Attracting and Retaining Top Talent in Additive Manufacturing: A Strategic Guide for 2025

In an era where skilled professionals are in short supply and high demand, the additive manufacturing industry faces a critical question: how can employers attract and retain top talent? Insights from the 2025 AM Salary Survey reveal shifting priorities among professionals and provide a roadmap for companies aiming to stay competitive.

Salary Still Matters – But It’s Not Everything

Salary remains the top motivator for job changes, with 72% of professionals citing it as their primary reason for seeking new opportunities in 2025. However, this figure represents an 8.8 percentage point drop from the previous year, indicating a gradual diversification in what motivates career decisions.

At the same time, perceptions of salary fairness have improved. At the end of 2024, 72.9% of professionals reported feeling they were compensated either “Just Right,” “Fairly,” or “Very Fairly” — a 4.3% increase year-over-year. Additionally, the number of those who felt they were unfairly compensated decreased by 9.6%, signaling a positive trend toward more equitable pay practices.

However, not all professionals are satisfied. A persistent 27.2% still feel underpaid, and the reasons are revealing. When asked to share the main reasons they feel unfairly compensated, professionals cited the following:

• 54.2% believe their pay is below industry benchmarks, up 4.8 points.
• 51% feel others are paid more for the same work, a 3.8 point increase.
• 53.1% report increased responsibilities without corresponding raises, a common morale killer.

These statistics highlight a pressing need for greater pay transparency, performance-based raises, and more balanced workload expectations.

AM Salaries Are Leveling Out

Another emerging trend is salary stabilization across the industry. At the end of 2024, 45.7% of respondents said AM salaries are now “Similar to Other Industries” — a 3.4 percentage point increase. Meanwhile, those who rated AM salaries as “Highly Competitive” or “Competitive” fell by 3.9 points. While this leveling may reflect a maturing market, it also suggests that salary alone may no longer be a strong enough differentiator for attracting top talent.

Culture and Work-Life Balance: Steady, Growing Priorities

Although salary is still king, workplace culture and work-life balance are gaining ground. “Work Environment or Culture” was the only motivator to increase in importance in 2025, while “Work-Life Balance” held steady, with 34% of professionals listing it among their top three motivators for job changes.

These factors matter more than ever for retention. Organizations that foster a positive work environment, offer flexibility, and promote balance will be more successful in keeping talent engaged and loyal.

What Turns Candidates Away?

Understanding what drives people to reject job offers is just as important as knowing what attracts them. According to the survey, the top three reasons professionals declined offers in 2024 were:

1. Lack of remote work or WFH options (56.7%)
2. Insufficient paid time off (55.7%)
3. Poor communication during the interview process (52.4%)

While remote work and benefits are familiar priorities, the importance of effective communication during hiring is often overlooked. Over half of professionals say that a lack of clarity, respect, or responsiveness during the interview process was enough to walk away from an offer. Employers must remember that first impressions count, and recruitment is not just about evaluation — it’s about the overall experience.

Career Progression: Still Important, But Evolving

Career growth remains a significant motivator, though it’s showing signs of slight decline. In 2025, 81.2% of professionals rated career progression as “Important” or “Very Important,” down 2.3 percentage points from the previous year. Even so, it remains the second highest reason for changing jobs.

To support their upward mobility, professionals are focusing on three key skill areas:

1. Business & the Wider Market (44%)
2. People Management (42.9%)
3. AM Business Cases & Applications (36.2%)

This focus on skills aligns with a shift toward management and leadership roles, reflecting ambitions to move into strategic decision-making positions. However, organizations must not overlook the individual contributor (IC) track — a critical pathway for highly skilled specialists who drive innovation, quality, and technical excellence. A balanced talent strategy supports both ICs and future leaders, offering tailored development paths for each.

Looking Ahead: 2026 and Beyond

With the 2026 AM Salary Survey by Alexander Daniels Global due to launch for data collection in July 2025, the upcoming report will provide a critical lens into how the tariff uncertainty and financially strenuous environment of the first half of 2025 have impacted the sentiment and movement of talent across the industry.

As both businesses and professionals continue to navigate an uncertain economic landscape, the next survey will be pivotal in understanding how compensation, benefits, and career priorities evolve as we head into 2026.

Following this summer’s data collection, the 2026 AM Salary Survey Report is expected to be available for download in November 2025.

Be sure to add your voice to the conversation and stay informed by following Alexander Daniels Global on LinkedIn, where updates on the survey launch and report release will be posted.

Images and graphs courtesy of Alexander Daniels Global.