IT is one of the most profitable sectors, employing hundreds of thousands of people in Poland, yet there is a constant shortage of employees. Specialists are highly valued, but salaries vary even by thousands, depending on whether we write backend code in Java or deal with the automation in DevOps.
Online security experts. Great responsibility and high salary.
No Fluff Jobs data for the first half of the year shows us that security specialists earn the most. In the case of a B2B contract they can expect up to PLN 23.1 thousand per month net. On a regular employment contract, however, they must be satisfied with the gross salary in the range of PLN 10.5 – 18 thousand. Such experts take on a lot of responsibility. That results in high salaries. Companies move more and more systems and data to the Internet, and their security must be taken care of. This can be sensitive personal or financial data. If it falls into the wrong hands, the consequences for the hacked company could be very painful.
Working with machine learning. How much do artificial intelligence specialists earn?
Artificial intelligence specialists occupy the runner-up position. On a regular contract they earn from 12.7 to 18 thousand PLN gross, while on a B2B contract they can count on an amount ranging from 17 to 23 thousand PLN. Their high position is the result of the requirements of employers for experts in algorithms. The use of machine learning can allow companies to build a competitive advantage, so that they are able to invest in attracting the best experts.
Automation Specialists. Check out the salaries for Devops roles
DevOps, or automation specialists, complete the podium. On a B2B basis, people employed as DevOps will earn between 16.8 thousand PLN and 22 thousand PLN. In the case of an employment contract, their salary can reach 17.6 thousand PLN. By using their skills they can save time of programmers, building and configuring environments in no time. Savings can be measured by Business Intelligence analysts (earnings up to PLN 14 thousand on a regular employment contract and PLN 18 thousand on B2B). Thanks to their knowledge of SQL and Python, as well as understanding of the business, they will be able to draw conclusions from the data and present them on visually attractive dashboards that will help managers make decisions.
Frontend and backend developers. How much do programmers earn?
Programmers are also highly valued – especially if they can handle the frontend and backend at the same time. Full stack developers earn between 10 and 15 thousand PLN (regular contract) and between 14 and 20 thousand PLN (B2B). They have such a wide range of skills that they can easily deal with both Java and JavaScript. They will take care of sending information to the database and website interface.
Only slightly lower on the pay ladder are developers who specialize in the backend, and project managers, or non-technical people. Although the knowledge of the ins and outs of the solution will help them better understand the challenges faced by the team, PMs should excel at planning or schedule management and… have the the ability to deal with crises. For their services they can demand from 12 to 16 thousand PLN (regular contract) or from 14 to 18 thousand PLN (B2B).
Are you interested in this topic? Take a look at the article “What does an IT Project Manager do? What are they responsible for and what competences should they have?
Variations in pay are influenced by experience and place of work
The abovementioned sums represent average median salaries. The amount you will see on your own contract depends on many factors. Experience is the most important of them. Mids, or moderately experienced specialists earn about twice as much as juniors. Seniors, on the other hand, can count on rates up to three times higher.
Location is another key factor. The Just Join IT salary report shows that a mid in Warsaw earns on average PLN 14.3 thousand on a job contract, while in Katowice it is only PLN 12.8 thousand and in Poznań PLN 11.6 thousand. We can also see that in the case of juniors the differences between the cities are slightly smaller, but the salaries of seniors differ to a similar extent. Therefore, although you can start in a small city, as you are climbing the corporate ladder it is a good idea to move to the capital … or start working fully remotely. In the third quarter of 2021, a record 64 percent of job offers gave employees the opportunity to work from anywhere on Earth – as long as they had high-speed Internet.
Which technologies pay the best? Which programming language is worth knowing?
Rates also vary depending on the technology you use. According to a report by inhire.io, the highest earners are Scala programmers – even PLN 23 thousand per month. This is an increasingly popular programming language, which perfectly fits the needs of modern solutions, that are distributed, parallel and flexible. It is fairly easy to learn for those who know Java, but it doesn’t yet offer such an extensive library of solutions as Java does.
Ruby programming language
Second on the podium is Ruby, which is a relatively simple, high-level language that websites like Twitch.tv and Shopify use. In addition to websites, Ruby is also used for text processing and prototyping new applications.
Python programming language
Python is also easy to learn and is the last one on the podium. Mastering it can open the door to a monthly salary of up to PLN 22 thousand (although this is the maximum amount). In that case, the employer will require you not only to create applications in Python, but also to use it for data analysis, which is becoming an increasingly common requirement in the new job advertisements for IT specialists.
Technology stack used in IT projects
While browsing offers it is important to pay special attention to technologies used in projects. Software houses usually do not keep the technology stack they use secret. Using the language in real life will be the best opportunity to improve your skills. Each language also has a community that you can become a part of and contribute to open-source software. This will not only test your skills, but also build a portfolio to show at a job interviews. Interacting with other programmers pro bono will also help you gain credentials.
IT is not afraid of crises
Salaries in IT have been rising steadily – even amid financial or pandemic crises. According to the Just Join IT report, in the first half of 2021, rates increased on average by 10 percent, and salaries are systematically rising in 3 out of 4 companies operating in IT. That is why this industry attracts young people hoping for a good start into adulthood. The abovementioned rankings will certainly help them invest time to explore the most promising technology.
