Front-End VS Back-End Developer Salary

Updated – October 4, 2022

Consider embarking on a new project, yet find it challenging to understand what to opt for, Front-end or Back-end development? Qubit Labs has your back. In this article, we’ll focus on the distinctions between these concepts and cover the Front-end vs Back-end developer salary difference. 

The Difference Between Front-end and Back-end Meanings

Let’s start with defining the terms.

The front-end is everything the browser can read, display, or launch. Namely, these are HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. This is the development of a user interface and functions, working on a client-side of the website or app. It includes everything the user sees when opening the web page. Front-end developers cooperate with other programmers, designers, and UX analytics to create a convenient and sought-after product. 

The back-end is everything that operates on the server, to wit, not in the browser or computer, which responds to other computers’ messages. This is a hardware part of the service. The back-end is a set of tools, with the help of which the website’s logic is implemented. This is what’s hidden from users’ eyes and happens outside the computer or browser. One can use any programming language for the back-end, including Ruby, PHP, Java, JavaScript, or Node.

The interaction between Front-end and Back-end happens circlewise:

• Front-end sends the user data to Back-end;
• The information is processed;
• It goes back in an understandable form.

Also, there are several major architectures, which define the way your Front-end and Back-end will interact, including:

• Server-based apps;
• Connection using AJAX;
• Client (single-page) applications;
• Universal/isomorphic apps.

Thus, user interface and all the interactivity compile Front-end, and data and business-logic ─ Back-end. 

Here are a couple of illustrative examples to define the difference between Front-end and Back-end:

• Front-end is when you look at a ready-made pizza with all the ingredients, like tomatoes, mozzarella, or pepperoni. Since people eat with their eyes first, so at a glance, you understand whether it looks delicious or not. The Back-end is when you take the first bite and taste all the ingredients, comparing whether the taste corresponds with the pizza’s look.  
• Front-end is a person’s appearance, for example, features, complexion, or clothes. When communicating with others, one usually notices whether the person looks neat or what’s his/her style of dress. That goes for the sites as well; yet, you consider the blocks, pictures, or buttons in this case. As soon as the person starts talking, that is, shows the first signs of back-end, his/her intelligence. It’s cool when the site has unique functions, but what makes it great is smooth performance and intuitive navigation. Back-end developers have to address these tasks. 

Now, let’s move to the Front-end vs Back-end salary comparison by location. 

Front end Developer VS Back end Developer Salary in the US

For starters, it’s necessary to find out the average Front-end developer salary in the US and compare it with the Back-end developers’ one:

According to Indeed, a mid-level Front end developer makes around $106,553 per year, while a Back end specialist ─ $122,768.  

The average Front end engineer salary in the US, according to PayScale, is $74,432 per annum. Meanwhile, a Back-end programmer receives around $79,996. 

ZipRecruiter mentions that a mid-level Front-end developer in the US makes $94,639, while the average Back-end developer salary is $100,281. 

Front-End Developer Salary in the US by Experience Level (Annual)

• In San Francisco, Front-end developer salary ranges from $86,000 for an entry-level specialist to $155,875 for a senior programmer.
• Seattle offers the average Front-end developer salary of $110,846 per annum.
• In New York, a mid-level Frontend developer receives $105,000 on average.
• The average Front end developer salary in Boston is $105,334.
• In Washington, mid-level Front End developers are offered $105,334 per year.
• Chicago pays a junior Front end developer salary of $68,900, while senior developers make around $129,000.
• In Nashville, a Front end developer average salary is $84,060.
• Denver offers a junior Front end web developer salary of $70,872, while senior specialists make $125,000.
• In Los Angeles, the average Front end developer salary is $104,000.
• Austin pays the average Front end developer salary of $85,000 annually. 

As per our IT salary guide, San Francisco, Seattle, and New York are the three highest-paying cities in the selection. There, salaries range from $104,644 to $102,741 for middle Front-end developers, and from $117,398 to $108,866 for Back-end specialists. 

Back-End Developer Salary in the US by Experience Level (Annual)

• San Francisco offers the highest average Front end engineer salaries, namely $142,336 per year.
• In New York, Backend web developer salary ranges from $88,000 to $156,000.
• Seattle pays the average Back end developer salary of $119,600.
• In Boston, a mid-level Backend developer salary is $119,500.
• In Washington, Backend web developer salary ranges from $75,000 for a junior specialist to $136,000 for a senior programmer.
• On average, Los Angeles pays $119,941 to mid-level Backend developers.
• Chicago offers $110,779 per year to average Backend specialists.
• In Denver, a mid-level Back end developer salary is $119,000.
• In Nashville, the average Backend web developer salary is $100,000.
• Austin pays $76,910 to entry-level Backend developers, $109,000 ─ to mid-level specialists, and $136,492 to senior programmers.

