DevOps Talent Is Getting Harder to Find—Qubit Labs' 2026 Report Pinpoints Exactly Where to Look and What to Pay

New research reveals 8 emerging tech hubs where companies can hire skilled DevOps engineers for up to 60% less than US rates

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, June 18, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As AI adoption accelerates and infrastructure complexity grows, demand for skilled DevOps professionals has outpaced supply in nearly every major tech market.

Qubit Labs' newly released DevOps Talent & Salary Report 2026 gives hiring leaders a data-backed answer to the question costing them the most time and money: where can we actually find this talent, and what should we expect to pay for it?
The report benchmarks salaries across five in-demand DevOps roles and identifies eight global tech hubs with the deepest talent pools, offering a practical roadmap for companies competing for scarce technical talent in 2026.

The Headline Numbers
Traditional DevOps engineers in Eastern Europe command salaries between $48,000 and $66,000 annually, the report finds, while specialized roles command a significant premium. AIOps and MLOps professionals are the most expensive hires across every region studied, with a median monthly salary of $61,800.
Perhaps the most striking finding: South Africa has quietly become one of the most attractive markets for DevOps hiring, offering strong technical talent at rates that rival or beat several established Eastern European hubs.

Why This Matters Now

"Our comprehensive report will help you uncover the top hiring location for building dedicated development teams, build the right team structure, and plan budgets with real numbers behind you. For tech leaders, HR teams, and investors building or scaling engineering organizations, the report replaces guesswork with a concrete framework for evaluating where to hire, what roles to prioritize, and how to structure competitive offers without overpaying." said Iva Kozlovska, CEO of Qubit Labs.

Key Findings:

- Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, Portugal, and South Africa rank among the top global tech hubs by concentration of available DevOps talent.
- DevOps engineer salaries in Eastern Europe range from $54,000 to $66,000 annually; South Africa matches the top of that range at $66,000.
- AIOps specialists command the highest premiums of any role in the study, earning up to $81,600 annually in South Africa, while Poland leads Eastern Europe at $64,800.
- DevOps engineers with AWS and Azure cloud expertise earn $61,200 annually in Eastern Europe and $63,000 in South Africa.
- MLOps experts are the most consistently well-compensated specialists across every market studied, earning $61,200 in Eastern Europe and $84,000 in South Africa.

Availability:

The full DevOps Talent Map and Salary Benchmarking Report, including detailed breakdowns by role, seniority level, and country, is available now.

About Qubit Labs

Qubit Labs helps companies build dedicated development teams by connecting them with skilled technical talent across Eastern Europe and beyond.

Oksana Zabolotna
Qubit Labs
48 781 771 184
email us here

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