Hiring Guides

Cloud, DevOps & Security Salary Guide 2026

What should you pay cloud engineers, DevOps and platform specialists, developers and security professionals in 2026 — and what will it take to keep them? Salary benchmarks, contractor day rates and hiring insight for employers, drawn from more than 20,000 market data points: global survey responses, placement activity and validated salary data spanning 19 countries.

20,000+

Market data points

19%

Avg. rise when switching jobs

75%

Firms short of tech talent

What does the cloud, DevOps & security hiring market look like in 2026?

Cloud adoption, security resilience and AI-driven development now sit at the centre of almost every transformation strategy. Organisations are modernising legacy systems, automating manual processes and expanding into AI-driven solutions — and that has reshaped the skills employers compete for. The strongest profiles combine cross-discipline depth across cloud, platform engineering, software delivery and security rather than a single isolated specialism.

Hiring supply has fallen behind. Three-quarters of firms (75%) report a shortfall in the technical skills their goals demand, half of hiring managers (50%) single out slow time-to-hire as their toughest staffing hurdle, and 39% flag too few seasoned candidates on the market. Hardest of all to land are senior architects, site reliability engineers and proven security leaders capable of delivering at scale inside complex, multi-cloud estates.

50%

of hiring managers say time-to-hire is their biggest challenge

66%

report growing appetite for AI talent this year

49%

of professionals prefer hybrid; 30% fully remote

8 mo

average contract length (8 months, 2 weeks)

How much do cloud, DevOps & security professionals earn?

The benchmark below shows the annual salary levels and contractor rates for employing cloud, DevOps and security professionals, grouped by discipline — Cloud & Infrastructure, Development and Security — and ordered from the United States, through the United Kingdom and Europe, to Australia and Canada, then Singapore and the wider APAC markets. Each table lists permanent pay by role alongside a contractor day-rate range in the final column. Figures are gross base amounts and exclude bonuses and incentives; where a market reports monthly pay (for example the Netherlands, Belgium, Singapore, Hong Kong and the Nordics) the region note makes this clear. Read each range as lower, medium and upper — and consider offering 10–15% above these figures to secure top talent in the most competitive markets.

As a quick orientation: in the United States a cloud architect sits at a medium of around $204,000, in the United Kingdom around £104,000, in Germany around €104,000, in Australia near A$209,000 and in Canada around CA$173,000. New Zealand lands near NZ$209,000, while Singapore reports about S$13,000 per month for the same role. Full role-by-role detail for all 19 markets follows below.

The US remains the priciest market on this list. A cloud architect commands a medium near $204,000 and a security architect $203,000, while DevOps and platform engineers cluster around $182,000–$190,000; senior contractors bill above $1,400 a day. Base pay is quoted annually and excludes bonus and equity, both of which run high in Silicon Valley and other coastal tech hubs.

United States (USD, gross annual base; contractor day rates in same currency)

Cloud & Infrastructure — United States

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Cloud Architect$169,000$204,000$245,000$1,430 – $1,540
Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)$164,000$198,000$217,000$1,255 – $1,410
Product Owner$160,000$193,000$220,000$1,100 – $1,275
DevOps Engineer$134,000$190,000$228,000$1,235 – $1,365
Cloud Engineer$138,000$182,000$220,000$1,190 – $1,320
Cloud Platform Engineer$138,000$182,000$237,000$1,235 – $1,365
Project Manager$142,000$182,000$212,000$1,015 – $1,190
System Administrator$110,000$143,000$177,000$840 – $970

Development — United States

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Technical Lead$174,000$199,000$231,000$1,355 – $1,575
Back-End Developer$105,000$152,000$215,000$825 – $1,465
Software Engineer$94,000$137,000$224,000$755 – $1,295
Full Stack Developer$99,000$144,000$198,000$790 – $1,350
Quality Assurance (QA) Engineer$82,000$121,000$169,000$665 – $1,155
Front-End Developer$88,000$130,000$182,000$715 – $1,240

Security — United States

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Security Architect$176,000$203,000$242,000$1,190 – $1,410
Information Security Manager$165,000$198,000$237,000$1,190 – $1,450
Cybersecurity Specialist$154,000$187,000$215,000$945 – $1,100
Cloud Security Engineer$139,000$182,000$227,000$1,235 – $1,365
Security Analyst$116,000$151,000$171,000$1,035 – $1,230

UK employers benchmark cloud architects at roughly £104,000 and security architects at £110,000, with DevOps and platform specialists nearer £75,000–£78,000. Contract demand stays firm across regulated sectors, where day rates for architect-grade profiles reach the £1,000 mark. IR35 status continues to shape how contract engagements are structured.

