Average Web Developer Salary Based on Skill Set, Seniority, Programming Languages
At the start of Q2 2023, 5.18 billion people – 64.6% of the world population – are active internet users. The massive target market prompts more businesses from various industries to digitize their operations and build websites.
Website building takes technical expertise and time investment. Therefore, many business owners hire web developers to create websites.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 23% employment growth for web developers from 2021 to 2031. Additionally, an average of 21,800 programmer and web designer jobs open each year to fulfill market demand. So if you’re considering becoming a web developer, now is the time.
Keep reading to uncover how much a web developer makes, current market trends, and the projected demands for this profession to give you better insight into the industry.
Average Web Developer Salaries
A website developer’s compensation varies based on multiple factors. The following sections highlight web developer salaries by country, seniority, skills, and coding languages to answer one of the most frequently asked questions: how much do developers make?
Web Developer Salary by Country
Different countries have varying salary ranges depending on the cost of living, industry growth, and location. Web developer salaries in wealthier, more expensive countries are usually higher.
The United States, for instance, is one of the highest-paying countries in the world its IT industry’s rapid growth. It has an average web developer salary of around $50,900/year.
The following is a list of estimated average web developer salaries by country based on the data collected from Payscale on May 5, 2023.
We have sorted the highest to lowest rates and converted them into USD for easier comparison. Therefore, consider exchange rate differences when focusing on a specific country.
| Country | Average Base Salary (USD) |
| Switzerland | $71,009.00 |
| United States | $62,085.00 |
| Denmark | $53,834.00 |
| Germany | $45,255.00 |
| Austria | $43,630.00 |
| Australia | $42,305.00 |
| Sweden | $40,313.00 |
| Finland | $38,479.00 |
| Ireland | $37,752.00 |
| New Zealand | $37,556.00 |
| France | $36,987.00 |
| Netherlands | $36,013.00 |
| United Kingdom | $33,615.00 |
| Belgium | $32,666.00 |
| Hong Kong | $30,241.00 |
| Singapore | $27,446.00 |
| Italy | $27,016.00 |
| Spain | $24,820.00 |
| Poland | $23,587.00 |
| Japan | $22,105.00 |
| Portugal | $17,127.00 |
| Greece | $15,440.00 |
| Mexico | $13,481.00 |
| South Africa | $9,960.00 |
| Malaysia | $8,670.00 |
| Brazil | $5,873.00 |
| India | $4,307.00 |
| Indonesia | $3,981.00 |
| Kenya | $3,607.00 |
| Argentina | $2,305.00 |
| Egypt | $1,938.00 |
We will base the following sections on US job market data to help you navigate the web development industry and its dependencies easier.
Web Developer Salary by Seniority
Experience and knowledge are two important factors that influence web developer salaries. The longer you work in the industry, the more experience and knowledge you gain.
Climbing the seniority ladder also means taking on more responsibilities and complex projects. The time and skills needed to handle the work affect your value in the organization. As such, seniority levels matter significantly in salary negotiations.
We have compiled salary information from reputable job search platforms. Keep in mind that these rates don’t include bonuses and monetary employee benefits, both of which depend on your company and performance.
Here’s the average annual US salary for a full-time web developer based on seniority level per May 5, 2023:
| Seniority Level | Glassdoor | Indeed | ZipRecruiter |
| Entry-level web developer | $70,118/year | $62,437/year | $57,739/year |
| Mid-level web developer | $89.073/year | $82,082/year | $83,602/year |
| Senior web developer | $122,481/year | $100,776/year | $95,498/year |
Based on the three sources, the average junior web developer salary in the US is $63,431/year. Mid-level web developers can earn around $84,919/year, whereas senior developers are paid $106,251/year on average.
Junior web developers work on certain website parts under the supervision of senior web developers. The educational requirements of a junior web developer may include a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a credible web development certification.
Mid-level web developers usually have three to five years of experience tackling team-based and individual website development. Many companies expect web developers at this career level to have a college degree and proficiency in several coding languages.
Once you reach the senior level, you may lead other developers to work on website development tasks. Companies usually include senior web developers in decision-making and demand solutions to workflow-related IT problems. Therefore, they must possess problem-solving and analytical skills.
Pro Tip
Keep your web developer resume up-to-date with your latest work experience, education, and certification. The resume can prove that you’re qualified for a promotion or a higher-level job opportunity elsewhere.
