The 2025 Additive Manufacturing Salary Survey Report has been released, providing key insights into salary structures, skill demands, and hiring trends within the additive manufacturing (AM) industry. Published by Alexander Daniels Global on Monday, November 25th, this comprehensive document serves as a valuable resource for both professionals and employers navigating the changing landscape of the industry.
For professionals in the AM sector, the report reveals important statistics regarding compensation levels. Of the respondents surveyed, 72.9% reported feeling they were paid “Just Right” or “Fairly,” while a significant 27.2% expressed feelings of being undercompensated. Concerns about stagnant wages amid rising responsibilities were common among those who felt inadequately compensated. The report allows individuals to benchmark their salaries across different roles—including R&D engineers, applications specialists, and AM technicians—against industry standards.
The report also highlights the roles that are expected to be in high demand in 2025. R&D and engineering positions lead the way, with 50% of employers indicating plans to hire in these areas. Additionally, sales and service engineering roles remain critical, underscoring a shift towards innovation and enhancing customer satisfaction. Skills in “Business & the Wider Market” and “People Management” have been identified as pivotal for career progression, with 44% and 42.9% of professionals indicating that upskilling in these areas is essential for advancement.
For employers facing a challenging hiring environment, the report offers actionable insights to attract and retain top talent. In North America, the candidate-to-job ratio stands at a staggering 122:1, while in EMEA, it is reported at 87:1. These figures illustrate the high level of competition for available roles. Key motivators for job changes have been identified as salary, work-life balance, and company culture, enabling employers to refine their hiring strategies accordingly.
The demand for AM technicians and operators is expected to steadily rise, driven in part by a critical skills shortage. As such, organisations that prioritise career development and competitive compensation packages may find themselves better positioned for recruiting skilled professionals. With emerging technologies like AI and the Internet of Things (IoT) giving rise to new job titles, roles such as applications engineers and software specialists are becoming increasingly essential. The report aligns recruitment strategies with these evolving industry needs.
The 2025 report also includes expert commentary from notable figures in the additive manufacturing field. Nirup Nagabandi, Chief Technology Officer at Supernova, discussed his innovative work with Viscous Lithography Manufacturing (VLM), intending to unlock new avenues for material freedom in AM production. Also weighing in, Avi Reichental, Co-Founder, CEO, and Executive Chairman of Nexa3D, shared insights on how AI and IoT are transforming production workflows and enhancing scalability. Additionally, Matt Kremenetsky, a Macro Analyst at 3DPrint.com, presented a detailed look at the trends shaping 2024 and their implications for the upcoming year.
The findings presented in the report equip AM professionals with the knowledge to assess their skills and compensation against industry benchmarks, whilst providing employers with the tools to develop informed talent strategies to adapt to changing workforce trends. The 2025 Additive Manufacturing Salary Survey Report is available for download from the Alexander Daniels Global website, offering insights that aim to guide stakeholders through the evolving dynamics of one of the most innovative industries in the world.
Source: Noah Wire Services