United Kingdom (GBP, gross annual base; contractor day rates in same currency)

Cloud & Infrastructure — United Kingdom

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Cloud Architect£84,000£104,000£134,000£815 – £1,045
Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)£77,000£94,000£119,000£665 – £825
Project Manager£56,000£79,000£114,000£580 – £690
Cloud Engineer£57,000£78,000£109,000£595 – £715
DevOps Engineer£58,000£75,000£110,000£615 – £770
Product Owner£60,000£75,000£100,000£620 – £745
Platform Engineer£49,000£68,000£98,000£675 – £825
System Administrator£40,000£52,000£80,000£470 – £570

Development — United Kingdom

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Technical Lead£90,000£108,000£130,000£735 – £885
Software Developer£43,000£69,000£100,000£375 – £620
Back-End Developer£46,000£75,000£97,000£415 – £660
Full Stack Developer£44,000£72,000£94,000£390 – £640
Front-End Developer£42,000£66,000£88,000£360 – £600
Quality Assurance (QA) Engineer£45,000£61,000£92,000£400 – £470

Security — United Kingdom

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Security Architect£94,000£110,000£138,000£825 – £1,045
Information Security Manager£88,000£105,000£130,000£690 – £935
Cloud Security Engineer£53,000£95,000£104,000£690 – £935
Cybersecurity Specialist£66,000£83,000£108,000£715 – £935
Security Analyst£50,000£61,000£79,000£690 – £935

Germany pays cloud and security architects around €104,000–€110,000, with technical leads reaching €116,000 and DevOps engineers near €83,000. The Mittelstand and large automotive and industrial groups drive steady appetite for platform and cloud engineering talent, and daily contractor rates for senior profiles push past €1,100.

Europe — Germany (EUR, gross annual base; contractor day rates in same currency)

Cloud & Infrastructure — Germany

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Cloud Architect82,000104,000126,000€1,045 – €1,210
Project Manager85,000101,000116,000€825 – €935
Product Owner81,000100,000126,000€880 – €990
Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)75,00090,000112,000€935 – €1,045
Platform Engineer77,00087,000112,000€935 – €1,045
Cloud Engineer69,00087,000104,000€825 – €935
DevOps Engineer78,00083,00092,000€880 – €990
System Administrator57,00074,00091,000€605 – €715

Development — Germany

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Technical Lead97,000116,000140,000€790 – €955
Software Developer56,00079,000105,000€450 – €715
Back-End Developer61,00086,000116,000€490 – €790
Full Stack Developer57,00081,000108,000€465 – €735
Front-End Developer55,00076,000101,000€435 – €690
Quality Assurance (QA) Engineer57,00074,00091,000€650 – €750

Security — Germany

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Security Architect94,000110,000143,000€1,155 – €1,320
Information Security Manager88,000105,000132,000€1,075 – €1,210
Cloud Security Engineer79,00097,000114,000€1,020 – €1,155
Cybersecurity Specialist72,00088,000112,000€910 – €1,045
Security Analyst61,00072,00088,000€715 – €825

French mediums place cloud architects at about €87,000 and security architects at €94,000, with technical leads near €110,000. Demand concentrates in Paris and Lyon, where regulated finance and public-sector modernisation programmes keep cloud, SRE and security hiring competitive.

Europe — France (EUR, gross annual base; contractor day rates in same currency)

Cloud & Infrastructure — France

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Cloud Architect75,00087,00092,000€910 – €1,045
Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)61,00077,00099,000€770 – €880
Project Manager52,00073,00081,000€770 – €880
Product Owner58,00072,00081,000€715 – €825
DevOps Engineer51,00068,00074,000€715 – €825
Cloud Engineer52,00064,00080,000€705 – €860
Platform Engineer50,00059,00074,000€770 – €880
System Administrator44,00058,00067,000€550 – €660

Development — France

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Technical Lead75,000110,000135,000€750 – €920
Back-End Developer53,00073,00099,000€415 – €675
Full Stack Developer51,00069,00095,000€395 – €645
Front-End Developer48,00067,00089,000€385 – €605
Software Developer50,00068,00092,000€390 – €625
Quality Assurance (QA) Engineer48,00064,00074,000€605 – €725

Security — France

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Security Architect77,00094,000121,000€965 – €1,100
Information Security Manager72,00088,000110,000€770 – €770
Cloud Security Engineer66,00083,000105,000€855 – €990
Cybersecurity Specialist55,00072,00094,000€745 – €880
Security Analyst46,00055,00068,000€605 – €770

Dutch pay is quoted monthly, excluding the customary 8% holiday allowance. Cloud and security architects sit around €9,400 a month, technical leads near €9,700, and DevOps and platform engineers around €6,400–€6,500. The 30% ruling for eligible international hires can materially lift take-home pay.

Europe — Netherlands (EUR, gross monthly base (excludes 8% holiday allowance); contractor day rates in same currency)

Cloud & Infrastructure — Netherlands (monthly)

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Cloud Architect7,6009,40012,000€1,055 – €1,275
Product Owner5,3006,6008,300€815 – €1,010
Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)5,5006,8008,600€880 – €1,055
Cloud Engineer4,5006,4007,900€770 – €925
Platform Engineer4,4006,5008,000€880 – €1,055
DevOps Engineer5,1006,4007,900€835 – €1,010
Project Manager5,1006,4007,900€880 – €1,055
System Administrator3,8004,7005,900€660 – €790

Development — Netherlands (monthly)

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Technical Lead7,0009,70011,700€790 – €955
Software Developer4,3006,3008,800€425 – €710
Back-End Developer4,7006,8009,300€455 – €760
Full Stack Developer4,4006,4008,900€430 – €725
Front-End Developer4,3006,2008,400€415 – €690
Quality Assurance (QA) Engineer4,2005,2006,500€635 – €780

Security — Netherlands (monthly)

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Security Architect7,6009,40012,000€1,100 – €1,320
Information Security Manager7,2008,90011,000€1,035 – €1,230
Cloud Security Engineer6,5008,10010,300€970 – €1,145
Cybersecurity Specialist5,5006,8008,700€860 – €1,055
Security Analyst4,4005,5007,000€640 – €790

Belgian salaries are monthly and typically carry a 13th-month payment on top. Cloud architects sit near €7,400, security architects €7,900 and technical leads €7,100 a month, with meal vouchers, insurance and company cars common in the wider package.

