Backend Developer Salary: What Is Backend Development Cost in 2023

How much does it cost to build a website’s back end? That’s a question that many business owners ask themselves at some point. The backend developer salary is the key to the answer.

Hiring a backend engineer who can construct your data architecture and define your business logic means straining your development budget. Those coders have always been paid more for their expertise, and there’s no way around that.

According to the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the number of backend web developers will grow by 13% from 2020 to 2030. Moreover, during this period, almost 18,000 vacancies will appear each year.

Thus, when hiring a backend developer, you may compete with many other companies trying to do the same. To attract top talent, you’ll need to be sure you’re offering a competitive salary. In light of this, it’s good to know the market rate for backend developers in your area.

This article will explore the topic of backend developer salaries, drilling down into cities with notably high and low pay, looking at what backend engineers get paid overseas, and discussing average freelance software developer rates.

To put the data into context, we’ve included specific details about what to look for when hiring a backend web developer and how a developer’s experience and specialization can impact a website coding salary.

Softermii has profound expertise in backend development and an entire expert team in this area. So we can share some practical tips on hiring backend specialists with you.

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The Average Backend Engineer Salary

Based on data from various sources, let’s consider the average salary of back-end developers:

• According to Glassdoor, the average annual salary for a back-end engineer from any industry with diverse experience is about $115,910.
• According to Indeed, back-end developers earn an average of $94,973 annually. This data is collected from more than 2,200 vacancies as of September 2022.
• PayScale gives an average annual salary of $88,494 as of August 2022.
• According to ZipRecruiter, an engineer earns an average of $102,880 per year, and the average hourly rate for a back-end developer is $49.

We also suggest you compare how the salary of a back-end developer differs from related specialties: front-end and full-stack developers.

Back-End vs. Front-End Developer Salaries

The development of the back end of a product is considered more complex than creating an interface. In such a case, it is rational that a back-end developer will earn more than a front-end engineer. But let’s look at some statistics:

• According to Indeed, a front-end developer gets about $102,493 a year.
• PayScale gives an average annual salary of $78,098 as of August 2022.
• Finally, Talent.com provides figures of $105,021 per year.

Back-End vs. Full-Stack Developer Salaries

A full-stack developer combines the qualifications of a back-end and front-end engineer. Such a specialist should receive a significantly higher salary since he takes on all the responsibilities of building the product. Let’s see how much this expert earns:

• According to Indeed, a full-stack developer earns $100,946 per year.
• PayScale suggests that a full-stack engineer can expect an average annual salary of $80,148.
• According to Talent.com, such a specialist can receive about $110,287 annually.

How Experience & Skills Influence the Average Salary for a Backend Developer

Back-end developers work in a world of coded business rules, database integration, and interactions with external resources.

They ply their trade using web development languages like Java, C#, Python, PHP, and Node.js, working with the sophisticated frameworks of Ruby on Rails, Django, or Laravel.

A good back-end developer has an in-depth knowledge of SQL and can work with popular databases, including Microsoft SQL Server and Oracle. Moreover, the engineer should be aware of the newest technologies in software development.

The cost to build a website can vary hugely based on your business nature and your project’s specific requirements.

Read Also: Reducing IT Infrastructure Costs: 5 Ways to Optimize IT Infrastructure

For example, the need to integrate your software with outside systems, like your website with video conferencing services, calls for an additional skill set that back-end developers must possess. In addition, a strong familiarity with web server configurations is necessary for back-end development.

An hourly rate for back-end developers is higher for specialists with more years on the job. The average junior back-end developer salary is around $65K, whereas a seasoned pro can expect to earn as much as $136,500 annually.

When you’re looking for a web developer for hire, the technical details of your project will have a lot to do with who you interview. Every engineer has their area of expertise, and you’ll need to find one with a skill set that matches your needs. You may require PHP, ASP.NET, or Python developers.

Apart from technical expertise, your potential candidate should have other extra skills. It’s a high level of mathematical knowledge, an analytical mindset, problem-solving abilities, impeccable communication skills, and a creative approach to work. These seemingly basic skills also add value to the back-end developer.

