Back-End Developer Salary: Your 2025 Guide

The software engineering field is vast, allowing back-end developers to work not only in tech companies but across diverse industries like education and advertising. Industry, company, specialization, and location can all influence your salary as a back-end developer. Use this article to learn how much you can earn, compare salaries at each career stage, and identify in-demand skills you can use to increase your earning potential.

Back-end developer salary and job outlook details: What is the average salary for a back-end developer? 

The average yearly salary for a back-end developer in the US is $94,443 [1]. This base salary does not include the estimated additional pay of $20,768 per year, which represents wages earned from commissions, profit-sharing, or bonuses. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, it’s projected that jobs for web developers and digital designers will grow by 8 percent from 2023 to 2033, a rate that’s faster than the average for all occupations [2].

Front-end vs. back-end developer salary

A back-end developer specializes in a website or application's server side. Working in back-end development means that you’ll be responsible for everything the end user doesn’t see, such as databases and structural components. In contrast, front-end developers create the client-facing elements of a website, known as the user interface (UI). Front-end developers earn an average salary of $81,890 annually, $12,553 less than the average for back-end developers [3].

Factors that influence back-end developer salaries

Back-end developer entry-level salary to senior-level salary

Typically, the number of years in the field or experience level can help you earn a higher salary. Here are the average salaries for each career stage in back-end engineering, from entry-level to senior [1]:

• 0–1 year of experience (entry-level back-end developer salary): $74,470 per year

• 1–3 years of experience (junior back-end developer salary): $81,914 per year

• 4–6 years of experience (intermediate back-end developer salary): $90,980 per year

• 7–9 years of experience (senior back-end developer salary): $95,476 per year

Skills and areas of expertise

As a back-end developer, you have a wide range of skills to learn as you grow in the field and further your education. Some skills are more in demand than others and can help you land a higher-paying job and boost your resume. The next few sections provide an overview of a few specializations and skills to consider as a back-end developer.

Full-stack development

Full-stack developers work on both the front-end and back-end of a website or application. If you're a back-end developer looking to increase your earning potential, you might consider learning to work on the front end to complete your full-stack developer skill set. You can learn from an industry leader while earning a certificate for your studies by enrolling in Meta's Front-End Developer Professional Certificate program:

MERN stack

As a back-end developer, you're likely familiar with popular programming languages like JavaScript, SQL, PHP, and Ruby. Building off this expertise to specialize in a specific tech stack can help give you an edge in the job market. MERN stack is an example of a popular tech stack for web development. It stands for MongoDB, Express.js, React, and Node.js.

AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) skills have risen in popularity and demand in the last few years. In a technical field, it's especially important to stay current with advancements and trends. To increase your competitiveness as a job candidate, consider adding generative AI to your skill set and resume. You can learn to effectively apply generative AI to a software development workflow with the Generative AI for Software Developers Specialization offered by IBM. Complete this intermediate-level course series in just one month, earning a certificate for your LinkedIn or resume.

Database development

The data field is experiencing high growth. Back-end developers often have experience with database management tools and processes, unlocking database developer or database engineer as potential next steps in their career path. You might consider strengthening your data visualization and analysis skills to prepare for a role in database development or working closely with programming languages often used by data professionals, like SQL.

Industries

Even with the same education and experience, two back-end developers working in different industries can expect to make different average salaries. Glassdoor offers a breakdown of median total pay (including additional pay such as commissions or bonuses) by industry [1]:

• Information technology (IT): $132,376

• Media and communication: $119,415

• Management and consulting: $124,680

• Human resources and staffing: $116,061

Education and credentials

There are several paths to becoming a back-end developer. According to Zippia, 71 percent of developers hold a bachelor's degree, 19 percent hold a master's degree, and 5 percent hold an associate degree [4]. Employers may also be interested in candidates with demonstrable skills and experience, with TestGorilla reporting that 81 percent of companies chose to adopt skills-based hiring methods in 2024 [5].

Prepare for your next back-end software developer role on Coursera

Start gaining the skills you need to become a back-end developer with Meta’s Back-End Developer Professional Certificate. You'll learn Python and gain hands-on experience with industry-standard tools and operating systems like Linux; no prior experience required. Upon completion, gain exclusive access to career resources like resume review, interview prep, and career support. 

To start your journey as a back-end developer and develop job-ready AI-powered skills, consider enrolling in Microsoft's Back-End Developer Professional Certificate.