Europe — Belgium (EUR, gross monthly base (typically plus a 13th-month payment); contractor day rates in same currency)

Cloud & Infrastructure — Belgium (monthly)

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Cloud Architect6,2007,4009,100€1,020 – €1,210
Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)5,1006,2007,800€910 – €1,045
Platform Engineer5,1006,2007,800€910 – €1,045
DevOps Engineer5,0005,9007,300€855 – €990
Product Owner5,0005,9007,500€855 – €990
Project Manager4,7005,8007,300€800 – €935
Cloud Engineer4,0005,4007,200€800 – €935
System Administrator3,3004,0004,800€590 – €715

Development — Belgium (monthly)

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Technical Lead5,9007,1009,100€990 – €1,155
Full Stack Developer4,5005,6006,900€770 – €900
Back-End Developer4,5005,6006,900€770 – €900
Software Developer3,9005,3007,100€700 – €825
Front-End Developer4,1005,0006,300€735 – €860
Quality Assurance (QA) Engineer3,6004,3005,400€640 – €750

Security — Belgium (monthly)

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Security Architect6,7007,90010,200€1,130 – €1,320
Information Security Manager6,4007,6009,500€1,045 – €1,210
Cloud Security Engineer5,9007,1009,100€990 – €1,155
Cybersecurity Specialist5,0006,3008,000€880 – €1,045
Security Analyst4,0004,7005,800€700 – €825

Spain offers lower nominal pay than northern Europe: cloud architects around €81,000, security architects €79,000 and technical leads €80,000. Barcelona and Madrid host a fast-growing base of nearshore delivery centres, sustaining demand for developers, DevOps and cloud engineers.

Europe — Spain (EUR, gross annual base; contractor day rates in same currency)

Cloud & Infrastructure — Spain

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Cloud Architect68,00081,00094,000€550 – €640
Project Manager45,00068,00079,000€465 – €540
Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)53,00066,00086,000€450 – €585
DevOps Engineer50,00061,00083,000€415 – €565
Product Owner44,00059,00068,000€400 – €465
Platform Engineer34,00057,00078,000€390 – €530
Cloud Engineer44,00055,00066,000€375 – €450
System Administrator40,00051,00056,000€350 – €380

Development — Spain

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Technical Lead59,00080,000100,000€545 – €680
Back-End Developer35,00053,00077,000€285 – €525
Software Developer32,00049,00071,000€265 – €485
Quality Assurance (QA) Engineer29,00044,00063,000€235 – €430
Full Stack Developer33,00051,00073,000€275 – €500
Front-End Developer31,00047,00068,000€250 – €465

Security — Spain

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Security Architect68,00079,000110,000€540 – €750
Information Security Manager66,00075,000105,000€510 – €715
Cloud Security Engineer54,00062,00079,000€425 – €540
Cybersecurity Specialist48,00059,00083,000€400 – €565
Security Analyst35,00044,00061,000€300 – €415

Swedish pay is annual in kronor, with cloud and security architects near Kr 1,200,000 and technical leads at the same level. Stockholm's product and fintech scene keeps platform engineering, SRE and security specialists in short supply.

Europe — Sweden (SEK (Kr), gross annual base; contractor day rates in same currency)

Cloud & Infrastructure — Sweden

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Cloud ArchitectKr 990,000Kr 1,200,000Kr 1,400,000Kr 8,180 – Kr 9,545
Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)Kr 902,000Kr 1,078,000Kr 1,300,000Kr 7,350 – Kr 8,865
Platform EngineerKr 825,000Kr 1,067,000Kr 1,300,000Kr 7,275 – Kr 8,865
DevOps EngineerKr 880,000Kr 1,045,000Kr 1,300,000Kr 7,125 – Kr 8,865
Product OwnerKr 858,000Kr 1,012,000Kr 1,200,000Kr 6,900 – Kr 8,180
Project ManagerKr 825,000Kr 990,000Kr 1,200,000Kr 6,750 – Kr 8,180
Cloud EngineerKr 825,000Kr 968,000Kr 1,300,000Kr 6,600 – Kr 8,865
System AdministratorKr 660,000Kr 770,000Kr 913,000Kr 5,250 – Kr 6,225

Development — Sweden

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Technical LeadKr 990,000Kr 1,200,000Kr 1,300,000Kr 8,180 – Kr 8,865
Software DeveloperKr 770,000Kr 990,000Kr 1,100,000Kr 6,750 – Kr 7,500
Full Stack DeveloperKr 770,000Kr 990,000Kr 1,100,000Kr 6,750 – Kr 7,500
Back-End DeveloperKr 792,000Kr 935,000Kr 1,200,000Kr 6,375 – Kr 8,180
Front-End DeveloperKr 748,000Kr 880,000Kr 1,100,000Kr 6,000 – Kr 7,500
Quality Assurance (QA) EngineerKr 660,000Kr 770,000Kr 935,000Kr 5,250 – Kr 6,375

