31 Honest Web Developer Salaries
Web developers build the digital experiences we interact with every day—from slick product landing pages to complex applications that run entire businesses. As more industries go digital, the demand for skilled web developers continues to grow.
But figuring out what you'll actually earn? That’s not so simple. Web developer salaries vary based on role (front-end, back-end, or full-stack), experience level, tools used, and even where you live. Add remote work to the mix, and it’s even harder to know what’s fair.
That’s why salary transparency matters. Whether you're starting your career or aiming for a raise, knowing what drives pay in this field can help you make smarter choices.
In this guide, we’ll explore what web developers do, how much they earn across the U.S., and what factors, like tools, certifications, and specialization, can boost your income.
What is a Web Developer?
Web developers build the websites and web applications people use every day by writing code in a variety of languages. They take design mockups, user needs, and technical requirements and turn them into functioning, interactive experiences—whether it’s a personal blog or a scalable e-commerce platform.
There are two main types of web developers: front-end and back-end. Here's how they differ:
Front-end developers handle the user-facing side of a website or app. Their job is to bring designs to life and ensure everything looks and feels right in the browser or on a device.
Back-end developers build the server-side logic, APIs, and databases that support web apps. They focus on performance, scalability, security, and data handling.
Full-stack developers are the best of both worlds—they have the skills and tool knowledge to do both. Depending on the company, the role may be listed as:
Web Developer
Web Engineer
UI Developer
No matter the title, the core job is the same: build fast, reliable, and usable web experiences that meet real-world needs.
31 Honest Salaries for Web Developers
Web developer salaries can vary dramatically depending on where you live, what kind of work you do, and who you work for. According to ZipRecruiter, the national average salary for a web developer is around $94,000. A front-end dev in Austin might make $95K, while a full-stack developer in Boston could bring in $130K or more. And that’s before factoring in experience, tools, or company size.
To help clarify things, we gathered salary data from a number of sources, including ZipRecruiter, Glassdoor, Indeed, and Salary.com, and compared it with real job postings across multiple regions and roles. We analyzed the numbers, factored in ranges for front-end, back-end, and full-stack developers, and created low, average, and high-end estimates for each city.
This snapshot gives you a realistic view of what web developers can expect to earn across the U.S., from smaller cities like Des Moines to tech-heavy metros like San Jose. It’s a helpful starting point, whether you’re benchmarking your own salary or planning a career move.
City / State | Low-End Salary | Average Salary | High-End Salary |
San Jose, CA | $85,000 | $115,000 | $145,000 |
Seattle, WA | $80,000 | $110,000 | $140,000 |
New York, NY | $78,000 | $108,000 | $138,000 |
Boston, MA | $75,000 | $105,000 | $135,000 |
Los Angeles, CA | $72,000 | $102,000 | $132,000 |
Austin, TX | $70,000 | $95,000 | $125,000 |
Chicago, IL | $68,000 | $92,000 | $120,000 |
Denver, CO | $67,000 | $90,000 | $118,000 |
Atlanta, GA | $68,000 | $92,000 | $115,000 |
Dallas, TX | $66,000 | $90,000 | $118,000 |
Philadelphia, PA | $65,000 | $89,000 | $115,000 |
Raleigh, NC | $63,000 | $86,000 | $110,000 |
Phoenix, AZ | $62,000 | $85,000 | $108,000 |
Miami, FL | $60,000 | $83,000 | $105,000 |
Salt Lake City, UT | $61,000 | $84,000 | $106,000 |
Minneapolis, MN | $64,000 | $88,000 | $112,000 |
Portland, OR | $65,000 | $89,000 | $115,000 |
Houston, TX | $66,000 | $90,000 | $118,000 |
Charlotte, NC | $62,000 | $85,000 | $108,000 |
Orlando, FL | $60,000 | $82,000 | $104,000 |
Indianapolis, IN | $58,000 | $80,000 | $100,000 |
Columbus, OH | $59,000 | $81,000 | $102,000 |
Baltimore, MD | $61,000 | $84,000 | $106,000 |
San Antonio, TX | $58,000 | $79,000 | $100,000 |
Tampa, FL | $59,000 | $80,000 | $102,000 |
Des Moines, IA | $56,000 | $77,000 | $97,000 |
Nashville, TN | $58,000 | $80,000 | $100,000 |
Boise, ID | $55,000 | $75,000 | $95,000 |
Kansas City, MO | $57,000 | $78,000 | $98,000 |
Macon, GA | $53,000 | $72,000 | $90,000 |
Tallahassee, FL | $52,000 | $70,000 | $88,000 |
This data highlights several trends about web developer salary. Some are obvious (tech hubs pay more; shocker), while others are more surprising. Here's what we noticed:
Tech Hubs Still Pay the Most: Cities like San Jose, Seattle, and New York lead the way, with high-end salaries reaching $135K—$145K. These markets offer premium pay but also have a higher cost of living.
