Back-End Developer Salary: Your 2026 Guide

Key takeaways

• The median total back-end developer salary in the US is $121,000 [1].

• A back-end web developer’s salary varies based on factors such as education, industry, and experience.

• Front-end developers earn a median total salary of $102,000, which is $19,000 lower than back-end developers' median total salary [2].

A back-end developer’s entry-level salary in the US is $92,000 [1]. Learn how much you can earn as a back-end developer, compare salaries at each career stage, and identify in-demand skills you can use to increase your earning potential.

If you’re ready to start preparing for a back-end developer role, enroll in the Microsoft Back-End Developer Professional Certificate. You’ll have the opportunity to learn fundamental back-end principles and work with modern frameworks like.NET and tools like Microsoft Copilot to streamline coding, debugging, and development in as little as six months. Upon completion, you’ll have earned a career credential for your resume.

What is the salary of a back-end developer? Plus job outlook

The median yearly total salary for a back-end developer in the US is $121,000 [1]. This salary includes an estimated additional pay of $16,000 to $29,000 per year, which represents wages earned from commissions, profit-sharing, or bonuses. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for web developers and digital designers will grow by 7 percent from 2024 to 2034, a rate that’s faster than the average for all occupations [3].

Front-end developer 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 a median total salary of $102,000 annually, $19,000 less than the median for back-end developers [2]. This figure includes base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

Read more: Front-End vs. Back-End Developer: Understanding the Differences

Factors that influence back-end web developer salaries

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.

Back-end developer salary: Entry-level to senior-level

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

• 0–1 year of experience (entry-level back-end developer salary): $92,000 per year

• 1–3 years of experience (junior back-end developer salary): $102,000 per year

• 4–6 years of experience (intermediate back-end developer salary): $115,000 per year

• 7–9 years of experience (senior back-end developer salary): $126,000 per year

All salary information represents the median total pay from Glassdoor as of July 2026. These figures include base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

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 salaries. Glassdoor offers a breakdown of median total pay (including additional pay such as commissions or bonuses) by industry [1]:

• Information technology (IT): $153,000

• Media and communication: $121,000

• Management and consulting: $129,000

• Human resources and staffing: $110,000

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 85 percent of companies chose to adopt skills-based hiring methods in 2025 [5].

Strengthen your skill set with guided learning tools

Subscribe to our Career Chat newsletter on LinkedIn for industry insights, skill-building tips, and networking opportunities. Then, explore our free resources for software developers:

• Prepare for a job: Back-End Developer Interview Preparation Guide

• Hear from a peer: How One Software Developer’s Leadership Aspirations Led Her to Graduate School

• Watch on YouTube: Front-End or Back-End: Which Developer Path is Right for You?

Whether you want to develop a new skill, get comfortable with an in-demand technology, or advance your abilities, keep growing with a Coursera Plus subscription. You’ll get access to over 10,000 flexible courses.