With a complete understanding of the back-end developer’s skill set, you’ve got a handle on some critical factors that will be involved when it’s time to find an engineer for hire.

Backend Developer Salary by Programming Language

The salary of back-end developers varies depending on the technology they are skilled in. Therefore, it’s crucial to consider the frameworks and languages your specialist uses.

Let’s look at the most popular back-end technologies and qualified developers’ salaries.

• Node.js developers in the US typically earn $81,908 as per Payscale.
• An average annual rate of a PHP developer reaches $65,613.
• Python developers can make $91,104 annually.
• Engineers with Ruby on Rails skills can get about $100,000 per year.
• As for C# developers, their annual rate is $68,754.
• Java developers can make about $79,779 per year.

Back-End Developer Salaries in the US

The average hourly rate for a back-end developer in the US is $29 as of August 2022. It makes a median annual salary of $121,771.

The pay can vary significantly depending on the city where you’re hiring. Typical annual salaries for back-end developers in San Francisco are especially high, coming in at $130,684.

It seems that most of the state of California has considerable rates for back-end developers. The average salary in Los Angeles is $118,241, and $112,823 in San Diego.

According to the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the number of backend web developers will grow by 13% from 2020 to 2030.

It’s unsurprising that California, home to Silicon Valley and some of the world’s largest tech companies, would have higher average developer salaries. The area attracts top talent and is a hotbed for innovative startups.

For example, less technology-focused areas, like New Orleans, Louisiana, will have fewer qualified candidates, but those you choose to interview will expect less money than their tech-city peers. Thus, the cost to hire a back-end web developer in New Orleans will be $93,239.

The table below provides a snapshot of back-end developer salaries in various regions around the US.

Back-End Developer Annual Rates in the US
State	Annual Rate
New York	$145,000
California	$138,900
Washington	$130,000
North Carolina	$125,000
Colorado	$124,758
Illinois	$120,000
Ohio	$118,950
Texas	$117,000
Florida	$117,000
Minnesota	$110,000
Louisiana	$100,156

According to salary.com

If you’re hiring in one of the cities with higher pay, it will be critical to offer qualified candidates a competitive salary for the area. Suppose you’re lucky enough to be in one of the cities where back-end developer pay is lower than the national average. In that case, you’ll enjoy the budgetary benefits of paying your new hire less than your competitors would have to.

Backend Developer Salaries & Hourly Rates by Region

This section looks at back-end developer salaries in other countries. Still, before we dive into that topic, you should recall that the average back-end developer rate in the US is $121,771. By international standards, that’s high, as our brief overview illustrates.

A few countries come close to paying back-end developers as much as they make in the US. Considering the United States’ position as one of the most technologically advanced nations, it’s not surprising that it would have the highest developer pay, with less technology-focused countries lagging.

For example, the average back-end web developer salary in Canada is $100,000, which is well below the US figure. You’ll pay a little more than that if your business is in one of the largest Canadian regions. For instance, the average back-end developer pay in Ontario is $110,000.

Another overseas locale where it costs less to employ back-end coders is the United Kingdom. The average back-end developer cost in the UK is $51,755 per year.

A company can save money on back-end web development by hiring in India. The average back-end developer salary in India is just $13,906 per year! In other countries in Asia, you will need to pay such a specialist even less. For example, in the Philippines, a typical back-end developer’s salary is $8,426.

The average back-end developer rate in Australia is $100,818. As with most countries, the pay numbers are higher in larger cities. A typical back-end engineer’s salary in Sydney is $130,000, which is more than that country’s average.

Let’s summarize the cost of hiring a backend developer in different countries in the table below:

Back-End Developer Annual Rates by Country
Country	Annual Rate
Ukraine	$33,600
The US	$121,771
Canada	$100,000
The UK	$51,755
Switzerland	$101,949
India	$13,906
the Philippines	$8,426
Australia	$100,818
New Zealand	$85,210

According to talent.com

As you can see, there’s a wide disparity between back-end developer salaries overseas and those in the US. If your business is outside the US, you might need to pay your back-end developers considerably less than you would in the United States.

