Full-Stack Developer Salary: Your 2023 Guide

The average yearly pay for a full-stack developer in the US is $85,469 [1]. However, full-stack software developer salaries vary based on experience, job title, location, and experience. You can learn more about how much you can make as a full-stack developer in the article below.

What's the difference between a front-end, back-end, and full-stack developer?

Some developers specialize in user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) development as front-end developers. The front-end of an application is everything you see as a user. Others focus on an application's server-side as back-end developers. The server side or back-end includes everything users can't see or access. Full-stack developers have both front-end and back-end development skills.

What is the average full-stack developer salary?

As mentioned above, the average total yearly pay for a full-stack developer in the US is $85,469 [1]. This figure includes an average base salary of $79,399 and a median additional pay of $6,071. Additional pay may include commissions, profit-sharing, and bonuses. In the next few sections, we'll explore salary ranges by location, job title, and experience.

Read more: How to Negotiate Your Salary: 10 Tips to Earn More 

Full-stack developer salaries by location 

Larger cities often require a higher cost of living, so full-stack developers in these areas typically get paid more. The highest-paying cities, along with the average annual salary, are as follows:

• San Francisco, CA: $144,714

• McLean, VA: $138,122

• New York, NY: $130,107

• Austin, TX: $127,830

• Chicago, IL: $126,995

• Denver, CO: $120,394

• Irving, TX: $119,450

• Atlanta, GA: $113,073 [2]

Full-stack developer salaries by title and experience

A full-stack developer’s salary in the US may depend on the amount of professional experience, and as you gain more, you’ll likely get promoted, which leads to higher earnings. The following list includes the average salary range of full-stack developers by job title and years of experience:

• Full-stack developer (0-1 year of experience): $61,000-$99,000

• Mid-level full-stack developer (1-3 years of experience): $67,000-$106,000

• Senior full-stack engineer (4-6 years of experience): $72,000-$113,000

• Principal full-stack engineer (8+ years of experience): $146,000-$248,000

• Vice-president of engineering (8+ years of experience): $227,000-$396,000 [3]

How to increase your full-stack developer salary

In the next few sections, we'll outline several ways to increase your full-stack developer salary, including recommendations for getting started.

Expand your technical skill set.

Your knowledge about websites' front and back ends will make you a more valuable employee and likely grant you a more lucrative full-stack developer career. Here are a few programming languages that full-stack developers can benefit from learning:

• JavaScript

• SQL

• CSS/HTML

• C#

• Python

• React

Read more: What Programming Language Should I Learn? 

The following list outlines essential programming environments, frameworks, and platforms for full-stack developers:

• Node.js

• Django

• Containers

• GitHub

• Kubernetes

You can familiarize yourself with all of the above by enrolling in a full-stack development online course. For example, you can learn from an industry leader while earning a Professional Certificate for your resume with the IBM Full Stack Software Developer Professional Certificate. It's self-paced and 100 percent online.

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Enhance your workplace skills.

In addition to technical capabilities, full-stack developers must possess interpersonal skills. They often work on teams with other developers and collaborate with clients and shareholders. Here are a few non-technical skills (also known as soft skills) for full stack developers to master:

• Creativity

• Problem-solving

• Written and verbal communication skills

• Working knowledge of software development methodologies like DevOps, CI/CD (continuous integration, continuous delivery) and Agile.

You likely already possess some of the skills mentioned above. To increase your understanding of these essential development concepts, consider enrolling in an online course. For example, you can learn DevOps, Agile, Scrum, CI/CD, and Cloud Native through IBM's DevOps and Software Engineering Professional Certificate:

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IBM DevOps and Software Engineering

Launch your DevOps and Software Engineering Career. Master DevOps, Agile, Scrum, CI/CD and Cloud Native with hands-on job-ready skills.

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Cloud Native, Devops, CI/CD, Application development, Software Engineering, Test-Driven Development, Behavior-Driven Development, Iaas PaaS Saas, Hybrid Multicloud, Cloud Computing, Agile Software Development, Scrum Methodology, Zenhub, Kanban, Sprint Planning, Shell Script, Bash (Unix Shell), Linux, Distributed Version Control (DRCS), open source, Version Control Systems, Github, Git (Software), Data Science, Python Programming, Data Analysis, Pandas, Numpy, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Web Application, Flask, Kubernetes, Docker, Containers, Openshift, Swagger, serverless, Microservices, Representational State Transfer (REST), IBM Code Engine, Test Case, Software Testing, Automated Testing, Continuous Integration, Continuous Development, Automation, Infrastructure As Code, Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP), Observability, security, Monitoring, logging, agile

Read more: Front End vs. Back End: Learning Skills and Tools

What does a full-stack developer do? 

Full-stack developers create and maintain websites' front and back ends. They often work on a team with dedicated UI and UX designers and other web developers. Some duties of a full-stack developer may include:

• Developing web applications, websites, or computer programs

• Creating executable code for the functionality of web design elements

• Coding server-side elements

• Testing and maintaining web-based projects

• Overseeing projects to stay within budget and optimize speed, functionality, and reliability

• Collaborating with designers, web developers, and clients

• Stay current with technological trends within the industry

How do I qualify to become a full-stack developer?

A full-stack developer is a computer programmer with experience in all areas of web development. These professionals have mastered client software for developing the front end and server software for the functionality of the back end. They also have a working knowledge of popular stacks, a combination of computer programming tools for specific functions and parameters. These include:

• LAMP stack

• LEMP stack

• MEAN stack

• Django stack

• Ruby on Rails

You'll be on your way to a successful full-stack developer career by learning each stack level and how they function interdependently. While many full-stack developers hold a bachelor’s degree in computer programming or a related field, many learn through online courses. 

Take the next step in your full-stack development career with Coursera

Earning credentials from an industry leader in technology is an excellent way to enhance your resume and skills simultaneously. On Coursera, you can learn the full-stack essentials from Meta staff in a self-paced, 100-percent online program:

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The Full Stack

As you prepare for your role in back-end development, practice bringing together multiple skills to build a full-stack Django app. You’ll start by setting ...

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