You enjoy playing around with HTML and CSS. You’re creative and have an eye for design, and you spend your days in your favorite text editor creating websites or applications from scratch. If you can recognize yourself in those statements, a career in frontend development might be the perfect choice for you!
But first, salaries!
Frontend Developer Requirements
As a frontend developer, you need to have a working knowledge of fundamental design principles and a few programming languages that primarily find use on the front end of websites and applications.
On top of that, you might also spend time doing customer or user research and conduct A/B tests to ensure the website or application in question gives the best possible ROI. Not only that, but testing allows you also to find and iron out bugs so you can produce websites and apps that are easy to use.
In terms of technical skills, you’ll need to be familiar with the following languages:
- HTML and CSS
- JavaScript and jQuery
- JavaScript frameworks like AngularJS, ReactJS, Backbone, and Ember
- RESTful services and APIs
Frontend Developer Skills
Aside from the technical requirements listed above, there are several soft skills that you should master if you want to increase your chances of getting hired as a frontend developer.
These include:
- Good communication skills: You’ll have to work with and communicate with other teams, clients, and customers while you’re working on their websites and applications.
- Collaboration skills: Working well within a team is another crucial soft skill since you’ll be working with others.
- Problem-solving skills: Much of web development involves seeking the right solution to a specific problem — not unlike finding the missing piece of a puzzle.
- Creativity: This includes translating the customer or client’s vision into a working website or application. A good understanding of visual and design hierarchy will serve you well too.
If you have all of the above skills, you’re ready to start your search for a frontend developer job.
Do Frontend Developers Get Hired?
If you’re wondering if frontend developers have trouble finding work, you don’t need to worry. In 2021, Glassdoor advertised 45,000 frontend developer jobs in North America and the UK alone.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, web developers employment in the US is projected to grow 8% from 2019 to 2029.
In other words, if you want to pursue a career in frontend development, you’ll have no shortage of opportunities for getting hired and making a steady income.
The Average Frontend Developer Salary
So now you know what your responsibilities will be as a frontend developer, and you know which skills you need to master if you want the job. It’s time to take a look at how much you can earn with a frontend developer salary.
According to https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/front-end-developer-salary-SRCH_KO0,19.htm, the average frontend developer salary is $86,013. That amount is based on 3,715 salaries submitted by frontend developers to Glassdoor. The lowest frontend developer salary is around $51K, while the highest is $145K.
Indeed lists a slightly higher salary, but their sample size is also larger than Glassdoor’s. They say the average frontend developer salary is $103,832, with an average $2,500 yearly cash bonus.
PayScale reports the average salary at $75,310 per year, with a low of $50K and a high of $90K. PayScale’s numbers are based on 4,206 salary profiles submitted by frontend developers.
ZipRecruiter says that the average frontend developer salary is $94,639 per year, with a low of $37K and a high of $147K.
Based on the numbers above, we can deduce that the average frontend developer salary is $89,948 per year.
But is it on par with other similar jobs?
In the next section, we’ll compare the average frontend developer salary with similar jobs and how other factors such as location and experience impact earnings.
Frontend vs Backend Developer Salaries
Backend developers work on the backend of a website or an application. They ensure that everything works smoothly and are in charge of the server-side of things, such as databases, client-server data flow, server logic, and more.
So what do they earn? Glassdoor lists the average base pay for a backend developer at $79,518, with the lowest salary being around $48K, while the highest is around $132K.
Indeed reports the average backend developer salary at $118,856 per year, with an added $4,000 annual bonus.
PayScale lists the average backend developer salary being $81,161, with a low of $51K and a high of $131K.
Finally, ZipRecruiter calculates the average backend developer salary to be $83,770 per year, with the lowest being $33,500 and the high end reaching $149K.
That brings the average backend developer salary to around $90,826 per year, a slightly higher figure than the average frontend developer salary.
Frontend vs Full-Stack Developer Salaries
Full-stack developers have the combined skills and the knowledge of both frontend and backend developers. Their job is even more complex than a backend developer’s because their responsibilities and skill set are broader.
Let’s see how their earnings compare to a frontend developer’s salary.
Glassdoor says that the average salary for a full-stack developer is $97,849 per year. The lowest salary is $61K, and the highest is $156K.
According to Indeed’s numbers, the average full-stack developer salary is $106,242 per year. Indeed also lists an additional $4,100 cash annual bonus.
ZipRecruiter reports the average salary is $102,744 per year. The lowest is $38K, and the highest full-stack developer salary is $150K per year.
PayScale lists the average full-stack developer salary at $78,951 per year with a low of $54K and a high of $115K per year.
When you run the numbers, you get an average salary of **$96,446 **for a full-stack developer. While this number is higher, it’s not a massive difference from what frontend developers earn. However, the difference indicates that full-stack developers may have more job requirements to meet.
Frontend Developer Salary by Experience
So far, looking at the numbers above, we can see frontend developers make slightly less money than backend and full-stack developers.
But what happens when you factor in job experience? How much money can you make as an entry-level frontend developer, and, more importantly, how will your salary increase as you move into senior roles?
As an entry-level frontend developer, you can expect to make $97,377 per year, according to Glassdoor. The lowest salary reported is $54K, and the highest is $176K per year.
PayScale, on the other hand, reports lower numbers. Their average entry-level frontend developer salary is $61K per year.
ZipRecruiter lists the average entry-level frontend developer salary at $57,017 per year, with a low of $25K and a high of $113K.
With a bit more experience, these numbers will rise. Here’s what senior developers can expect to earn:
Glassdoor reports the average frontend developer salary if you have more than 10 years of experience is $96,985, with a low of $65K and a high of $144K.
According to PayScale, a senior frontend developer has an average salary of $93K per year. Meanwhile, ZipRecruiter lists it at $118,440 per year, with a low of $32K and a high of $169K.
Based on these figures, a frontend developer’s average entry-level salary comes down to** $71,798 *per year, while the senior level salary averages *$102,808 **per year.
In other words, towards the end of your career, you can expect to be making an extra $40K per year.
Frontend Developer Salary by Language
As mentioned before, a frontend developer is proficient in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Often, they’re also familiar with JavaScript frameworks such as Angular and React.
As per Indeed, skills and areas of experience that can influence your salary as a frontend developer include AWS, machine learning, and continuous integration.
On the other hand, PayScale mentions Less.js, React Native, Django, Golang, Redux.js, and other languages as having a direct impact on your salary.
In Conclusion
If you’re a highly creative person who enjoys collaborating with others, iterative design, and you love testing and analyzing the results, the frontend developer job is a perfect match.
Additionally, frontend developers are in high demand, so if job security is a priority for you, this career path is without a doubt a great career choice.
What are your thoughts on these salary levels for a backend developer? Has your experience been different? Let us know in the comments section, then head to our Web Dev page to read more!
Top comments (1)
With the rapid pace of change in the tech industry, it can be difficult to predict which skills will be in demand in the future ?
However, there are top 10 skills that are essential for any front-end developer.