Coding Salaries: What Developers Earn in 2025
Thinking about a career in code? Or maybe you already write scripts and wonder if you’re getting paid fairly. The good news is that tech pay is still climbing, but the exact number depends on a bunch of factors. Below you'll find a plain‑language breakdown of average salaries for the most common developer roles, plus a few tips on how to bump your paycheck.
Base Pay by Role and Experience
Here’s a quick snapshot of what full‑time developers are pulling in the UK and US. All figures are gross annual salaries and are rounded to the nearest thousand for simplicity.
Junior (0‑2 years)
- Front‑end junior: £30k‑£45k / $55k‑$80k
- Back‑end junior: £35k‑£50k / $60k‑$85k
- Full‑stack junior: £38k‑£55k / $65k‑$95k
Mid‑level (3‑5 years)
- Front‑end mid: £45k‑£65k / $80k‑$110k
- Back‑end mid: £50k‑£70k / $90k‑$120k
- Full‑stack mid: £55k‑£80k / $100k‑$140k
Senior (6+ years)
- Front‑end senior: £65k‑£90k / $115k‑$150k
- Back‑end senior: £70k‑£100k / $130k‑$170k
- Full‑stack senior: £80k‑£115k / $150k‑$200k
Specialised roles like DevOps, data engineering, or AI/ML command even higher figures, often topping £130k in London or $180k in Silicon Valley.
What Influences Your Pay?
Location – Cities with a strong tech ecosystem (London, Manchester, Edinburgh, or US hubs like San Francisco and Austin) pay a premium. Remote work can level the field, but many employers still tie salaries to local market rates.
Stack – Languages in demand (JavaScript, Python, Go, Rust) and frameworks (Next.js, React, Svelte) can push your rate up. If you can spin up a full‑stack app with serverless functions, you’ll likely earn more than a pure HTML/CSS coder.
Industry – Finance, health tech, and e‑commerce often budget more for dev talent than NGOs or startups.
Certifications & Education – While many devs are self‑taught, a recognised certification (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) can add 5‑15% to a base offer.
And of course, negotiation skill matters. Most hiring managers expect you to ask for more than the first number they throw at you.
If you want a salary boost, focus on three things: master a high‑demand stack, build a portfolio that shows real‑world impact, and practice your pitch. Mention concrete results—like "cut page load time by 40%"—instead of vague statements.
Finally, keep an eye on emerging trends. In 2025, server‑side rendering with Next.js, edge computing, and AI‑assisted dev tools are hot. Developers who can blend these into their workflow are already seeing salary hikes.
Bottom line: coding salaries are strong right now, but the exact number depends on where you work, what you know, and how well you sell yourself. Use the numbers above as a guide, research the specific market you’re targeting, and don’t be shy about asking for what you deserve.
