2026 Phoenix Tech Salary Guide

Stay ahead in the tech industry with Motion's 2026 Phoenix Tech Salary Guide. Whether you're hiring or job hunting, get salary insights for 100+ tech roles and expert analysis on the evolving Phoenix IT landscape & industry trends to make informed decisions in your career or hiring strategy.

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IT Salaries and Tech Market Insights for Phoenix in 2026

Motion’s 2026 Phoenix 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 Phoenix Tech Hiring Market

with Expert Insights & Salary Data

As a growing tech hub in the United States, companies in Phoenix are seeking top IT talent to achieve their goals in 2026. Despite a 2.6% projected growth in core tech workers, many of those in the IT industry are pessimistic about their futures.
 
From the rollout of Agentic AI tools shifting the scope of work for tech workers to the rise in scammers both for job seekers and companies looking to hire, there’s a lot to keep in mind for those looking to thrive in the tech industry in 2026.
 
Motion’s 2026 Phoenix Tech Salary Guide is here to deliver insights on the trends IT leaders and workers care about, along with salary data from over 100 of the top tech roles.

$31.8 Billion

economic impact

The Phoenix IT industry has an annual economic impact of nearly $32 billion, one of the largest economic sectors in Phoenix.

$134K

average salary for Phoenix IT workers

The average base level compensation for all Phoenix tech workers is $134,215.

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Emerging Tech in Phoenix: Agentic AI and the Lack of Upskilling

Compared to any other industry, Phoenix tech workers are more concerned about layoffs than anyone else, Agentic AI advancements leading to job losses being one of the biggest reasons why. However, over half of all workers have made little or no effort to upskill in GenAI. Phoenix tech workers looking to get ahead of their competition should look to develop and enhance their AI skills in 2026.

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

From Andrew Slepitza, Executive Director of the Phoenix Office, Motion Recruitment

"Demand for tech workers in Phoenix will really depend on the role in 2026. For those building AI programs, it’s almost like free agency in sports, where companies are bidding against each other and workers move between competing companies quickly. For others, it can be more of a challenge to find the right fit.”

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

Tech Salary Guide
North America 2025

Tech Hiring Market
Midyear Update 2024

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good IT Salary in Phoenix?

Assessing a good IT salary in Phoenix requires consideration of role specialization, experience level, and market trends. The city’s emergence as a growing tech hub has contributed to increasingly competitive compensation across various IT positions.

According to 2026 data, mid-level IT roles in Phoenix typically range from approximately $79,000 to $145,000, depending on the specialty. For instance, a mid-level Systems Administrator earns between $79,249 and $97,936, while a mid-level Site Reliability Engineer’s salary ranges from $119,408 to $144,394. Data Engineers and Application Security Engineers also show strong earning potential, with mid-level salaries between $110,547 and $142,427.

A Senior Systems Architect commands between $150,202 and $159,533, while Senior Infrastructure and Security Architects earn between $146,203 and $165,644. Other senior IT roles, such as Microservices Engineers and Site Reliability Engineers, see compensation reaching up to $154,524 and $171,486, respectively.

While the average IT salary in Phoenix varies, it’s common for mid- to senior level professionals to earn over $100,000 annually. This reflects the city’s evolving technology landscape, where digital transformation initiatives drive demand for scalable expertise and precision in critical systems. Motion Recruitment continuously monitors these market dynamics to provide accurate insights into fair and competitive IT compensation in Phoenix and beyond.

What IT job has the highest salary in Phoenix?

In Phoenix, the highest paying IT job in 2026 is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) role, with senior level salaries ranging from approximately $192,000 to $236,000. This position commands the top salary tier largely due to its strategic leadership responsibilities and critical impact on technology direction and digital transformation initiatives within organizations.

Other roles with high compensation include senior level .Net Architects, earning between about $137,000 and $191,000, and Cloud Architects, whose salaries range from roughly $141,000 to $162,000. Infrastructure and Security Architects also demonstrate competitive earnings, with senior salaries reaching up to $166,000.

These figures for the IT salary in Phoenix reflect the demand for expertise in architecture, security, and leadership as organizations prioritize scalable and secure technology frameworks. The CTO’s higher pay band underscores the role’s importance in steering innovation and managing complex technical portfolios to achieve business objectives in this expanding tech environment.

Have IT salaries increased in Phoenix in 2026?

IT salaries in Phoenix have shown an upward trajectory in 2026, reflecting the evolving landscape and expanding viability of the region as a technology hub.


Salaries for mid-level and senior level professionals in related technical disciplines such as Software Developers range from about $100,000 to nearly $138,000 for mid-level and $115,500 to $138,000 for senior levels. Data Engineers and Cloud Engineers show even higher ranges, with senior level salaries reaching beyond $166,000 and $169,000 respectively. These figures suggest increasing compensation that aligns with demand for skills in AI, cloud, and data infrastructure roles.

Such increases in Phoenix IT salary benchmarks reflect organizations' continuing investment in skilled technology workers to ensure scalability, security, and a seamless experience in rapidly digitalizing markets.