Fullstack Web Developer Salary: What You’ll Make in 2021

Software development is one of the most in-demand, lucrative professions today. But programming is a valuable career for more than just monetary reasons. Soon, every industry is going to be dependent on software.

Even if you don’t want to be a career developer, some programming skills will help you maintain autonomy in your work.

If you decide to pursue a career in web development, building your skill set is key. Whether you’re self-taught, get a degree from a university, or attend an immersive coding bootcamp like Fullstack Academy, there are plenty of learning options.

When it comes to salary, a lot of how much you can expect to make as a professional software developer in 2021 is tied to which aspects of development you’re trained in, how in-depth that skill set is, and where you’re located.

This article covers:

• The Average Fullstack Web Developer Salary
• The Average Front-End Developer Salary
• The Average Back-End Developer Salary
• Average Salaries for Different Programming Languages
• Negotiation Tips

Average Fullstack Web Developer Salary

A fullstack web developer can do it all. They have proficient skills in both front-end and back-end technologies, which means they feel comfortable working with code that affects the user experience but also with the logic that drives the back-end.

Fullstack developers are proficient with languages like JavaScript, C++, Ruby, HTML, and CSS—plus they have the expertise to make beautiful, functional, and interactive front-end web applications.

If you can master the skills to do what typically requires two employees, you can expect to garner a higher salary than either a strictly front-end or back-end developer.

According to Glassdoor, the average salary for a fullstack developer in the United States is $87,665.

Average Front-End Developer Salary

When we get into the specifics of a developer’s salary in relation to their particular programming skills, definitions blur and borders become less rigid.

In reality, "front-end developer" is a relatively new term, replacing what used to be known as a “web designer”.

While front-end work was formerly focused on markup languages, there’s now a significant amount of programming work to be done, particularly within JavaScript.

According to Glassdoor, the average front-end developer salary is $76,929.

Average Back-End Developer Salary

Back-end developers create the logical back-end and core computational logic of a website, software, or information system.

It’s common in the tech industry for back-end developers to be paid more because the work is more technically driven and therefore seen as more demanding, but the gap is closing as front-end development becomes more technically rigorous and more technologies are shared between the two roles.

According to Glassdoor, the average back-end developer salary is $101,619.

Average Salaries for Different Programming Languages

Another factor that influences your developer salary is how in-demand your skills are. Three of the most sought-after programming languages right now are JavaScript, Python, and Ruby, and remember: Salaries fluctuate based on location, so keep that in mind when you’re doing your research.

Here are the current average salaries for these roles in New York City:

• JavaScript Developer: $83,900
• Python Developer: $81,711
• Ruby Developer: $81,711

When deciding which programming language to learn, you should also consider the sheer number of job openings per language.

Remember: You Can Negotiate

Developer salaries are like any other job: If you have previous industry experience, you’ll bring more value to a prospective employer and be qualified to receive a higher salary.

Fullstack Academy graduates who are straight out of college are more likely to receive an entry-level salary ($82,500 per year in New York), while those with previous experience could move directly into a six-figure income. Learn more about our outcomes.

Salary negotiations are intimidating, but because they help determine your short-term and long-term compensation, they can pay off. Fullstack’s Career Success team helps you practice and develop your negotiation strategy so you feel confident and prepared.

Before going into negotiations, set your minimum acceptable salary or your “walk-away number”. Then, conduct some research to come up with a desired salary range based on your experience level, skill set, location, and any salary info you can find on the company or its competitors. Glassdoor and Payscale can be useful resources to reference.

Now that you know what salary you can expect as a fullstack developer, learn the tips and tricks you need to ace a virtual interview.