging between roughly $117,000 to $188,000 for senior levels, indicating strong demand but below the highest executive tiers.

The significant salary differential underscores the critical strategic responsibilities held by CTOs — guiding digital transformation and technology innovation at the highest organizational levels. While IT administrator salary figures show stable demand for operational roles, the highest salaries remain concentrated in executive leadership within technology.

This salary landscape reinforces the expanding viability and financial incentives associated with leadership roles executing large-scale IT strategy and governance, as documented in the latest workforce metrics from Motion Recruitment.

Do IT jobs pay a lot?
IT jobs generally offer competitive salaries that reflect the specialized knowledge and evolving landscape of the technology sector. Based on market data for 2026, mid-level information security engineers earn between approximately $117,000 and $154,000 annually in remote roles, with senior levels ranging from $143,000 to $169,000.

Similarly, remote senior microservices engineers command salaries from around $144,000 to $171,000, while remote senior systems engineers earn between $118,000 and $145,000. Systems analysts see a slightly lower range, with senior roles earning up to about $122,000 remotely, while senior systems administrators typically fall between $117,000 and $127,000.

Regionally, salary benchmarks tend to rise in tech hubs such as San Jose, where mid-level information security engineers can earn between $131,000 and $171,000, and senior engineers make upwards of $159,000 to nearly $197,000. Database engineers in San Jose demonstrate a broad senior salary range between $143,000 and $212,000, representing some of the higher pay scales.

While IT salary ranges vary by geographic location, role specialization, and seniority, the compensation levels highlight the significant impact of IT professionals in driving digital transformation and infrastructure scalability. Salaries in the IT sector mirror the demand for skilled expertise and the critical errors that can arise without strong technical oversight.
Have IT salaries increased for remote roles in 2026?
IT salaries for remote roles in 2026 demonstrate a competitive range that reflects both the demand for remote work and the evolving landscape of digital talent acquisition. Salary data across various IT positions highlights the expanding viability and financial appeal of remote work arrangements.

For example, mid-level remote Network Engineers command salaries between $113,699 and $122,719, while senior roles escalate to a range of $124,026 to $148,143. Software Developers working remotely see mid-level compensation from $110,486 to $148,051 and senior level earnings from $127,794 to $152,484. More specialized positions, such as remote Cloud Engineers, exhibit even higher ranges, from $121,738 to $151,686 at mid-level and up to $187,631 for senior roles.

Additionally, remote Data Scientists have a significant impact on salary scales, with mid-level salaries starting around $141,889 and reaching $179,748, and senior positions topping nearly $200,000. This is indicative of the sector's appreciation for data-driven insights and AI capabilities requiring remote expertise.

Other technical roles like Systems Engineers, Sales Engineers, and Application Security Engineers also show solid remote salary structures, generally reflecting a seamless experience that balances robust compensation with the flexibility of remote work.

Collectively, these figures underscore that the IT salary remote market has not only expanded but also offers robust pay ranges that compete effectively with traditional, in-person roles. As organizations remain attuned to talent scarcity and the need for scalable, distributed teams, remote IT roles will continue shaping pivotal compensation trends.
What is a good IT salary for remote jobs?
Determining a good IT salary for remote jobs in 2026 involves understanding the ranges established for senior level technical roles, as these figures set meaningful benchmarks across the industry. According to current remote salary data, senior IT professionals in architecture and engineering roles generally earn between $143,000 and $211,000 annually.

For example, senior Remote Software Architects earn from approximately $169,000 to $204,000, while senior Systems Architects receive between $166,000 and $176,000. Other senior remote positions such as .Net Architects and Infrastructure and Security Architects show salaries ranging from $151,000 to over $211,000 and $161,000 to $183,000, respectively.

Specialized senior engineers like Detection Engineers command from about $161,000 up to $204,000, and Founding Engineers can reach nearly $198,000 in remote roles. Even roles in Microservices Engineering average between $144,000 and $171,000 for senior level professionals working remotely.

While salaries vary by specialization and market factors, these ranges reflect the significant impact and responsibility that come with senior remote IT roles.
What IT job has the highest salary for remote workers?
The IT job with the highest salary for remote workers is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) role. senior level CTOs working remotely command salaries ranging from approximately $212,000 to $261,000 annually.

Other high-paying remote IT positions include senior .Net Architects, who earn between $152,000 and $211,000, as well as Senior Software Architects with salaries between $169,000 and $204,000. Additionally, senior Cloud Engineers and Infrastructure and Security Architects see upper ranges close to $188,000 and $183,000, respectively.

While roles like Network Architect, Systems Architect, and Cybersecurity Architect offer competitive remote salaries in the $140,000 to $180,000 range, the expansive responsibility and strategic impact associated with CTO positions underpin their leading compensation. This demonstrates the critical nature of executive-level leadership in driving technology strategy and digital transformation efforts remotely.
What certifications boost IT salaries for remote jobs?
Certifications have a significant impact on IT salary remote opportunities by validating specialized skills that drive efficiency, scalability, and security in distributed environments. For instance, cloud certifications such as AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Microsoft Azure Administrator, and Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect are among the most valuable, often correlating with salary premiums.

According to current market data, Cloud Engineers with recognized certifications earn between $122,000 and $188,000 remotely, depending on experience and specific certification levels. Such credentials demonstrate expertise in cloud infrastructure management, crucial as companies continue shifting workloads to cloud platforms.

Additionally, certifications in cybersecurity (CISSP, CISM) and project management (PMP, Agile Certified Practitioner) consistently boost compensation for remote roles due to their role in mitigating critical errors and ensuring project success across remote teams. DevOps certifications (like Kubernetes Administrator and AWS DevOps Engineer) also align with higher pay ranges by enhancing deployment automation and system reliability.

IT salary remote positions increasingly reward certified professionals who can navigate the evolving landscape of cloud computing, security, and agility, supporting organizations’ digital transformation goals with measurable ROI.