Web Developer Salary by Skill Set
Another factor determining the website developer’s salary is their expertise. Since web development comprises various workflows, employers seek web developers with the ability to work on certain parts of website creation.
There are three types of website development jobs based on the skills and tools used – front-end web developer, back-end web developer, and full-stack web developer. Let’s have a look at them in more detail.
Front-End Web Developer Salary
Front-end developers work on the website’s visuals and structure. Developers in this field focus on building and optimizing interfaces to deliver an excellent user experience.
A front-end developer realizes a website’s design using CSS, HTML, and JavaScript coding languages. This position doesn’t necessarily require graphic design skills, but having them will make you stand out.
The following is the average salary for front-end developers from three popular job search platforms per May 5, 2023:
Based on these sources, the median salary for a front-end developer in the US is $91,180/year.
Pro Tip
If you’re interested in becoming a front-end developer, build a portfolio of web design mockups you developed in the past to showcase your artistic skills and understanding in UX design. Knowing relevant coding languages also increases your chances of attracting potential clients.
Back-End Web Developer Salary
Back-end developers primarily work on the technology that powers websites from behind the scenes, such as databases and servers. This type of developer ensures the website architecture and elements work as intended.
Back-end developers build functions to save, process, and communicate database information to site visitors. As such, this job title requires advanced coding skills as well as logical and analytical prowess.
Here’s the average annual salary for back-end web developers from three popular job search platforms per May 5, 2023:
Based on these findings, a back-end developer working for a US-based company earns a median wage of $110,467/year.
Pro Tip
Build your technical skills by obtaining website developer certifications. Research the most in-demand skills first to make your time and money investment worthwhile.
Full-Stack Web Developer Salary
Full-stack developers are knowledgeable in both front-end and back-end web development. This type of developer can build intuitive user interfaces and functional back-end infrastructures that make up websites.
Therefore, full-stack developers must have all the skills to build an entire online project. Understandably, they’re highly in demand in the website development sector.
The following is the base yearly salary for full-stack web developers according to three popular job search platforms per May 5, 2023:
- ZipRecruiter – $92,583/year.
- Glassdoor – $73,952/year.
- Indeed – $121,069/year.
Based on this salary information, the average pay of a full-stack developer in the US is $95,868/year.
Pro Tip
Many full-stack web development gigs are available online. Save time bidding on projects by drafting a web development proposal template.
WordPress Web Developer Salary
With over 810 million websites built on WordPress, there’s a constant demand for web developers specializing in the CMS.
WordPress developers work with the platform’s infrastructure to improve existing features or create new ones. Their responsibilities include working with WordPress plugins, themes, the overall web design, and other aspects of WordPress architecture.
The pay range of WordPress web developers varies depending on their years of experience, skills, career level, and location.
Here’s the national average salary for WordPress developers in the US across different job search platforms per May 5, 2023:
- Glassdoor – $68,927/year.
- SimplyHired – $55,378/year.
- Indeed – $63,802/year.
- ZipRecruiter ‒ $66,340/year.
Based on this salary information, this career path can help you earn about $63,611/year on average.
Web Developer Salary by Programming Languages
Developers use different coding languages to build their projects. These languages allow developers to control computer behaviors through commands that humans can understand.
Certain web development projects call for specific coding languages, making some languages more popular than others. Developers proficient in high-demand languages generally get paid more than those who aren’t.
Here’s a list of the top 10 coding languages globally, sorted by popularity and demand. We also include each of these languages’ average web developer salaries across various resources per May 5, 2023.
| Programming Language | Popularity (Worldwide) | Average Annual Base Salary (US) |
| JavaScript | 65.36% | $107,721/year |
| HTML/CSS | 55.08% | $81,140/year |
| SQL | 49.43% | $95,509/year |
| Python | 48.07% | $114,401/year |
| TypeScript | 34.83% | $65,760/year |
| Java | 33.27% | $104,838/year |
| Bash (UNIX Shell) | 29.07% | $113,967/year |
| C# | 27.98% | $138,735/year |
| C++ | 22.55% | $107,137/year |
| PHP | 20.87% | $87,880/year |
Pro Tip
Increase your chances of getting hired and gaining higher pay by researching the best coding languages to learn. Popularity and salary rate aside, your chosen language should align with your preferred type of web development project, ecosystem, and complexity level.