Security — Sweden

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Security ArchitectKr 1,045,000Kr 1,200,000Kr 1,500,000Kr 8,180 – Kr 10,225
Information Security ManagerKr 990,000Kr 1,200,000Kr 1,400,000Kr 8,180 – Kr 9,545
Cloud Security EngineerKr 968,000Kr 1,100,000Kr 1,400,000Kr 7,500 – Kr 9,545
Cybersecurity SpecialistKr 858,000Kr 1,012,000Kr 1,300,000Kr 6,900 – Kr 8,865
Security AnalystKr 825,000Kr 990,000Kr 1,200,000Kr 6,750 – Kr 8,180

Norwegian benchmarks run high in local terms, with security architects leading the field and cloud architects, technical leads and cloud security engineers close behind. Energy, maritime and public-sector modernisation underpin demand for infrastructure and security talent.

Europe — Norway (NOK (Kr), gross annual base; contractor day rates in same currency)

Cloud, Development & Security — Norway

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Security ArchitectKr 68,000Kr 81,000Kr 105,000Kr 550 – Kr 715
Cloud ArchitectKr 66,000Kr 77,000Kr 95,000Kr 525 – Kr 650
Information Security ManagerKr 66,000Kr 77,000Kr 99,000Kr 525 – Kr 675
Technical LeadKr 61,000Kr 72,000Kr 90,000Kr 490 – Kr 615
Cloud Security EngineerKr 61,000Kr 72,000Kr 90,000Kr 490 – Kr 615
Cloud EngineerKr 53,000Kr 66,000Kr 84,000Kr 450 – Kr 575
Product OwnerKr 53,000Kr 65,000Kr 82,000Kr 445 – Kr 545
DevOps EngineerKr 53,000Kr 65,000Kr 77,000Kr 445 – Kr 525
Cybersecurity SpecialistKr 53,000Kr 64,000Kr 81,000Kr 435 – Kr 550
Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)Kr 55,000Kr 64,000Kr 81,000Kr 435 – Kr 550
Platform EngineerKr 55,000Kr 64,000Kr 81,000Kr 435 – Kr 550
Software DeveloperKr 50,000Kr 65,000Kr 78,000Kr 445 – Kr 530
Project ManagerKr 51,000Kr 59,000Kr 75,000Kr 400 – Kr 510
Back-End DeveloperKr 50,000Kr 57,000Kr 72,000Kr 390 – Kr 490
Full Stack DeveloperKr 51,000Kr 55,000Kr 68,000Kr 375 – Kr 465
Front-End DeveloperKr 46,000Kr 54,000Kr 66,000Kr 370 – Kr 450
Security AnalystKr 44,000Kr 52,000Kr 64,000Kr 355 – Kr 435
System AdministratorKr 42,000Kr 50,000Kr 60,000Kr 335 – Kr 410
Quality Assurance (QA) EngineerKr 42,000Kr 50,000Kr 61,000Kr 340 – Kr 415

Finnish pay is quoted monthly, with security architects around €7,300, cloud architects €6,700 and technical leads €6,500. Helsinki's gaming, telecoms and industrial-tech employers compete hardest for cloud, security and platform engineering skills.

Europe — Finland (EUR, gross monthly base; contractor day rates in same currency)

Cloud, Development & Security — Finland (monthly)

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Cloud Architect5,7006,7008,400€905 – €1,055
Security Architect6,2007,3009,500€970 – €1,145
Information Security Manager5,8006,8008,800€925 – €1,100
Technical Lead5,5006,5008,300€880 – €1,055
Cloud Security Engineer5,5006,5008,300€880 – €1,055
Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)4,8005,8007,400€750 – €835
Platform Engineer4,8005,8007,400€750 – €835
Cybersecurity Specialist4,8005,8007,600€840 – €970
Product Owner4,6005,6007,200€750 – €880
DevOps Engineer4,6005,5006,900€750 – €835
Project Manager4,5005,4006,900€795 – €880
Cloud Engineer4,4005,2006,500€795 – €880
Back-End Developer4,4005,3006,700€705 – €790
Full Stack Developer4,3005,1006,400€705 – €790
Front-End Developer4,2005,0006,300€705 – €790
Software Developer4,0004,7005,800€705 – €790
Security Analyst4,0004,7005,800€620 – €750
System Administrator3,6004,3005,200€550 – €660
Quality Assurance (QA) Engineer3,6004,3005,400€550 – €660

Danish salaries are monthly in kroner, led by security and cloud roles: security architects near Kr 79,000, cloud architects Kr 72,000 and information security managers Kr 75,000. Copenhagen's life-sciences and fintech clusters drive cloud and cyber hiring.