Back-End and Full-Stack Roles Tend to Earn More: In nearly every city, job listings for back-end or full-stack developers showed higher salary ranges than front-end-only roles, especially when cloud or database work is involved.
Smaller Cities = Smaller Salaries, but Lower Cost of Living: Places like Macon, Tallahassee, and Des Moines show average salaries in the $70K—$77K range, which is lower than major metros, but those funds stretch further due to a lower cost of living.
Remote Roles Follow Metro Pricing—Sometimes: Some remote roles match big-city salaries, especially when based in places like NYC or San Francisco. Others are location-adjusted, so it's worth asking how pay is set when applying.
Wide Ranges Show Room for Growth: Most cities have a $30K—$40K swing between low and high salaries, showing the impact experience, skills, and specialization can have on pay.
Salary Considerations for Web Developers
Location and experience matter, but they aren’t the only things that influence how much web developers earn. Below are the biggest salary factors to consider.
Languages and Frameworks
Web developers who specialize in high-demand languages and frameworks, like JavaScript, TypeScript, React, Next.js, and Python/Django, tend to earn more than those working in more limited or outdated stacks. Staying current with fast-evolving tools is one of the easiest ways to stay competitive and boost your pay.
Role Type
Generally, back-end and full-stack developers command higher salaries than front-end-only roles. Back-end work often requires knowledge of databases, server-side logic, and API integration—skills that are harder to find and crucial to system performance.
Certifications and Projects
Certifications aren’t always required, but they can help, especially when paired with a strong portfolio or GitHub presence. Projects that show real-world application of your skills (like building and hosting your own app or contributing to open source) can also improve your job prospects and negotiation power.
Industry
Not all industries pay the same. Finance, healthcare, and SaaS companies often offer higher compensation due to the complexity, beefed-up security requirements, and scale of their applications. On the other hand, nonprofits, education, and small agencies typically pay less, but may offer better flexibility or work-life balance.
Soft Skills
Don’t overlook the human side of web development. Developers who can communicate clearly, collaborate well, and thrive in Agile environments often move up faster and earn more. The ability to work cross-functionally and explain technical concepts to non-technical teams adds real value.
DevOps and Cloud Exposure
Web developers with experience in CI/CD pipelines, Docker, and cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, or GCP are often considered more versatile and more valuable. If you can take a project from code to deployment and manage infrastructure along the way, you’ll likely land on the higher pay scale.
How Web Developer Experience Impacts Salary
Experience is one of the biggest factors that influence salary, but it’s not just about how many years you’ve been coding. What really moves the needle is your ability to solve complex problems, take ownership of projects, and contribute to broader business goals. Here’s how salary expectations typically break down by experience level:
Entry-Level (0–2 Years)
Estimated range: $60,000–$80,000
At this stage, you’ll likely focus on site maintenance, bug fixes, and building simple components under the wing of more senior developers. You may work on internal tools, small features, or collaborate closely with QA and design teams. Employers often value curiosity, willingness to learn, and a solid foundation in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript at this stage.
Mid-Level (3–5 Years)
Estimated range: $80,000–$110,000
Mid-level developers are expected to work more independently, build full features or modules, and improve application performance. You might also take on some mentoring responsibilities, contribute to technical decision-making, and work across teams (product, UX, DevOps). Mastery of at least one framework, familiarity with Git workflows, and the ability to debug complex issues are key at this level.
Senior-Level (6+ Years)
Estimated range: $110,000–$140,000+
Senior web developers lead projects, set coding standards, and often help define the technical roadmap. You may architect applications, review code for other developers, and work closely with leadership to align the dev team with overall business goals. Salaries at this level reflect not only your technical depth but also your ability to lead teams and make high-impact decisions.
