Salary negotiation IT 2026: how to get more out of it
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Morten Laufer
Founder
For 2026, IT professionals expect significantly higher salaries, while companies are only budgeting around 3.1 per cent. Anyone wishing to resolve this conflict should not stubbornly negotiate the raw figure, but rather the framework conditions, level and timing, backed up by real benchmarks.
According to Kienbaum, companies are planning an average salary increase of only 3.1 percent in 2026, while the IT and telecommunications sector stands at 3.8 percent.
Internal salary increases usually yield 3 to 5 percent, while a job change is often required to achieve leaps of up to 20 percent for in-demand qualifications.
The strongest argument for more money is a solid benchmark, rather than an extreme counter-offer from another employer.
If the budget is rigid, negotiate for a title, remote working days or a fixed salary review in six months.
AI This article was created with the help of AI.
What is realistic in 2026: Budget, expectation and switching jobs
If you go into a salary negotiation as an IT specialist in 2026, you will face a changed reality on the employer side. While tech professionals continue to aim for significant increases after the inflation years, German companies are only planning an average salary increase of 3.1% according to the current Kienbaum salary development forecast. Although the IT and telecommunications sector is still slightly above this overall average at 3.8%, the scope for linear internal jumps has become noticeably narrower.
From our daily recruiting practice, we know that internal negotiations rarely fail due to a lack of performance, but rather due to rigid budget pools. With continuously good performance, but without a change of position, the usual increases are between 3 and 5%. Significantly larger levers only arise from role changes or an external move: with sought-after qualifications and high demand, salary jumps of up to 20% are possible when changing jobs, and up to 30% more salary is possible in the case of direct poaching. Across all role and job changes, however, the average is only 5% according to the McKinsey Global Institute, with the largest jumps ranging from 30 to 46%.
Situation | Realistic range | Prerequisite |
|---|---|---|
Internal salary adjustment (same role) | 3–6% | Above-average performance, target achievement |
Internal promotion / seniority level | 8–15% | Expanded responsibility, new role profile |
External job change in tech focus areas | 15–25% | Sought-after tech stack (e.g. SAP S/4HANA, Cyber, Cloud/AI) |
External change with severe undervaluation | 20–30%+ | Current salary was significantly below market benchmark |
Rigid and flexible: which part of the package is actually negotiable
In many IT organisations, the basic salary is linked to fixed salary bands and job profiles. When your manager says there is no budget, they usually mean that the upper limit has been reached for your current job level. Instead of stubbornly haggling over percentage points for the fixed salary, the path to a better overall package leads through the flexible components of the remuneration structure.
Component | Typical scope | When to raise |
|---|---|---|
Basic salary (fixed) | 3–6% internally | After proof of measurable project success |
Job level / title (e.g. Senior/Lead) | 8–15% jump | In the annual development review |
Signing / retention bonus | €5,000–€15,000 one-off | In the event of a job offer or project extension |
Variable component / target bonus | Redefine bonus share and target values | When agreeing new annual targets |
Training budget & certificates | €3,000–€8,000 p.a. | Directly when budget limits are reached for the basic salary |
Remote ratio & working hours | Flexibility / 4-day week | As compensation for a capped basic salary |
Holidays | 1–3 days extra | At the end of the negotiation as a concession |
Contractual salary review | Fixed review date after 6 months | If the current budget is blocked |
The most frequently overlooked lever is the contractually fixed salary review after six months. If a company cannot immediately reflect your desired salary in the current budget year, you agree on concrete milestones (such as the go-live of an SAP module or the set-up of a cloud pipeline) and a linked adjustment on the reference date.
Preparation: the benchmark is the argument
A successful negotiation is not based on personal need, but on valid market data. General portal averages often fall short here, as they dilute factors such as specialisation, tech stack and regional differences. A solid benchmark takes into account your specific specialist domain, company size and location.
Based on our placement data for 2026, clear corridors are emerging for specialised roles:
SAP consulting: Junior €45,000–€55,000, Mid-Level €55,000–€75,000, Senior €75,000–€100,000, Lead/Architect €100,000–€130,000+. Details can be found in our analysis of SAP consultant salaries.
Cybersecurity: Junior €50,000–€68,000, Senior €85,000–€125,000+, CISO €120,000–€160,000+.
AI, Backend & Cloud: Senior AI Engineers are at €95,000–€130,000, Cloud Architects at €98,000–€125,000. Further classifications are provided in our reports for Java developers as well as DevOps and cloud roles.
Also take regional premiums into account: Munich leads with a plus of 10–18%, followed by Frankfurt with 8–15%, Hamburg with 5–10% and Berlin with 5–8% compared to the national average. To determine your personal market value exactly before the interview, it is best to use our free tech salary calculator.
The interview: Order, phrasing, mistakes
In the actual interview, the way you lead the conversation determines whether your arguments hit home. Start in a solution-oriented way by backing up your value contribution over the past few months with key figures. A proven opening sentence is: 'I managed the migration of the backend services last year and measurably reduced system downtime. My goal is to adjust my compensation to reflect this increased responsibility and the current market.'
When mentioning the figure, do not state a rigid fixed amount, but a well-founded target range, the lower limit of which corresponds to your actual desired salary. If your counterpart signals a lack of budget, do not dwell on the sum, but open up the conversation for alternative levers: 'If the fixed budget for this quarter is closed, let's talk about adjusting my level to Senior status and a binding training budget for certifications.'
Mistake 1: Arguing with private living costs. Rent or inflation are not key performance indicators for companies; instead, list business impact, project milestones and market values.
Mistake 2: Using an external counter-offer as pressure. Anyone who only forces a salary increase with the threat of resignation is quickly placed on the internal departure list. Use benchmarks as factual information, not as blackmail.
Mistake 3: Going into the negotiation without an alternative. Prepare fixed lower limits and alternative packages (certificates, remote days, review clause) in advance.
Important for the conclusion: Every commitment belongs in a written addendum to the employment contract. Verbal promises of subsequent adjustments or budgets quickly expire if there is a change of leadership. If you would like to check what options the market currently offers you, Nova Search supports you with sound market data and mediates suitable positions for tech talents transparently and free of charge.
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FAQ
What is the average salary increase in IT in 2026?
According to Kienbaum, companies are planning average salary increases of 3.1 per cent for 2026. In the IT and telecommunications sector, the figure is around 3.8 per cent, which is significantly below what many IT professionals currently expect.
Is a 20% salary increase in IT realistic?
Internally, 20 per cent is extremely rare; the scope for annual adjustments is usually 3 to 5 per cent. Jumps of up to 20 per cent are realistic if you are a sought-after IT professional with highly in-demand qualifications and you change employers. Such a move is often the only way to achieve a major salary jump.
Which phrase is most convincing in a salary negotiation?
The most effective approach is a fact-based bracket rather than an exact figure: 'Based on the benchmarks from Nova Search and my increased level of responsibility, I see my salary in the range of X to Y euros.' This comes across as professional and leaves room for discussion.
How should I react if the company has no budget for a salary increase?
Accept the tight budget, but negotiate on framework conditions that do not cost direct money. Request a higher level, more remote days, a budget for further training, or lay down contractually that the salary will be bindingly reviewed again in six months.
Should I use an external counter-offer to negotiate a higher salary internally?
No, using a counter-offer as leverage is the worst starting point. You might force the company to pay more in the short term, but from then on you will be marked as someone who wants to leave. Instead, use market data and benchmarks before you even enter the conversation.