Europe — Denmark (DKK (Kr), gross monthly base; contractor day rates in same currency)

Cloud, Development & Security — Denmark (monthly)

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Cloud ArchitectKr 66,000Kr 72,000Kr 77,000Kr 5,890 – Kr 6,300
Information Security ManagerKr 64,000Kr 75,000Kr 97,000Kr 6,135 – Kr 7,935
Security ArchitectKr 66,000Kr 79,000Kr 88,000Kr 6,465 – Kr 7,200
Cloud Security EngineerKr 61,000Kr 72,000Kr 88,000Kr 5,890 – Kr 7,200
Technical LeadKr 61,000Kr 69,000Kr 77,000Kr 5,645 – Kr 6,300
Project ManagerKr 62,000Kr 72,000Kr 78,000Kr 5,890 – Kr 6,380
Cloud EngineerKr 61,000Kr 66,000Kr 72,000Kr 5,400 – Kr 5,890
DevOps EngineerKr 50,000Kr 66,000Kr 72,000Kr 5,400 – Kr 5,890
Cybersecurity SpecialistKr 53,000Kr 64,000Kr 81,000Kr 5,235 – Kr 6,625
Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)Kr 55,000Kr 64,000Kr 68,000Kr 5,235 – Kr 5,565
Platform EngineerKr 50,000Kr 63,000Kr 72,000Kr 5,155 – Kr 5,890
Back-End DeveloperKr 50,000Kr 61,000Kr 72,000Kr 4,990 – Kr 5,890
Product OwnerKr 50,000Kr 57,000Kr 72,000Kr 4,665 – Kr 5,890
System AdministratorKr 44,000Kr 55,000Kr 66,000Kr 4,500 – Kr 5,400
Software DeveloperKr 44,000Kr 55,000Kr 66,000Kr 4,500 – Kr 5,400
Full Stack DeveloperKr 44,000Kr 55,000Kr 66,000Kr 4,500 – Kr 5,400
Front-End DeveloperKr 42,000Kr 52,000Kr 62,000Kr 4,255 – Kr 5,075
Quality Assurance (QA) EngineerKr 44,000Kr 52,000Kr 61,000Kr 4,255 – Kr 4,990
Security AnalystKr 44,000Kr 52,000Kr 64,000Kr 4,255 – Kr 5,235

Poland is quoted monthly in złoty and remains a leading nearshore hub. Cloud and security architects sit near zł 28,000, technical leads at the same level, and developers around zł 25,000, making it a cost-effective base for scaling engineering and security teams.

Europe — Poland (PLN (zł), gross monthly base; contractor day rates in same currency)

Cloud, Development & Security — Poland (monthly)

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Cloud Architect23,00028,00031,000zł 2,290 – zł 2,535
Information Security Manager22,00028,00032,000zł 2,290 – zł 2,620
Security Architect23,00028,00031,000zł 2,290 – zł 2,535
Technical Lead22,00028,00032,000zł 2,290 – zł 2,620
Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)22,00025,00029,000zł 2,045 – zł 2,375
Project Manager17,00025,00030,000zł 2,045 – zł 2,455
Software Developer20,00025,00030,000zł 2,045 – zł 2,455
Full Stack Developer20,00025,00030,000zł 2,045 – zł 2,455
Back-End Developer20,00025,00030,000zł 2,045 – zł 2,455
Cybersecurity Specialist19,00024,00029,000zł 1,965 – zł 2,375
Cloud Engineer18,00023,00029,000zł 1,880 – zł 2,375
DevOps Engineer20,00023,00029,000zł 1,880 – zł 2,375
Platform Engineer18,00023,00029,000zł 1,880 – zł 2,375
Product Owner18,00023,00029,000zł 1,880 – zł 2,375
Cloud Security Engineer18,00023,00029,000zł 1,880 – zł 2,375
Quality Assurance (QA) Engineer21,00023,00029,000zł 1,880 – zł 2,375
Security Analyst15,00021,00026,000zł 1,720 – zł 2,125
Front-End Developer17,00020,00025,000zł 1,635 – zł 2,045
System Administrator12,00013,00017,000zł 1,065 – zł 1,390

Australian pay excludes superannuation and sits among the highest here: cloud architects around A$209,000, security architects A$198,000 and technical leads A$205,000. Sydney and Melbourne banking, government and resources employers compete hard for cloud, SRE and security specialists.

Australia (AUD (A$), gross annual base (excludes superannuation); contractor day rates in same currency)

Cloud & Infrastructure — Australia

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Cloud ArchitectA$176,000A$209,000A$242,000A$1,515 – A$1,760
Project ManagerA$154,000A$187,000A$220,000A$1,155 – A$1,375
Platform EngineerA$154,000A$176,000A$209,000A$1,295 – A$1,485
Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)A$149,000A$171,000A$209,000A$1,210 – A$1,430
Cloud EngineerA$132,000A$165,000A$198,000A$1,100 – A$1,265
DevOps EngineerA$143,000A$165,000A$198,000A$1,210 – A$1,430
Product OwnerA$138,000A$160,000A$193,000A$1,210 – A$1,430
System AdministratorA$110,000A$132,000A$154,000A$770 – A$935

