Est. global distribution of ITAM, SAM, Software Licensing, and Licensing Auditor professionals
February 21, 2025//

🌎 North America
| Metric | Estimate |
|---|---|
| ITAM Professionals | ~100,000 |
| SAM Professionals | ~75,000 |
| Software Licensing Professionals | ~50,000 |
| Software Licensing Auditors | ~12,000 |
| Primary Sources | – IAITAM membership data |
- LinkedIn job title searches
- Gartner/IDC market insights | | Key Assumptions | – Highest concentration of ITAM/SAM professionals due to large enterprise IT footprint in the U.S. and Canada
- Overlap between ITAM, SAM, and Licensing roles is partially accounted for through LinkedIn job postings and association data |
🌍 Europe
| Metric | Estimate |
|---|---|
| ITAM Professionals | ~60,000 |
| SAM Professionals | ~45,000 |
| Software Licensing Professionals | ~30,000 |
| Software Licensing Auditors | ~10,000 |
| Primary Sources | – ITAM Forum EU and other regional associations |
- LinkedIn data
- Gartner EMEA market insights | | Key Assumptions | – Includes EU, UK, and non-EU countries
- Strong SAM presence driven by compliance requirements (e.g., GDPR) and frequent software audits
- Multinational organizations create role overlap |
🌏 Asia-Pacific
| Metric | Estimate |
|---|---|
| ITAM Professionals | ~50,000 |
| SAM Professionals | ~35,000 |
| Software Licensing Professionals | ~25,000 |
| Software Licensing Auditors | ~7,000 |
| Primary Sources | – IAITAM chapters in APAC |
- LinkedIn job title searches
- IDC APAC data | | Key Assumptions | – Rapidly growing market in India, China, Australia, and Singapore
- Expansion of multinational companies and increased local enterprise adoption of formal asset management
- May be understated due to inconsistent job title usage |
🌎 Latin America
| Metric | Estimate |
|---|---|
| ITAM Professionals | ~20,000 |
| SAM Professionals | ~15,000 |
| Software Licensing Professionals | ~10,000 |
| Software Licensing Auditors | ~3,000 |
| Primary Sources | – Latin American IAITAM & ITAM Forum data |
- Local job market surveys
- Frost & Sullivan and other analyst reports | | Key Assumptions | – Growing IT sectors in Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia
- Smaller market than North America or Europe, but consistent growth
- Some role overlap is assumed in these estimates |
🌍 Middle East & Africa
| Metric | Estimate |
|---|---|
| ITAM Professionals | ~20,000 |
| SAM Professionals | ~10,000 |
| Software Licensing Professionals | ~5,000 |
| Software Licensing Auditors | ~3,000 |
| Primary Sources | – IAITAM/ITAM Forum memberships |
- LinkedIn job data
- Gartner MEA regional reports | | Key Assumptions | – Emerging ITAM/SAM practices with pockets of high adoption in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa
- Estimates may be low due to fewer formalized asset management titles
- Significant overlap of roles within smaller teams |
🌐 Global Summary
| Global Totals | Approximate Count |
|---|---|
| ITAM Professionals | ~250,000 |
| SAM Professionals | ~180,000 |
| Software Licensing Professionals | ~120,000 |
| Software Licensing Auditors | ~35,000 |
| Grand Total | ~585k 👏 |
Sources (Across All Regions)
- IAITAM (International Association of IT Asset Managers) – Membership figures and general insights
- ITAM Forum & Other Professional Groups – Regional membership and event data
- LinkedIn Job Title Searches – Approximate counts of professionals using roles like “IT Asset Manager,” “SAM Specialist,” “License Auditor,” etc.
- Market Research (Gartner, IDC, Forrester, Frost & Sullivan) – Market sizing, growth rates, and industry trends
Key Assumptions (Across All Regions)
- Role Overlap: Many organizations merge ITAM, SAM, and licensing roles, so the figures may double-count some individuals.
- Varying Job Titles: Lack of standardized titles can lead to under- or over-counting.
- Extrapolation: Much of the data is inferred from membership and job postings; actual figures may differ.
Future Market Trends
- Growth in Cloud & Subscription Models
- Complex hybrid licensing (on-prem + cloud) drives continued need for Software Asset Management and licensing expertise.
- Higher Emphasis on Governance & Compliance
- Regulatory requirements (data protection, cybersecurity) and frequent software audits are spurring organizations to invest more in ITAM/SAM.
- Increased Automation & Tool Adoption
- Tools for inventory, contract management, and analytics reduce manual workload but require specialized knowledge, creating demand for both technical and business-savvy professionals.
- Rise of Managed Services & Consultancy
- Smaller or mid-sized companies often outsource SAM and licensing management, increasing the market for third-party providers and auditors.
- Talent Gap & Upskilling
- Growing demand outpaces the supply of specialized ITAM/SAM professionals, leading to more certification programs (IAITAM, ISO/IEC 19770, etc.).
- Global Standardization
- Wider adoption of standards like ISO/IEC 19770 fosters consistency in practices and further drives the need for certified professionals.
👉 Read more about our counting methodology in our Wiki article.
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