Must-Know Tools for Web Developers
Web developers rely on a wide range of tools, but no two stacks are the same. However, some technologies are considered industry standards. If you're aiming for higher-paying roles, fluency in the tools below will not only help you land the job; it’ll also help you work faster and smarter once you’re in it.
Languages
At the heart of web development are a few core languages every developer should know: JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. Beyond those, learning TypeScript, Python, or PHP can expand your opportunities, especially if you're working in back-end or full-stack roles.
Frameworks and Libraries
Modern web apps are often built with React, Angular, or Vue.js on the front end, and Express, Next.js, Django, or Laravel on the back end. Mastering at least one front-end and one back-end framework can significantly boost your salary and job opportunities.
Version Control
Version control is a must for collaboration and code management. Tools like Git and GitHub are industry standard, whether you're working solo, on a team, or contributing to open-source projects.
Build and Development Tools
Tools like Webpack, Babel, npm, and Yarn help manage dependencies, compile code, and streamline the development process. They’re essential for building scalable, maintainable applications—especially in larger or more advanced environments.
Hosting and DevOps
Web developers who understand deployment and DevOps workflows stand out. Platforms like Netlify and Vercel simplify front-end hosting, while experience with AWS, Docker, or CI/CD tools can unlock higher-paying full-stack or cloud-adjacent roles.
Testing Tools
Automated testing ensures your code works before it hits production. Familiarity with tools like Jest, Cypress, and Playwright is increasingly expected, especially in senior roles or companies with strict QA pipelines.
Must-Have Certifications for Web Developers
Certifications aren’t required to land a web development job. Still, they can give you a competitive edge, especially if you’re self-taught, transitioning into tech, or aiming for roles at larger companies. They show employers that you're serious about your career and help validate skills. Here are the most respected certifications for a web developer:
freeCodeCamp or Codecademy Full-Stack Developer Certifications
These certifications are ideal for beginners or career switchers. They cover front-end and back-end basics, often including JavaScript, Node.js, HTML/CSS, APIs, and databases. Employers may not rely on them as heavily as vendor-backed certifications, but they still look great on a resume and can boost a strong portfolio.
Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate
The Azure Developer Associate certification is helpful for developers working in Microsoft environments or building cloud-native apps. It validates your ability to build and maintain cloud applications using Azure tools and services, which is increasingly valuable in enterprise settings.
AWS Certified Developer – Associate
For developers working in or moving toward cloud roles, the AWS Certified Developer Associate cert demonstrates your ability to write, deploy, and debug applications in AWS. It’s especially useful for full-stack and back-end developers who work with serverless functions or APIs hosted in the cloud.
Scrum Master Certification
If you work in Agile environments or regularly attend standups and sprints, a Scrum Master cert can give you extra credibility. While it’s not specific to coding, it shows you understand how dev teams work—and that can help with team leadership or cross-functional collaboration.
How to Increase Your Salary as a Web Developer
Want to push your salary up from the low-end range to the high-end? Here are a few steps that will help increase your salary—and your job opportunities.
Learn In-Demand Frameworks: Mastering modern frameworks like React, Next.js, or Svelte can make you more competitive for higher-paying front-end and full-stack roles.
Build a Public Portfolio: Hosting real-world projects on GitHub or your own personal site showcases your skills and gives hiring managers something concrete to evaluate.
Earn Certifications That Validate Your Skills: Earning certifications in cloud development, JavaScript, or Agile workflows helps you stand out, especially when applying to large or cloud-native companies.
Contribute to Open-Source Projects: Open-source contributions demonstrate initiative, technical ability, and collaboration skills, and they can help grow your professional network.
Specialize or Level Up: Moving into roles like performance engineer, accessibility specialist, or tech lead can open up new salary brackets and long-term career growth.
Stay Current With Industry Trends: Staying current on newer dev trends like JAMstack, headless CMSs, and serverless architecture keeps your skills relevant and increases your value.
Conclusion
Whether you’re writing front-end code, building back-end APIs, or managing full-stack applications, your earning potential as a web developer depends on your skills and your ability to solve problems.
By staying current with tools and frameworks, earning relevant certifications, and building a strong project portfolio, you can position yourself for higher-paying roles and long-term success in the field.
Ready to learn more? Explore web developer training courses at CBT Nuggets.
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