Vietnam's IT sector is experiencing a surge in salaries, particularly for senior roles, according to a recent report by recruitment firm TopCV. The median salary for IT department heads is a staggering VND53.6 million (US$2,040) per month, the highest across all industries. This trend is further emphasized by the fact that AI engineers are the most sought-after and challenging to find, indicating a significant demand for specialized skills in the field.
The IT and software sector in Vietnam is thriving, with strong hiring momentum and competitive salaries, as revealed by TopCV's 2025-2026 labor market report. Based on a survey of over 3,000 employers and workers, the report highlights the sector's second-highest hiring demand at 8.64%, just behind business and sales roles. This demand is closely followed by marketing, communications, and advertising roles at 8.22%.
Within the IT sector, information technology, telecommunications, and internet roles lead in median income, showcasing the high-value nature of these positions. At the management level, department heads and deputy heads earn a substantial VND53.6 million per month before tax, significantly more than similar roles in business, marketing, manufacturing, and design, which range from VND39 to VND40 million.
The salary growth in IT is particularly notable at the management level, while specialist roles have remained relatively stable. This shift in pay structures has attracted workers from various fields, with most IT professionals coming from formal education pathways. A significant 77.4% hold university degrees, and 13.4% graduated from colleges. However, 11.3% switched from other industries, and 9.68% entered the field after short-term training programs lasting less than a year.
Analysts attribute this transition to the perception of IT and software as offering strong long-term opportunities, driven by technological advancements and global trends, in addition to the higher pay. Within the IT sector, demand varies sharply by specialization, with roles related to artificial intelligence and data commanding higher salaries but also being the most difficult to fill.
The report highlights AI as a strategic priority for companies over the past year, reflected in hiring plans. Senior software engineers are the most in demand, sought by 37.97% of employers, followed by data engineers (31.8%), data scientists (30.75%), and specialists in mechatronics, robotics, and automation (15.9%). However, AI engineers are the most challenging to find, with employers citing a shortage of highly skilled candidates, a limited talent pool, and intense competition from major technology firms as key challenges.
Moreover, 33.6% of employers noted that IT candidates often lack essential soft skills, including communication, presentation, critical thinking, and product-oriented thinking. The report emphasizes the need for IT and software companies to seek professionals who are not only technically strong but also capable of teamwork and broader skill sets.