To guide you in the regions where it’s most profitable to hire back-end developers, we’ve prepared the table for you:

Back-End Developer Annual Rates by Region
Region	Annual Rate
North America	$160,000
Asia	$125,000
Europe	$107,000
Africa	$90,000
South America	$75,000

According to web3.career

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How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Remote Back-End Developer

Maybe you’re interested in hiring a remote developer. It’s a common strategy to find back-end engineers for startups.

You may have to throw out your expectations about developer rates when considering hiring remote. From a pay perspective, remote work has evolved into a separate economy.

According to UpWork, the world’s largest freelance marketplace, freelance software developer rates are quite a bit higher than the rates of on-site coders. Thus, the hourly rate for back-end developers on UpWork will cost you between $20 and $40.

Custom programming rates, in particular, are high in the freelance world.

Getting a freelancer who can build a back end will cost you between $75 and $150 per hour. At full-time, that’s between $145,600 and $312,000 per year!

There’s a growing trend in hiring remote coders; you can’t expect a discount when hiring a freelance back-end web coder to develop your e-commerce solution. Nevertheless, it may still be the way for some companies.

Plus, if you do business where it’s hard to find candidates or where pay rates are through the roof, hiring a remote developer is a viable option for staffing your project.

According to Glassdoor, the average annual salary for a back-end engineer from any industry with diverse experience is about $115,910.

But probably the most promising approach is opting for a dedicated team. It’s a collaboration model where you turn to a remote vendor for the staff you lack. As a result, you get a reliable team and quality services at a reasonable price.

Back-End Developer Salaries in the Future

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the software development field will increase by around 22 percent by 2030.

Indeed, the area of software development is growing at a rapid pace. The average programmer’s salary has been increasing yearly, and the number of qualified coders is getting bigger. The cost of web software development will grow too.

The growth statistic cited above is a national projection. There are places where the expected growth of software development is even more significant.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics has also predicted that additional 531,400 software development jobs will exist by 2024. This number is calculated in the forecast period from 2014 to 2024. According to this data, the employment rate will increase by more than 13%.

Software companies hiring managers, business owners, or startup investors employing a web developer can look forward to choosing from an ever-growing pool of qualified candidates for a very long time.

But, it would be wise to consider that the projected increase in back-end developer demand will lead to a corresponding growth in engineer salaries.

Thus, when hesitating about engaging such a specialist, it’s better not to postpone your decision.

In upcoming years, there won’t be a lower backend developer hourly rate than there is right now.

How Softermii Can Help with Back-End Development

When you need a developer who can translate business requirements into functional code, you need a back-end developer, and you must be willing to pay a little more for the required skill set.

In this article, we’ve examined some impressive statistics. Some locations in the US and overseas have much lower back-end developer salaries than others.

A company that wants to save time and money on their project implementation should consider outsourcing the web development of the project to an experienced web development company.

The average hourly rate for a back-end developer in the US is $29 as of August 2022. It makes a median annual salary of $121,771.

For example, by engaging the talented team of web developers at Softermii, you could save as much as 30-50% on your development budget. Going that route can also improve your time-to-market, enabling you to get your site up and running faster than if you hired an internal team.

Our dedicated team sticks to schedules and spending limits while completing development tasks. We only allow a 15% maximum deviation from delivery.

We also offer flexible approaches to cooperation, and you can adjust the backend development cost to your needs. Here is what we can provide you:

• Team extension. Our company can provide you with both a large and a small team according to your business needs.
• Early stage. We can help you attract back-end developers at the MVP development phase.
• Full-cycle development. Attract a dedicated team to create your product from scratch.

Together with Softermii, you get top-notch expertise, trend-savvy specialists, and exceed expectations.

Conclusion

Whether hiring in the US, overseas, or remote, knowing the average cost of a back-end developer is extremely useful. We hope this article has enlightened you about average salaries for such experts and that it helps you attract the top talent needed for your project.

For its part, Softermii can offer the services of dedicated experts. Our back-end developers have a seven-year background in creating advanced digital products for businesses in various niches. So, if you need experienced back-end developers, feel free to contact our team.

Softermii has profound expertise in backend development and an entire expert team in this area. So we can provide you with a highly-experienced team for a very convenient price.