NSW IT Hiring Outlook FY25–26

New South Wales leads the way in Australia’s IT hiring trends, and it’s pointing to a market that’s smarter, sharper and full of opportunity.

It’s no surprise that New South Wales often signals where IT employment in Australia is headed. Not only does it boast the largest technology workforce in the country, but it’s also home to the Tech Central precinct and many of Australia’s biggest technology companies.

The state is currently seeing notable shifts from headcount growth to capability building, from volume hiring to a more selective process that are playing out across the country.

The pivot to highly skilled workers

Of all the states, NSW has experienced the most pronounced shift away from contract work and back to permanent hiring. We are now seeing a preference for long-term professionals with specialist skills in DevSecOps, AI integration, platform engineering, data science and test automation.

One big reason for this is the scale of the public sector in NSW, with its appetite for digital service delivery, AI strategy and cloud migration. The appetite for digital roles is also growing in clean technology and infrastructure due to the federal government’s ‘Future Made in Australia’ initiative, while the insurance and telecommunications sectors continue to drive sustained demand.

Candidates seeking stability, employers under pressure

NSW has also settled into a fairly balanced dynamic where bargaining power is concerned. Although employers maintain a deliberate approach to hiring, the competition for top talent is still fierce.

To attract skilled candidates, flexibility and hybrid options remain powerful incentives. However, many of these workers are also now seeking the stability that comes with a long-term role, such as:

• Job security and continuity
• Opportunities for career development
• The chance to do purpose-driven work

There is also more pressure on local employers to deliver these incentives.

In part, this is because the Federal Government’s skilled migration reforms have tightened access to overseas talent, increasing the competition for skilled, domestic workers. Likewise, other government initiatives like national privacy and online safety reforms, as well as pending legislation on AI governance are driving demand for professionals with expertise in compliance, data ethics and regulatory design.

Top tech roles in NSW and what they’re earning

Having crunched the numbers in our Talent Insights & Salary Guide for FY25–26, we can safely say that NSW offers a pretty competitive remuneration for most roles.

This is especially true for positions in DevOps, where NSW candidates tend to command higher salaries than those in other states. That being said, most permanent roles fall within the mid-to-top end of national salary bands:

Position	Salary Range
Cloud Solution Architect	$180,000 – $220,000
Cloud Engineer	$140,000 – $190,000
DevOps Lead	$170,000 – $210,000
DevOps Engineer	$140,000 – $180,000
Infrastructure Engineer	$120,000 – $150,000
Security Engineer	$130,000 – $160,000
Cyber Security Analyst	$140,000 – $160,000
Product Owner	$140,000 – $170,000

Contractors can also expect to receive rates that compare well with most other states, though the ACT offers the highest rates for cloud-based roles and Victoria leads the way for product owners.

High standards and high rewards

NSW remains a tight, competitive market both for candidates and employers. Companies are cautious in who they hire, but adaptable professionals who deliver long-term value will find no shortage of opportunities in the year ahead.