Most Profitable Web Development Trends
You must keep up with future web development trends to stay relevant within the job market. Here are some predictions for web development industry trends in 2024:
- Progressive web apps. Combining the best aspects of web apps and native mobile apps, PWAs work offline and are accessible through web browsers. It helps prevent 80% of mobile consumers from leaving if the user interface doesn’t load correctly on their devices.
- Artificial intelligence and machine learning. The global AI market is projected to reach $1.8 billion by 2023, opening more opportunities for job seekers. Machine learning engineers, AI ethics specialists, and data scientists are some of the most in-demand AI-related positions in the coming years.
- Single-page applications. This web application type continuously updates page content as the user interacts with it.
- Dark mode standardization. This trending feature improves site accessibility for light-sensitive users. Today, over 80% of people use their devices in dark mode. Some users say it helps reduce eye strain, allowing them to view screens longer.
- Chatbots and virtual assistants. These technologies help brands improve their customer experience and streamline workflows. As the global market size for intelligent virtual assistants grew to $13.64 billion in 2023, the trend will likely continue.
- Cloud computing. Cloud-based development and deployment benefit companies by improving scalability, saving costs, and facilitating collaboration between developers. This opens opportunities for freelance web developers to seek employment abroad.
5 Tips to Increase Your Income as a Web Developer
Career advancement is the key to maximizing your earning potential, and there are many ways to achieve that. Here are some tips to increase your bargaining power during job hunting or salary negotiations:
- Get a specialization. The base salary for web developers in the US is $62,085/year. Meanwhile, JavaScript developers can make a median salary of $107,721/year in the same country. Specific skills that differentiate you from others make you more desirable as a hire.
- Hone your soft skills. Critical thinking, communication, time management, and self-learning are some soft skills that a web developer must have. You can develop them by collaborating with other developers, stepping out of your comfort zone, and seeking feedback.
- Get more experience. Taking freelance site development gigs on the side is a great long-term investment for your career, especially if you’re still a junior developer. This lets you improve your technical prowess and add another income stream to your entry-level web developer salary.
- Network. Join offline and online web development communities and connect with people in the IT industry. Who knows, one might be your future client or offer you better job opportunities.
- Keep your resume updated. If you want to switch companies, ensure your resume format is optimized for an application tracking system (ATS). Today, many companies use the software to streamline the hiring process. If the system can’t read your resume, you’re less likely to secure a job interview.
Conclusion
If you’re exploring new career paths in the IT sector, a web developer position might be what you’re looking for. The thriving industry creates high-paying jobs, particularly in countries with fast-growing tech companies.
This article explored the average salary of US-based website developers based on different factors. There are many web developer jobs with varied pay ranges, so consider your interest and the market demand when planning your career.
That said, a web developer is merely one of many career paths in the IT sector. Other popular IT jobs you may be interested in include software developer, database manager, web designer, and data security analyst.
We hope this article gives you better insights into the web development market and helps you find success in your future career. Good luck!
Web Developer Salary FAQ
If you still have questions about the salary rate for web developers, the following section might have the information you’re looking for.
What Skills Do You Need to Become a Highly-Paid Web Developer?
Coding, problem-solving, time management, and communication are the top four skills a web developer should have. In addition, you must adapt to the work environment and deliver quality results promptly.
Supplementary abilities like creativity, user experience, SEO, and interpersonal skills can also help advance your career as a web developer.
Are Web Developers in High Demand?
The global technology industry saw the most job cuts in 2023 due to cost-cutting and recession. Fortunately, this only affects some IT jobs, as some skills are still in demand. Conduct thorough research on the top in-demand tech career paths in 2023 to increase your chances of getting hired.
Who Earn More, Web Developers or Web Designers?
According to Indeed, the median salary of US-based web designers is around $49,501/year or about $24.88/hour.
Job paths in web design have a varied pay range, just like in the web development sector. You can increase your salary by learning in-demand skills, gaining experience through different gigs, and obtaining relevant certifications.
As a technology enthusiast and a digital marketing specialist, Andzelika loves to help people learn about tech-related topics. When not doing techy stuff she's responsible for helping maintain Hostingers' brand by working on marketing campaigns.
Jordana is a Senior Content Writer with over 5 years of experience in digital marketing and web development. When she’s not busy with work, she dabbles in creative writing and movie reviewing. Follow her on LinkedIn.
