Complete JavaScript developer salary data
JavaScript, alongside HTML and CSS, is one of the three main languages used for web development. HTML is responsible for the structure of web pages in the browser and CSS for style, but JavaScript provides interactivity. JavaScript is supported by all modern web browsers and employed by the majority of websites. It is simply the language of the web. No wonder that according to Stack Overflow’s 2019 report, JavaScript remains the most commonly used programming language for the sixth year in a row. You had better believe that this massive popularity affects an average JavaScript developer salary. What is more, our own data suggests that 70% of companies globally want to hire a JavaScript developer.
The reasons behind the rise of JavaScript are not obvious to everyone. It was created by Netscape over ten days (!) as a lightweight scripting language for easier programming. The goal wasn’t to make it a standard language of the web, but this eventually happened. In fact, it is one of the only languages that run in the browser and pretty much everyone who wants to be a front-end developer has to know JavaScript.
At the same time, JavaScript is relatively easy to learn and a developer who knows another programming language can start coding in JavaScript without too much difficulty. For aspiring or entry-level developers, JavaScript is often the first-choice programming language thanks to its simplicity and versatility. All of that affects a JavaScript developer’s salary on many levels. Of course, there are many other important factors, such as level of experience, location, and the knowledge of various JavaScript frameworks.
If you aren’t looking for JavaScript developers, you can also find JavaScript salary numbers for other technologies like Java, .NET, or SQL.
In this post, we will be addressing the following topics:
- Average JavaScript developer salary
- Node.js developer salary
- Angular.js developer salary
- React developer salary
- Full-stack JavaScript developer salary
- Other factors that can increase pay
Average JavaScript developer salary in the United States
Although JavaScript developers are in constantly high demand, an average JavaScript developer salary is lower than the salaries of developers skilled in Java, iOS, or Python. You can see it clearly in this chart provided by Glassdoor which skews towards the lower end of the JavaScript salary scale.
According to the service, the average JavaScript programmer salary in the US stands at $78,456 per year.
Average salaries presented by Indeed are higher than those on Glassdoor. Indeed states that an average JavaScript developer salary amounts to $109,093 per year.
Neuvoo shows the highest average JavaScript salary: $117,000 per year.
The results from ZipRecruiter show that an average, a JavaScript developer’s salary stands at $105,676 per year. This is similar to the data provided by Indeed.
JavaScript programmer salary depending on frameworks
JavaScript was released in 1995. As the language became much more complex, new JavaScript frameworks emerged (originally, jQuery was the most popular one) and changed the landscape forever. Frameworks like Angular, React, and Node.js have since introduced order and structure through the implementation of MVC patterns.
What is important in the salary context though, is that not every JavaScript developer is proficient in all the frameworks. Let’s take a closer look at the salaries of JavaScript developers with more specific skillsets.
Node.js developer salary
Node.js has been the biggest game-changer in JavaScript as it made coding on the server side possible. It was introduced when Google Chrome released its V8 Engine and became the most popular JavaScript frameworks, used by 49.9% professional developers. Although JavaScript is the language of the web and as such, considered as front-end technology, Node.js is used on the back-end.
According to PayScale, an average Node.js developer salary stands at $65,437 per year.
Another source, neuvoo, presents a significantly higher average salary which is $121,875 per year.
ZipRecruiter shows similar results, with an average Node.js developer salary as $114,829 per year.
AngularJS developer salary
AngularJS is the second the most popular JavaScript framework (after Node.js) among professional developers according to Stack Overflow. It is widely used for building compelling web applications, such as Freelancer, Crunchbase, Google Express, and many more. The average salary of an AngularJS developer is higher than the salary of a developer who has mastered Node.js.
According to PayScale, the average AngularJS developer salary stands at $71,746 per year.
The results from neuvoo are higher than PayScale’s ones and hard to compare. According to neuvoo, AngularJS developers earn more than Node.js developers, contrary to the results coming from PayScale.
ZipRecruiter provides the highest average salary of an Angular.js developer which stands at $120,829 per year.
React developer salary
React is an extremely popular JavaScript framework used to build user interfaces. Although it’s less popular than AngularJS (React is used by 28.3% of professional developers, while Node.js by 49.9% according to Stack Overflow), it’s their most favorite one. The same report states that 64.9% of developers love React. It’s the highest score among all JavaScript frameworks. Plenty of well-known websites, such as Facebook, Instagram, Yahoo!, Khan Academy, Netflix, and The New York Times has been built using React.
PayScale provides no data about React developer salary. According to neuvoo, it’s $120,000 per year which is comparable to the salary of Node.js developer.
According to ZipRecruiter’s data, the average React developer salary is a bit lower – $110,788 per year.
Full-stack JavaScript developer salary
Only ZipRecruiter gives an average full-stack JavaScript programmer salary. According to them, it’s $112,522 which is slightly higher than an average JavaScript developer salary. The reason behind this lack of data may be a wide definition of what a full-stack JavaScript developer does. At the moment, one of the most popular technology stacks in JavaScript are: MeteorJS, Firebase + AngularJS, LAMP, MEAN (MongoDB, Express.js, AngularJS, and Node.js), and MERN (MongoDB, Express.js, ReactJS, and Node.js). Frameworks are also changing rapidly and a full-stack developer must be a jack of all trades.
Other factors that increase a JavaScript developer salary
Knowledge of various JavaScript frameworks plays a crucial role in determining salary. Let us not forget about other factors that also shape it, like additional skills, such as:
- An understanding of web markup, including HTML5 and CSS3,
- An understanding of JavaScript libraries and frameworks, not only the already mentioned React, Node.js, and AngularJS, but also jQuery, KnockoutJS, or BackboneJS,
- The ability to work with AJAX, asynchronous request handling, partial page updates,
- Familiarity with browser rendering behavior and performance,
- Soft skills, such as excellent communication skills, or the ability to work independently and in a team.
JavaScript is a popular and versatile language that allows building on the front-end, back-end, as well as mobile apps and browser extensions. At the same time, the number of possible skills is so wide that there is a marketwide gap between developers with the right skills and demand.
Before you go, we also have other great resources devoted to a software developer salary, such as:
Complete Python developer salary data
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