This report presents the median gross monthly salaries for twelve IT markets in the Netherlands. The data covers August 2024 through August 2026 and comes from real placement data. Cloud is the largest market with 328 observations. Architecture pays best with a median of €7,800 a month. The quarterly trends show Cloud easing slightly while Data and Java rise.
Method
The dataset contains 1,115 salary observations from 968 unique candidates, collected between August 2024 and August 2026. All amounts are gross monthly salaries based on a 40-hour week. The median is the leading figure: averages are sensitive to outliers and entry errors.
For each market the median is calculated over two periods: August 2024 through July 2025 (period 1) and August 2025 through August 2026 (period 2). Where enough data is available, quarterly figures are calculated as well.
Main findings
Cloud is the largest market (328 observations) and shows a slight decline: from €6,364 in the first year to €5,787 in the second. The quarterly figures confirm it: from €6,500 (Q3 2024) to €5,789 (Q1 2026), with a slight recovery in Q2 2026 (€5,959).
Architecture is the best paid market with a median of €7,800 a month, stable across the two periods. The quarterly figures move in a narrow band between €7,878 and €8,454. It is the only market where 76 percent of observations sit above €7,000 a month.
Data rises slightly from €5,704 to €5,800. Java rises from €5,192 to €5,800. Security shows the strongest rise: from €4,717 to €6,750, though the number of observations is small (12).
Sales stands out with a relatively large share above €8,000 (33% of observations) and is the most widely spread market.
Salary distribution
The distribution differs sharply by market. Cloud peaks at €5,000 to €6,000 (33% of observations). Architecture concentrates above €7,000 (76%). Engineering spreads evenly across €4,000 to €7,000.
Of the 328 Cloud observations, only 1 falls below €3,000 a month, while 31 sit above €8,000. Architecture’s centre of gravity is higher: 92 of the 187 observations sit above €8,000.
Quarterly trends
Four markets have enough data for quarterly trends: Cloud (8 quarters), Data (7), Engineering (6) and Architecture (5). Cloud declines gradually from €6,500 to €5,959. Architecture moves in a narrow band. Data fluctuates without a clear direction. Engineering peaks in Q2 2025 and eases slightly after.
The remaining markets have too few observations per quarter for a reliable trend line.
Coverage and limitations
Coverage differs sharply by market. Architecture has the highest coverage (10.1%): 226 candidates with salary data out of 2,236 in total. Cloud has 4.8% coverage, Sales 7.3%, and the smaller markets sit below 2%.
The figures are based on real placement data, not on surveys or self-reporting. That makes them more reliable than the average salary survey, but the sample is limited to the Pearson & Partners network.
Sources
- Pearson & Partners placement data, August 2024 through August 2026