IT salaries in Poland 2026: what developers, cloud and data specialists earn
In short: In 2026 a mid-level cloud or data engineer in Poland earns roughly €3,500–5,800 gross a month on an employment contract; senior DevOps, AI and machine learning specialists reach about €4,650–8,400. On top of gross pay, employers add social security contributions of roughly 20–22%. Independent contractors on B2B contracts invoice more, but the employer pays no social contributions for them.
IT salary ranges in Poland in 2026
The table shows guide ranges of gross monthly pay on an employment contract and typical B2B rates. Figures were converted from PLN at about 4.3 PLN per euro and rounded.
| Role | Seniority | Employment contract (gross / month) | B2B (typical) |
|---|---|---|---|
| DevOps Engineer | Junior | €2,100–3,250 | – |
| DevOps Engineer | Senior | €5,100–7,900 | €7,000–10,500 / month |
| Cloud Engineer | Mid | €3,500–5,800 | €5,000–8,000 / month |
| AWS Engineer | Mid | €3,700–6,050 | €4,400–7,000 / month |
| Azure Engineer | Mid | €3,700–6,050 | €4,200–6,700 / month |
| Platform Engineer | Senior | €4,200–7,000 | €30–49 / hour |
| Data Engineer | Mid | €3,500–5,600 | €30–42 / hour |
| Data Scientist | Mid | €3,700–5,800 | €210–300 / day |
| Machine Learning Engineer | Senior | €4,650–7,450 | €42–60 / hour |
| AI Engineer | Senior | €5,100–8,400 | €42–65 / hour |
| Security Engineer | Senior | €4,200–6,500 | €37–53 / hour |
| Embedded Software Developer | Mid | €2,800–3,500 (experienced up to about €4,650) | – |
More detail on tasks, skills and the hiring process for each profile is on the individual role pages.
What drives IT salaries in Poland
- Seniority: the jump from mid to senior is the biggest single factor – in DevOps the senior range starts above the top of the junior range.
- Location: Warsaw and Kraków pay about 10–15% more than smaller cities; fully remote roles increasingly level this out.
- Industry: fintech, banking and product companies pay at the top of the range; software houses and the public sector tend to pay less.
- Specialisation and certificates: multi-cloud experience, Kubernetes, security and professional-level AWS, Azure or GCP certificates push pay up.
Employment contract or B2B: which is cheaper?
B2B rates look higher at first glance, but they are not directly comparable with gross salaries. On an employment contract you pay employer contributions on top of gross pay, and the employee is entitled to paid leave and sick pay. A B2B contractor covers their own social security, taxes and unpaid time off – and prices this into the rate.
In practice the choice depends less on price than on the type of work: a permanent role in your team calls for employment; a clearly defined project with a fixed scope and timeline suits a B2B contract better. More in our article on hiring IT specialists from Poland.
Example: what an employer really pays
A senior DevOps engineer on €6,000 gross a month costs the employer roughly €7,200–7,300 a month including social security contributions. Add the usual benefits – private medical care, a sports card and a training budget – which candidates expect as standard in Polish IT.
Frequently asked questions
Are salaries in Poland quoted gross or net?
Salaries on employment contracts are negotiated gross. The employee’s social security contributions and income tax are deducted from gross pay; the employer adds its own contributions on top.
How up to date are these ranges?
They are guide figures for 2026. The exact range depends on stack, industry and location – we give you a current range for your profile during the briefing.
Which IT roles are the most expensive in Poland?
At the top of the range are senior AI and machine learning engineers, senior DevOps engineers and security specialists – roles where international employers compete for the same people.
Want a salary range for a specific role? Contact SmartWays – we will give you a realistic range and the available candidate pool for your profile.
