Java is a popular programming language that was launched 25 years ago by the Oracle Corporation. It is mainly used for application development and works best for large scale applications, especially for corporations and enterprises. In the present day, it has emerged as one of the most widely used programming languages.
If you’re planning to join a Java development team, you’re undoubtedly interested to know the salary that a Java developer earns on average. So we have compiled data and statistics from various sources to analyze how much Java developers make, both globally and in specific regions.
The Popularity of Java
Before we get into the salary details, let’s first examine why Java is one of the most popular and commonly used programming languages.
- Often hailed as a ‘write once, run anywhere’ (WORA) language, Java codes can be operated on multiple platforms and operating systems without having to recompile the codes.
- Java can run on any device that has Java Runtime Environment (JRE). JRE is compatible with Windows, Mac, Linux, UNIX, and Android, meaning all these operating systems can run Java.
- As an object-oriented program, Java development is comparatively easier to learn and is also designed to act as a simpler solution to complex problems.
So the versatile usage and simplicity of Java are what makes it popular among programming languages. And this is a fact backed by statistics, as HackerRank’s 2020 Developer Skills Report demonstrates that Java has been the number one most widely known language in 2018 and still takes the second spot in 2019 and 2020.
The same report also shows that Java is globally the third most sought after programming language by managers when they hire developers, with 44.1 % responses prioritizing Java developers. This statistic is further broken down into different regions – 38.1% managers in America, a striking 51.3% in the Asia Pacific, and 40.9% in Europe, Middle East, and Africa regions (EMEA) look specifically for Java developers when hiring.
Although Java is a popular coding language, finding the right developer is challenging as well as finding the best-paid job for engineers. You might like to read more about places where companies hire software developers on YouTeam’s blog.
Java Development Salary Overview – How Much are Java Developers Paid?
StackOverflow’s survey shows that the average global salary for Java developers, based on development costs, is around $50,000 based on more than 33,000 responses. However, this global figure isn’t the most accurate representation of Java development pay rates for individual countries. So let’s have a deeper look at Java Development salaries in specific regions around the world.
USA
Popular employment and job search platform, Indeed, compiled salary reports of 4,882 US-based Java developers to derive an annual average salary of $103,492. Verizon is the highest paying company for Java developers on Indeed, with an average yearly salary of $159,688 based on 15 reports.
A similar figure can be seen on PayScale, where the salary profiles of 1,725 candidates were analyzed, with 90% of candidates reporting an average salary of $107,000 per year and the other 10% reporting $51,000 per year. Considering both ends, a median figure of $75,000 per year was derived as the average salary for Java developers in the US. The difference can be attributed to developers’ experience level as senior developers earn more than entry-level candidates.
UK (Western Europe)
Payscale has also compiled the salary reports of 471 Java developers in the UK, where 90% of candidates reported a salary of £57,000 per year ($78,028) and 10% reported it to be £25,000 per year ($34,223). The median figure comes out to be £36,000 per year ($49,281). The report also suggests that £25,000/year is the average base salary for entry-level developers, while experienced Java developers (20+ years of experience) can earn as much as £70,000 annually ($95,845).
Ukraine (Eastern Europe)
A report from DOU.ua compiled Java developer salaries of 10,279 candidates in Ukraine, which shows that entry-level Java developers in Ukraine are paid $700 to $800 per month ($8400 to $9600 annually). In comparison, senior developers earn about $4000 per month or $48,000 annually. While the average salary for Java developers is much less than that compared to the USA, it’s still a good figure considering the cost of living in Ukraine.
Asia
The actual rates for Java developers will vary in different countries, but we can review the salary for three of the biggest tech hubs in Asia – India, China, and Singapore. Payscale’s salary reports on each of these countries show that the average base salary in India is ₹447,687 per year ($6,129), in China is ¥185,000 per year ($28,534), and in Singapore is SGD 51,000 per year ($38,389).
Africa (South Africa)
Payscale’s Java developer salary report for South Africa, based on 463 profiles, shows an annual salary range of ZAR 175,000 ($11,500) to ZAR 665,000 ($43,702), with the median annual salary settling at ZAR 375,000 ($24,636). Among them, 46 profiles of senior developers in South Africa with 10 to 19 years of experience have reported a salary of about ZAR 700,000 per year ($45,988), while 32 profiles of entry-level developers have reported earning about ZAR 232,000 annually ($15,242).
How Do Seniority and Experience Influence a Java Developer’s Salary?
To understand the influence of seniority level and experience on the salary of Java developers, we can take a look at the difference in salaries of different levels for Java developers in the USA as per Payscale’s report as an example.
218 salary profiles of entry-level developers show an average base salary of about $60,000 per year for those with less than one year of experience. The rates for developers with 1 to 4 years of experience increased to about $72,000 per year (based on 933 profiles), indicating an increment of 20%, while those with 5 to 9 years of experience earned approximately $84,000 per year (based on 546 profiles) – a 40% increment from the entry-level salary.
The percentage of growth remained somewhat similar, with those having 10 to 19 years of experience earn about $98,000 per year and developers with more than 20 years of experience earning as much as $102,000 annually. On average, the transition from entry-level to junior developer comes with an increment of 5% per year. From junior to mid-level, the salary increases to about 3% to 4% per year. The final transition from mid-level to senior developer leads to an increment of 1.5% to 2% per year.
Even though the base annual salary of Java developers in other regions varies from that in the US, the increase in pay based on experience level and seniority is in a similar percentage bracket as that seen for the US in the above case.
Summary
It is quite clear from statistics that Java development projects remain exceptionally relevant, popular, and commonly used to date. It is one of the most useful languages for developing large scale server-based applications in big corporations. Companies worldwide still have a huge requirement and priority of Java developers.
It’s also a high paying skill that promises a financially rewarding career. The salaries for Java developers vary in different regions, with the US emerging as the highest paying region. But the one thing that’s common in all regions around the world – no matter where you’re from, a Java development job pays well enough to rise above the average cost of living in your location.
Oh, it would be pretty difficult to say. I think that you can try to find some developers from different regions and to ask them for a price. Here is the link https://jooble.org/jobs/Brooklyn%2C-NY with people who search for a job, just write to some developers and that’s it