2025 Washington D.C. Tech Salary Guide

Stay ahead in the tech industry with Motion's 2025 Washington D.C. Tech Salary Guide. Hiring managers and those on the job hunting can apply these salary insights for 100+ tech roles and expert analysis on the evolving IT landscape & industry trends to make informed decisions in your career or hiring strategy.

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IT Salaries and Tech Market Insights for Washington D.C. in 2025

As tech unemployment rates remain around 2% and hiring becomes complex, Motion's 2025 Washington D.C. IT Salary Guide provides valuable insights for both your tech job search and your hiring strategies.

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Map Out Your 2025 Strategy for the Washington D.C. Tech Hiring Market

with Expert Insights & Salary Data

In the nation's capital, along with the rest of the country, the tech industry is now in a more stable state after five years of fluctuations. Now, Washington D.C. hiring managers and job seekers have to find a way to navigate the changing IT market effectively.

 

Motion's 2025 D.C. Tech Salary guide reviews the latest trends and salary data in the tech industry. Some of the topics discussed include national tech job postings now exceeding 500,000 each month, the ongoing shortage of cybersecurity professionals reaching 4 million globally, and despite concerns about technology replacing jobs, the rise of AI is actually increasing the workforce.

9.1%

Percentage above the national average

Washington D.C. tech salaries are 9.1% above the national average, with mobile and security roles both over 10% above the U.S. average.

3.4 Days

on average in the office

In-office attendance by IT workers at major American companies has risen from 1.1 days per week to 3.4 as the tech industry shifts away from remote work.
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Emerging Tech: AI and Beyond

While Artificial Intelligence is still a significant part of conversations in the D.C. tech world, other tech areas like digital twins are also attracting massive investments. The global market for digital twins is projected to exceed $75 billion by 2027.
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Q: What Advice Would You Give Washington D.C. Tech Job Seekers and Hiring Managers in 2025?

From Greg Olsen, Executive Director, Washington D.C. Office, Motion Recruitment

“Compromise will be key for hiring leaders and job seekers in Washington D.C. in 2025. Those looking for new opportunities should be willing to be in the office a few times a week, and companies should make that time in the office worthwhile, with a strong company culture and actual one-on-one time for mentorship and growth.”

What will I find in Motion's IT Salary Guide?

What Tech Job Data and Trends are Covered in the Guide?
  • The state of tech employment in 2025, with the impact of layoffs, economic conditions, IT job creation and the tech talent shortage.

  • How the tech industry has finally stabilized after five years of peaks and valleys.

  • Emerging technology: Cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and more: the tech skills and sectors businesses are hiring for in 2025.

  • Tech hiring and workplace trends, including tech workers heading back to the office, the move to skills-based hiring, and the golden generation in tech.

  • Advice from market experts on what you can do to succeed in 2025.
What valuable insights into IT salary data can I discover?

You will find starting salaries for mid and senior level ranges for over 100 specific job titles across technology areas. There are also city-specific variances included, which you can use to measure the regional salary ranges per tech job.

 

You will see IT salaries for top roles from the most in demand technology areas: Software, Data & AI, Security, Infrastructure & DevOps, Mobile, Functional, Product & UX and Executive.

Previous Salary Guides

Tech Hiring Market
Mid-Year Update 2024

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Tech Salary Guide
North America 2024

Download Guide

Tech Salary Guide
North America 2023

Download Guide

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good IT Salary?

A good IT salary varies based on experience, specialization, and location. According to Motion's national data, here are some examples of good IT salaries:

Mid-Level Positions:

  • Software Worker: $106,744 – $137,210
  • Back End Software Worker: $114,980 – $147,517
  • Front End Software Worker: $111,010 – $138,518
  • Python Developer: $122,941 – $155,230
  • Cloud Engineer: $122,241 – $152,930
  • QA Automation Engineer: $102,931 – $124,937

Senior-Level Positions:

  • Software Worker: $130,934 – $163,424
  • Back End Software Worker: $142,549 – $176,091
  • Front End Software Worker: $122,140 – $161,197
  • Python Developer: $141,281 – $177,027
  • Cloud Engineer: $137,396 – $177,349
  • QA Automation Engineer: $130,500 – $151,250

These salary ranges represent typical compensation levels across the United States.

What IT job has the highest salary in 2025?

In 2025, the IT job with the highest salary is a Chief Security Officer, with a salary ranging from $229,000 to $380,979. This reflects the critical importance of cyber security leadership in organizations.

Did IT Salaries increase in 2024?

The Year-over-Year (YoY) growth data for IT and Tech Salaries shows an increase in both mid-level and senior-level positions in 2024. 

Mid-Level IT Salary Growth: 

  • The minimum salary saw a YoY growth of 0.8%. 
  • The maximum salary experienced a YoY growth of 1.6%. 

Senior-Level IT Salary Growth: 

  • The minimum salary had a YoY increase of 0.7%. 
  • The maximum salary showed a YoY increase of 1.8%. 

Despite being slightly below the growth rate of 2% from the previous year, the current data still indicates a positive increase in IT and Tech Salaries, albeit at a slightly reduced pace. This upward trend reflects continued demand and valuation for tech skills across the industry

What impacted IT job growth in 2024?

IT job growth in 2024 was influenced by several key factors: 

  1. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: AI and machine learning roles were among the highest priorities for many businesses looking to transform in the upcoming years. There was a significant focus on reskilling in AI and Big Data, driven by substantial investments and expected market revenue growth.

  2. Generative AI Technology: There's a marked growth in generative AI technologies, which impacted job growth through increased demand for tech professionals skilled in these areas. Companies were investing heavily in AI processors within data centers, leading to an estimated quadrupling of spending by 2025.

  3. Compensation and Talent Availability: High compensation for AI-focused roles was notable, with some roles offering significant salary boosts compared to non-AI roles. The availability of skilled candidates in AI, although challenging, improved year-over-year, which influenced job market dynamics. 

These trends highlight how technological advancements, particularly in AI and machine learning, significantly shaped the IT job market in 2024.

Are IT salaries increasing?

IT salaries have continued to increase, with various roles showing different growth trends: 

.Net Developer Salaries: The salaries have shown an increase, with mid-level positions ranging from $100,645 to $126,544 and senior positions from $121,543 to $152,547, up around 4 percent year-over-year.

DevSecOps Engineer Salaries: Data Engineer salaries have increased, with mid-level salaries rising 12 percent year-over-year on average and ranging from $153,823 to $185,294 and senior roles jumping up 6.3% at the top end from $162,919 to $202,499. 

Cloud Engineer Salaries: Cloud engineers have seen an increase with mid-level salaries from $122,241 to $152,930 and senior positions from $137,396 to $177,349. 

Data Scientist Salaries: Data Scientist roles continue to grow, with mid-level salaries between $131,604 to $175,493 and senior positions ranging from $156,666 to $202,692, showing a YoY percentage raise of up to 11.7%.

Overall, IT salaries are still on the rise, though the growth is moderate compared to the increase seen in some past years. The increase varies by role, level and location, reflecting market conditions and demand for specialized skills.