2025 Japan IT and technology Salary Guide

Japan's technology sector faces a critical skills shortage, with a projected deficit of up to 790,000 IT professionals by 2030.^* This gap is most evident in high-demand areas such as cybersecurity and advanced architecture solutions, where the supply of specialized talent is limited. A key factor behind this shortage is Japan’s reliance on outsourcing technical work rather than developing in-house expertise. As complex projects increase, a shift toward building internal capabilities is expected to meet business demand.

Gender diversity in IT remains a challenge, with only 7% of women entering tertiary education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).^* Addressing this imbalance, alongside strengthening the talent pipeline, is essential for Japan to meet future technological demands and stay competitive globally.

The demand for tech talent continues to rise, driven by digital transformation and cybersecurity needs. Japan's employment landscape is shifting, with a move from the traditional lifetime employment model to increased mid-career hiring, reflecting the need for experienced professionals to lead digital innovation.

Salaries in the tech industry are increasing, especially in AI, cloud computing, and cybersecurity. Salary negotiation is becoming more common, signaling a trend toward competitive compensation strategies to attract and retain top talent in an increasingly competitive market.

View salaries by category

Starting salaries can vary greatly depending on a professional’s skills and experience, the company’s size, and demand for the role.

Software Engineering

Consulting & Technology Services

Cyber-Security

Data & Analytics

Technology Firms

Internal IT & Business Transformation

Infrastructure

Position title

25th percentile

50th percentile

75th percentile

Back End Engineer

5300000

8300000

12500000

Blockchain Engineer

5200000

8200000

12200000

Cloud Engineer / Architect

6300000

8300000

12500000

CTO (New Technology) / VP of Engineering

10000000

13500000

16700000

DevOps / SRE Engineer

7500000

9500000

12500000

Engineering Manager

9500000

12500000

14500000

Front End Engineer

6500000

8500000

10500000

Full Stack Engineer

6500000

8500000

10500000

Machine Learning / NLP / AI Engineer

6500000

10500000

13500000

Product Manager / Solution Architect

7500000

9500000

13500000

QA Engineer / Tester

5000000

7000000

9000000

Solution Engineer

8000000

11000000

14000000

IT / UX Designer

5500000

7500000

9500000

25th percentile

The candidate is new to the role and building the needed skills, experience and autonomy.

50th percentile

The candidate has the experience to perform core responsibilities without direct supervision and is comfortable with the role’s processes and subject matter.

75th percentile

The candidate delivers value beyond the stated job duties, has advanced qualifications and experience, and is ready for the next career level.

AI integration in Japan’s IT sector is growing rapidly, fueled by government and corporate efforts to address workforce challenges and enhance productivity. Sectors like healthcare, public administration, and manufacturing are adopting AI, with substantial investments in technology, creating high demand for AI talent to support Japan's digital transformation.

The IT industry has the highest Generative AI usage rate at 92.7% in Japan.* The IT industry has the highest Generative AI usage rate at 92.7% in Japan.*

Amid an ongoing and intensifying talent shortage in Japan, especially in IT to support digital transformation, companies are expected to implement notable pay increases in 2025. With competition for skilled workers at its peak, businesses are increasingly offering higher salaries to attract and retain talent, recognizing that securing the right expertise is vital for competitiveness and growth.

of companies considering salary increases of 3% to 5% for 2025.**** of companies considering salary increases of 3% to 5% for 2025.****

of companies expect a wage increase of 1% to 3%, and 8% expected an increase of less than 1% in 2025.***** of companies expect a wage increase of 1% to 3%, and 8% expected an increase of less than 1% in 2025.*****

In-demand jobs in technology

DevOps / SRE Engineer / MLOps / SecOps

AI Engineer (Machine learning, Computer vision, Deep learning, NLP etc.) / Data Scientist / Data Analyst

Cybersecurity Tech Lead / Information Security Manager

Project Manager / Product Manager

Software Engineer (Front-end / Back-end / Full-stack)

DevOps

Data Scientist

Product Manager

In-demand skills and experience in IT and technology

Cloud technologies: AWS, GCP, Azure, CI/CD, Jenkins, Docker, Kubernetes

Cybersecurity: ISO27001, ISMS, application security, vulnerability assessment

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML)

Data science and big data

How much should I earn or pay?

In-demand certifications and degrees in IT and technology

Cloud certification (AWS / GCP/ Azure)

CISSP / OSCP

CSM / CSPO

CKA / CKAD / CKS

Top industries hiring for IT and technology professionals

Technology / IT Vendors

Automotive / Mobility

E-commerce

Fintech

We know talent and we're here to help

Robert Half's talent solutions professionals help job seekers advance their careers and help hiring managers find skilled candidates. Find a job Hire talent

The salary benchmarks listed in Robert Half's Salary Guide are the result of a rigorous, multistep process to ensure our projections accurately reflect the marketplace. They are based on actual compensation for professionals Robert Half has matched with employers across the country.

The salaries listed in the salary tables represent starting compensation only, meaning pay for someone new to a company in the position listed. Company size, industry and the availability of remote work options can influence salaries. Our salaries do not include bonuses, benefits or perks. We report salaries in percentiles and ranges, recognizing that professionals join companies at varied experience levels.

Non-salary data referenced in this Salary Guide is based on third-party research. All external data sources are explicitly cited throughout.

^*Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI). Report on IT Human Resource Development.

^**OECD. Education at a Glance 2024: Country Notes – Japan.

^***Prorec. Survey on the Use of Generative AI in HR Operations.

^****Reuters. November Reuters Corporate Survey: Feasible Wage Increase Rates for Spring 2025 Negotiations, 10% of Companies Targeting '5% or More,' Doubling from Last Year.

^*****Reuters. Japan's Biggest Union Group Targets 5% Wage Hikes Next Year.