Development — Australia

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Technical LeadA$179,000A$205,000A$238,000A$1,400 – A$1,620
Full Stack DeveloperA$105,000A$152,000A$204,000A$865 – A$1,390
Software DeveloperA$102,000A$147,000A$196,000A$830 – A$1,335
Front-End DeveloperA$99,000A$141,000A$187,000A$790 – A$1,275
Back-End DeveloperA$110,000A$156,000A$209,000A$885 – A$1,425
Quality Assurance (QA) EngineerA$99,000A$132,000A$165,000A$935 – A$1,100

Security — Australia

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Security ArchitectA$176,000A$198,000A$242,000A$1,570 – A$1,815
Information Security ManagerA$171,000A$193,000A$231,000A$1,485 – A$1,760
Cloud Security EngineerA$160,000A$182,000A$220,000A$1,375 – A$1,650
Cybersecurity SpecialistA$143,000A$165,000A$198,000A$1,265 – A$1,430
Security AnalystA$132,000A$154,000A$176,000A$1,075 – A$1,210

New Zealand pay excludes KiwiSaver contributions. Cloud and security architects sit near NZ$209,000, technical leads NZ$187,000 and DevOps engineers NZ$165,000. Auckland and Wellington public-sector and financial-services programmes sustain steady cloud and cyber demand.

New Zealand (NZD (NZ$), gross annual base (excludes KiwiSaver); contractor day rates in same currency)

Cloud & Infrastructure — New Zealand

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Cloud ArchitectNZ$176,000NZ$209,000NZ$253,000NZ$1,320 – NZ$1,540
Platform EngineerNZ$143,000NZ$165,000NZ$198,000NZ$1,155 – NZ$1,320
DevOps EngineerNZ$132,000NZ$165,000NZ$198,000NZ$1,100 – NZ$1,320
Cloud EngineerNZ$99,000NZ$154,000NZ$198,000NZ$1,100 – NZ$1,320
Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)NZ$127,000NZ$149,000NZ$187,000NZ$1,045 – NZ$1,210
Product OwnerNZ$121,000NZ$143,000NZ$176,000NZ$1,100 – NZ$1,320
Project ManagerNZ$121,000NZ$143,000NZ$165,000NZ$1,045 – NZ$1,265
System AdministratorNZ$99,000NZ$138,000NZ$176,000NZ$770 – NZ$880

Development — New Zealand

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Technical LeadNZ$154,000NZ$187,000NZ$220,000NZ$1,210 – NZ$1,430
Full Stack DeveloperNZ$110,000NZ$143,000NZ$176,000NZ$1,045 – NZ$1,210
Front-End DeveloperNZ$110,000NZ$143,000NZ$176,000NZ$1,045 – NZ$1,210
Back-End DeveloperNZ$110,000NZ$143,000NZ$176,000NZ$1,045 – NZ$1,210
Software DeveloperNZ$99,000NZ$132,000NZ$165,000NZ$1,020 – NZ$1,210
Quality Assurance (QA) EngineerNZ$94,000NZ$121,000NZ$154,000NZ$880 – NZ$1,100

Security — New Zealand

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Security ArchitectNZ$176,000NZ$209,000NZ$242,000NZ$1,375 – NZ$1,650
Information Security ManagerNZ$154,000NZ$182,000NZ$215,000NZ$1,265 – NZ$1,540
Cloud Security EngineerNZ$138,000NZ$160,000NZ$204,000NZ$990 – NZ$1,430
Cybersecurity SpecialistNZ$121,000NZ$143,000NZ$187,000NZ$1,100 – NZ$1,320
Security AnalystNZ$105,000NZ$121,000NZ$149,000NZ$1,075 – NZ$1,210

Canadian mediums place cloud architects near CA$173,000, security architects CA$173,000 and technical leads CA$169,000, with DevOps engineers around CA$162,000. Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal anchor demand across cloud, development and cyber security.

Canada (CAD, gross annual base; contractor day rates in same currency)

Cloud & Infrastructure — Canada

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Cloud Architect$144,000$173,000$208,000$1,180 – $1,420
Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)$139,000$168,000$184,000$1,145 – $1,255
Product Owner$136,000$164,000$187,000$1,120 – $1,275
DevOps Engineer$114,000$162,000$194,000$1,105 – $1,325
Cloud Engineer$117,000$155,000$187,000$1,055 – $1,275
Cloud Platform Engineer$117,000$155,000$201,000$1,055 – $1,370
Project Manager$121,000$155,000$180,000$1,055 – $1,225
System Administrator$94,000$122,000$150,000$830 – $1,025

Development — Canada

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Technical Lead$148,000$169,000$196,000$1,150 – $1,335
Back-End Developer$89,000$129,000$183,000$700 – $1,250
Software Engineer$80,000$117,000$190,000$640 – $1,295
Full Stack Developer$84,000$122,000$168,000$675 – $1,145
Quality Assurance (QA) Engineer$71,000$102,000$152,000$695 – $1,035
Front-End Developer$75,000$110,000$155,000$605 – $1,055

Security — Canada

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Security Architect$150,000$173,000$206,000$1,180 – $1,405
Information Security Manager$140,000$168,000$201,000$1,145 – $1,370
Cybersecurity Specialist$131,000$159,000$183,000$1,085 – $1,250
Cloud Security Engineer$118,000$155,000$193,000$1,055 – $1,315
Security Analyst$99,000$128,000$145,000$875 – $990

Singapore pay is quoted monthly. Security architects sit near S$14,000, cloud architects S$13,000 and technical leads S$13,300, with DevOps, SRE and platform engineers around S$10,200. The city-state's role as a regional hub keeps senior cloud and security talent scarce.

