2026 Salary Guide

salary trends

Wage growth for the top ten industries are included in the full report. According to the BLS JOLTS (Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey) in July 2025, job openings have declined while unemployment has surged, which has increased anxiety about https://repaircanada.net/there-is-a-job-in-the-field-of-high-technology-in-canada.html the state of labor market. Nonfarm payrolls for the year before March 2025 were downwardly revised by 911,000 jobs relative to prior estimates. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that the U.S. labor market is losing momentum. With AI-enabled platforms, companies can close data gaps, reduce risk, and promote pay equity in uncertain times.

  • “Salary budgets may be holding steady, but the way organizations are using those dollars is changing significantly,” said Brittany Innes, senior director, rewards data intelligence, at WTW.
  • In 2025, the U.S. labor market is showing signs of softening, with sluggish job growth, rising unemployment, and declining labor force participation.
  • “Barring an unforeseen shock that disrupts the labor market, it seems reasonable to assume that the conditions of 2024 will largely persist in 2025, with compensation growth remaining stable or slightly declining,” Ladner said.
  • It included increased pay transparency, stalemates on gender pay equity, and slowing pay increases due to a stabilizing labor market.
  • As we note in our latest Salary Guide, there is pent-up demand for human resources talent—and competition is high for experienced professionals with specialized skills.
  • Nonfarm payrolls for the year before March 2025 were downwardly revised by 911,000 jobs relative to prior estimates.

Recruiting Manager is likely a hot job in 2025 because companies are realizing they need talent acquisition professionals to navigate the labor market, address skills gaps, and compete for top talent despite growing adoption of AI-enhanced hiring. Interesting roles to make the list include Utilization Review Coordinator, Public Relations Representative IV, Inventory Control Planner III, Compensation and Benefits Manager, and Recruiting Coordinator. According to Payscale Peer, the industries seeing wage growth above the average in 2025 include Oil, Gas, & Consumer Fuels, Electronic Equipment, Instruments, & Components, and Construction & Engineering. While overall wage growth is 3.9% in 2025, some jobs are seeing wage growth double that. Only 22,000 jobs were reported for August 2025 and the unemployment rate ticked up to 4.3%.

Choose your professional field Discover how companies blend salary with benefits and perks. Use the links below to explore the guide. It’s a vital https://www.onlegalresources.com/tag/recruitment-agency resource for recruitment, retention, workforce planning and informed job search decisions. Companies today increasingly value professionals with specialized skills and industry knowledge to drive innovation, efficiency and competitive advantage.

salary trends

Salary Budget Survey (SBS) 2026-2027

salary trends

Whether adjusting pay structures for fast-changing roles or analyzing location-based wage differentials, today’s compensation professionals must prioritize agility and precision. This whitepaper draws on Payscale’s Peer data and AI-powered insights from Payscale Explore to help employers understand market dynamics and price jobs accurately. This research report provides data-driven analysis on the state of the labor market, industry wage trends from Payscale Peer, and an exploration of HR-trusted AI-powered compensation tools shaping the future of market pricing in 2025. This means that workers who are not able to adapt and learn these new skills will be left behind in the job market.

Learning Center

Salaries listed in the guide represent starting salaries only—pay for someone new to the role. Employers need salary guides to set pay that’s competitive with what other companies are offering. https://www.discoveryon.info/working-for-a-recruitment-agency/ It can assist employers with recruitment, retention and workforce planning and help job seekers with career pathing and pay negotiation. Hire talent We’ll help you find a role that fits your goals, skills and lifestyle. Our recruiters are here to help you quickly find experienced professionals who are the right fit for your business.