Data and AI Hiring Market Report Australia 2026
Reporting roles made up nearly a third of all data hires in 2020. By 2025 that figure had more than halved. Data Engineering went from 8% to 25% of placements in the same period. AI roles went from negligible to 1 in 10 hires in under two years.
The market has restructured. This report explains what that means for hiring in 2026.
What the report covers
Built on Bluefin's placement activity across 47 organisations in 2025, this half-yearly report covers where demand has shifted, why hiring has become harder, and where salaries and day rates are landing across core Data, Analytics and AI roles.
It includes salary and day rate benchmarks across Information Management, Marketing and Customer Analytics, Artificial Intelligence and Risk Analytics roles, current hiring conditions across both private and government sectors, and direct considerations for hiring managers navigating the market in 2026.
Who this report is for
If you are leading a data function, making hiring decisions, or benchmarking compensation for specialist roles, this report gives you the market context you need.
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