Singapore (SGD (S$), gross monthly base; contractor day rates in same currency)

Cloud & Infrastructure — Singapore (monthly)

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Cloud ArchitectS$10,500S$13,000S$17,000S$1,065 – S$1,390
DevOps EngineerS$8,300S$10,200S$13,000S$835 – S$1,065
Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)S$8,300S$10,200S$13,000S$835 – S$1,065
Platform EngineerS$8,300S$10,200S$13,000S$835 – S$1,065
Product OwnerS$8,800S$9,900S$13,000S$810 – S$1,065
Project ManagerS$7,200S$9,400S$13,000S$770 – S$1,065
Cloud EngineerS$6,600S$8,300S$12,000S$680 – S$980
System AdministratorS$6,100S$7,200S$9,400S$590 – S$770

Development — Singapore (monthly)

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Technical LeadS$10,300S$13,300S$16,300S$1,090 – S$1,335
Full Stack DeveloperS$4,800S$8,700S$13,300S$510 – S$1,090
Back-End DeveloperS$5,100S$9,100S$14,300S$540 – S$1,165
Front-End DeveloperS$4,400S$7,900S$12,400S$465 – S$1,015
Software DeveloperS$4,600S$8,300S$12,900S$490 – S$1,055
Quality Assurance (QA) EngineerS$5,000S$6,300S$8,000S$515 – S$655

Security — Singapore (monthly)

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Security ArchitectS$12,000S$14,000S$19,000S$1,145 – S$1,555
Information Security ManagerS$10,700S$13,000S$17,000S$1,065 – S$1,390
Cloud Security EngineerS$9,900S$12,000S$16,000S$980 – S$1,310
Cybersecurity SpecialistS$8,300S$10,500S$14,000S$860 – S$1,145
Security AnalystS$6,100S$7,400S$9,400S$605 – S$770

Japanese benchmarks are annual in yen, led by security architects near ¥13,800,000, cloud architects ¥13,200,000 and information security managers ¥13,200,000. Tokyo's enterprise and multinational employers pay a premium for bilingual cloud and security specialists.

Japan (JPY (¥), gross annual base; contractor day rates in same currency)

Cloud, Development & Security — Japan

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Security Architect¥11,600,000¥13,800,000¥18,700,000¥94,090 – ¥127,500
Cloud Architect¥11,000,000¥13,200,000¥17,100,000¥90,000 – ¥116,590
Information Security Manager¥11,000,000¥13,200,000¥17,600,000¥90,000 – ¥120,000
Cybersecurity Specialist¥9,400,000¥13,200,000¥16,500,000¥90,000 – ¥112,500
Technical Lead¥10,500,000¥12,700,000¥17,100,000¥86,590 – ¥116,590
Cloud Security Engineer¥10,500,000¥12,700,000¥17,100,000¥86,590 – ¥116,590
Cloud Engineer¥8,800,000¥12,100,000¥15,400,000¥82,500 – ¥105,000
Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)¥9,900,000¥11,600,000¥15,200,000¥79,090 – ¥103,635
Platform Engineer¥9,900,000¥11,600,000¥16,500,000¥79,090 – ¥112,500
DevOps Engineer¥9,400,000¥11,000,000¥14,300,000¥75,000 – ¥97,500
Product Owner¥9,400,000¥11,000,000¥14,300,000¥75,000 – ¥97,500
Project Manager¥8,800,000¥10,500,000¥13,800,000¥71,590 – ¥94,090
Software Developer¥7,200,000¥10,500,000¥13,200,000¥71,590 – ¥90,000
Back-End Developer¥8,300,000¥10,100,000¥15,400,000¥68,865 – ¥105,000
Full Stack Developer¥8,300,000¥9,900,000¥15,400,000¥67,500 – ¥105,000
Front-End Developer¥7,700,000¥9,400,000¥14,300,000¥64,090 – ¥97,500
Security Analyst¥7,200,000¥8,600,000¥11,000,000¥58,635 – ¥75,000
Quality Assurance (QA) Engineer¥6,600,000¥7,900,000¥10,500,000¥53,865 – ¥71,590
System Administrator¥6,600,000¥7,700,000¥9,700,000¥52,500 – ¥66,135

Malaysia is quoted monthly in ringgit and serves as a growing regional delivery centre. Cloud and security architects sit near RM 17,000, cloud security engineers RM 17,000 and technical leads RM 14,000, with developers and system administrators forming a cost-effective delivery layer.

