Average Tech Salaries Surge Over 35,000 Shekels Amid Job Stagnation in Israel

In June 2026, the average monthly salary for Israeli workers reached 15,223 shekels, marking a 7.7% increase compared to June 2025, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). The total number of salaried jobs rose by 2% to 4.22 million, slightly above Israel's natural growth rate. Meanwhile, final data for May 2026 showed a 6.6% salary increase compared to the previous year.

The most notable development is in the high-tech sector, where the average monthly salary jumped dramatically by 13.7%, from 31,459 shekels in May 2025 to 35,760 shekels in May 2026. Despite this significant wage growth, the number of high-tech jobs remained almost unchanged, with 397,100 positions in May 2026 versus 396,400 in May 2025. This stagnation contrasts with growth in other sectors, causing the share of high-tech employees in the overall workforce to decline from 9.7% to 9.5%, down from 10% a few years ago.

Experts suggest this combination of rising salaries and stagnant employment may be linked to the AI revolution reshaping the tech industry. AI technologies are boosting productivity but also reducing the need for some programmers. This shift reflects broader changes in Israel's labor market and the evolving role of technology in the economy.