What software engineers, data specialists, DevOps, cybersecurity, and IT support staff earn in Belfast and across Northern Ireland — junior to lead, by role.
Belfast has become one of the UK and Ireland's fastest-growing tech hubs, home to major engineering centres for Kainos, Liberty IT, Citi, Allstate, and a growing base of homegrown software companies. That demand has pushed IT salaries up steadily over the past three years, with software engineering, data, and cybersecurity roles seeing the strongest growth.
The figures below reflect typical gross annual salary ranges (in GBP) for IT and technology roles advertised in Northern Ireland, drawn from live listings on NIjobsearch and the wider NI employer market. Remote and hybrid roles, especially those advertised by GB or Ireland-based employers, often command a premium over the ranges shown.
| Role | Level | Salary Range | Typical Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developer / Engineer | Junior | £25,000 – £35,000 | £30,000 |
| Software Developer / Engineer | Mid | £35,000 – £55,000 | £44,000 |
| Software Developer / Engineer | Senior | £55,000 – £75,000 | £63,000 |
| QA / Test Engineer | Mid | £26,000 – £42,000 | £33,000 |
| Data Analyst | Mid | £28,000 – £45,000 | £36,000 |
| Data Engineer / Scientist | Senior | £45,000 – £70,000 | £56,000 |
| DevOps / Cloud Engineer | Mid | £40,000 – £65,000 | £52,000 |
| Cybersecurity Analyst | Mid | £35,000 – £55,000 | £45,000 |
| Systems Administrator | Mid | £26,000 – £40,000 | £32,000 |
| IT Support / Service Desk | Junior | £20,000 – £28,000 | £24,000 |
| IT Project Manager | Senior | £42,000 – £62,000 | £52,000 |
| Product Manager | Senior | £50,000 – £75,000 | £61,000 |
| UX / UI Designer | Mid | £28,000 – £48,000 | £38,000 |
| Solutions Architect | Lead | £60,000 – £90,000 | £73,000 |
| Engineering / Tech Lead | Lead | £65,000 – £95,000 | £77,000 |
A mid-level software developer in Belfast typically earns between £35,000 and £55,000, averaging around £44,000. Junior developers average closer to £30,000, while senior engineers average £63,000.
NI tech salaries are typically 10-20% below London and other major UK tech hubs, but the gap has narrowed as global firms have expanded Belfast engineering teams — and NI's lower cost of living offsets much of the difference in real terms.
Remote-first roles advertised to NI candidates, especially from GB or Ireland-based employers, often carry a premium of 10-25% over locally-based equivalents, though most Belfast tech employers now offer hybrid working as standard without a pay difference.
Fintech, cybersecurity, and cloud/DevOps roles tend to command the highest premiums in the NI tech market, followed by senior product and engineering leadership positions at Belfast's larger tech employers.
Browse live IT and technology jobs across Belfast and Northern Ireland.