Malaysia (MYR (RM), gross monthly base; contractor day rates in same currency)

Cloud, Development & Security — Malaysia (monthly)

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Cloud ArchitectRM 13,000RM 17,000RM 21,000RM 1,390 – RM 1,720
Security ArchitectRM 13,000RM 17,000RM 22,000RM 1,390 – RM 1,800
Cloud Security EngineerRM 11,000RM 17,000RM 20,000RM 1,390 – RM 1,635
Information Security ManagerRM 13,000RM 15,000RM 20,000RM 1,225 – RM 1,635
Technical LeadRM 10,200RM 14,000RM 18,000RM 1,145 – RM 1,475
DevOps EngineerRM 9,100RM 14,000RM 20,000RM 1,145 – RM 1,635
Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)RM 9,100RM 14,000RM 20,000RM 1,145 – RM 1,635
Platform EngineerRM 9,100RM 14,000RM 20,000RM 1,145 – RM 1,635
Product OwnerRM 9,100RM 14,000RM 20,000RM 1,145 – RM 1,635
Cloud EngineerRM 8,800RM 13,000RM 17,000RM 1,065 – RM 1,390
Project ManagerRM 8,800RM 13,000RM 22,000RM 1,065 – RM 1,800
Cybersecurity SpecialistRM 8,800RM 13,000RM 15,000RM 1,065 – RM 1,225
Full Stack DeveloperRM 7,400RM 10,200RM 13,000RM 835 – RM 1,065
Back-End DeveloperRM 7,400RM 10,200RM 12,000RM 835 – RM 980
Security AnalystRM 7,400RM 9,900RM 13,000RM 810 – RM 1,065
Front-End DeveloperRM 6,300RM 9,600RM 12,000RM 785 – RM 980
System AdministratorRM 5,500RM 8,800RM 12,000RM 720 – RM 980
Software DeveloperRM 5,500RM 7,700RM 11,000RM 630 – RM 900
Quality Assurance (QA) EngineerRM 6,100RM 7,400RM 8,800RM 605 – RM 720

Hong Kong pay is monthly, led by cloud and security architects near HK$94,000 and information security managers HK$77,000. The territory's banking and financial-services concentration keeps cloud, security and SRE professionals in demand.

Hong Kong (HKD (HK$), gross monthly base; contractor day rates in same currency)

Cloud, Development & Security — Hong Kong (monthly)

RoleLowerMediumUpperContractor rate (day)
Cloud ArchitectHK$72,000HK$94,000HK$110,000HK$7,690 – HK$9,000
Security ArchitectHK$77,000HK$94,000HK$110,000HK$7,690 – HK$9,000
Information Security ManagerHK$66,000HK$77,000HK$83,000HK$6,300 – HK$6,790
Project ManagerHK$58,000HK$75,000HK$88,000HK$6,135 – HK$7,200
Product OwnerHK$55,000HK$72,000HK$86,000HK$5,890 – HK$7,035
Technical LeadHK$72,000HK$72,000HK$77,000HK$5,890 – HK$6,300
Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)HK$57,000HK$70,000HK$83,000HK$5,725 – HK$6,790
DevOps EngineerHK$50,000HK$61,000HK$75,000HK$4,990 – HK$6,135
Cybersecurity SpecialistHK$55,000HK$61,000HK$66,000HK$4,990 – HK$5,400
Cloud EngineerHK$46,000HK$55,000HK$69,000HK$4,500 – HK$5,645
Platform EngineerHK$44,000HK$58,000HK$69,000HK$4,745 – HK$5,645
Cloud Security EngineerHK$39,000HK$44,000HK$55,000HK$3,600 – HK$4,500
Security AnalystHK$39,000HK$50,000HK$55,000HK$4,090 – HK$4,500
Full Stack DeveloperHK$44,000HK$50,000HK$55,000HK$4,090 – HK$4,500
Back-End DeveloperHK$44,000HK$50,000HK$55,000HK$4,090 – HK$4,500
Front-End DeveloperHK$39,000HK$44,000HK$50,000HK$3,600 – HK$4,090
Software DeveloperHK$34,000HK$44,000HK$52,000HK$3,600 – HK$4,255
Quality Assurance (QA) EngineerHK$30,000HK$41,000HK$46,000HK$3,355 – HK$3,765
System AdministratorHK$39,000HK$46,000HK$55,000HK$3,765 – HK$4,500

Need a benchmark for a role, seniority or contract day rate not shown here — or a bespoke view for a specific city or specialism? Ask us for a tailored benchmark — it's free.

Why do cloud & security professionals leave — and what keeps them?

Pay is a headline driver but rarely the whole story. 52% of professionals looking to move cite higher earnings, yet 46% point to poor company culture and 45% to feeling underutilised or lacking promotion prospects. When professionals accept a new role, career growth (53%) actually edges ahead of a better salary and compensation package (52%) as the leading motivation.

Counteroffers are common but only a stop-gap: 48% of resigning professionals receive one and 48% accept, most often on the back of a salary increase (68%). The more durable retention levers are structural — clear progression, meaningful project work and flexibility. For 87% of permanent staff, the wider package outside base pay carries weight, with bonuses (40%), the option to work remotely (34%) and medical cover (27%) topping the list. Contentment with pay runs at 62% while overall job satisfaction lags a little at 61%, so workload, recognition and role clarity are where avoidable attrition is won or lost.

Certifications play a supporting role: 51% of professionals are certified, 69% of employers help fund it, and 47% of those who certify report an average 20% pay rise — a comparatively cheap investment in capability and loyalty, best paired with hands-on delivery experience.

52%

looking to move cite higher earnings

53%

accept a new role primarily for career growth

87%

value benefits beyond salary

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