Thus, the same as in the case of Front end engineer salaries, the leaders in our selection are 

San Francisco, New York, and Seattle. These cities offer the highest salaries to Backend developers.

Front end Developer VS Back end Developer Salary in Europe (Annual)

There is a handful of prosperous and growing IT hubs in the world, and a large part of them are located in Europe. The highest Front end vs Back end developer salary is in Switzerland, $88,421 and $98,386 correspondingly, while the lowest is in Croatia ($13,351 and $17,483 respectively).  

Western Europe

• In Switzerland, junior Front-end developers make $58,481, mid-level ─ $88,421, and the most experienced specialists ─ $131,174. Backend web developer salary in the country starts with $54,240, rises to $98,386 for the developers of middle-level experience, and is around $123,335 for senior-level engineers. 
• The UK pays around $49,141 to junior Front-end developers, the average Front end engineer salaries there are approximately $67,748 per annum, and senior specialists make $88,583. As for the Back-end salary, the average sum is $75,358 per year.
• In Germany, a junior-level specialist’s average Front end developer salary is around $44,000, while mid-level developers make $61,990, and seniors ─ $93,100. An entry-level Back end developer salary in Germany is $50,692; mid-level specialists are paid $61,990, and senior-level developers make around $74,420. 
• In the Netherlands, junior specialists are paid around $33,762, while Front end developer average salary is $62,478, and the most experienced specialists make $77,195. As for an entry-level Back end developer salary, it is around $46,238, middle-level specialists make $59,147, and senior-level ─ $85,189. 

Eastern Europe

• Poland offers the highest Front end engineer salaries in Eastern Europe, namely $65,410 on average. As for the mid-level specialists’ Back-end salaries, these are around $68,385.
• In Belarus, the average Front end web developer salary is $54,838, while mid-level Back-end specialists make $59,539.
• The Czech Republic pays $34,806 to mid-level Front-end developers, and the average Back end developer salary is $36,709.
• In Ukraine, the average Frontend developer salary is $24,000, while Backend engineers make $22,800 per annum. 

Northern Europe

• The average Front end web developer salary in Denmark is $65,986. A junior-level specialist earns around $35,000 per year, while a senior developer ─ approximately $90,000. The average Backend developer salary in Denmark is $72,062.
• In Finland, the average Front end developer salary is $60,055, and the Backend ─ $62,532.
• Norway pays $61,460 to mid-level Front-end developers, while Back-end specialists receive $88,331 on average.
• In Sweden, Front end developer average salary is $52,838, and it can rise to $67,237 for senior developers. Speaking of Backend, the average specialist earns $71,403, and a senior-level developer is paid approximately $65,688. 
• Estonia pays $39,720 to mid-level Front-end specialists and the average Backend web developer salary of $72,000. 

Southern Europe

• In Italy, a mid-level Front end developer salary is $31,791, and Backend ─ $42,125.
• In Romania, an average Front-end engineer earns $21,329 per annum, and a mid-level Back-end developer is paid $24,281.
• Bulgaria pays the average Frontend developer salary of $18,137, and Backend ─ $23,169 per year. 
• Croatia offers a mid-level Front end web developer salary of $13,351, while Backend specialists earn $17,483 on average.

Front end Developer VS Back end Developer Salary in Asia (Annual)

• Singapore is the highest-paying country in our selection of the Asia region countries. The average Front end developer salary there is $65,940, while mid-level Back-end engineers earn around $72,600.
• In the Philippines, an average Front-end specialist makes $11,136 per year, and a Back-end developer ─ $10,932.
• India pays $7,117 to Front-end and $10,935 to Back-end mid-level developers.
• In Indonesia, a Front end developer average salary is $4,178, while a Back-end is $7,092. 

Thus, when comparing Front end developer vs Back end developer salary, we can conclude that the latter specialists usually earn higher wages than the specialists engaged in client-side parts of the projects.

Nevertheless, the salary significantly depends on several factors, including location, company, experience, selected programming language or framework, and product’s complexity. 

For example, Front-end JavaScript development usually is more expensive than the project based on HTML5. So, when it comes to Front end vs Back end developer salary, one should keep in mind the mentioned factors and estimate budgets considering those aspects.

Front end Developer VS Back end Developer Salary in Australia 

According to Indeed, in Australia the Junior Front-end developer can earn around $86,726 per year while a Back-end programmer makes $83,333 per year. 

For middle level Front-end developers the yearly salary is about $118,992 per year, for Back-end developers with the same level of experience the salary will be around $135,000 yearly. 

Senior Front-end developers in Australia can ask for $140,000 while the Back-end developer with the same level earns approximately $150,016 per year.

Do Front End or Back End developers Make More Money?

Experience-wise, the average junior front end developer salary ranges between $60,932 and $68,150 a year. However, this number differs greatly by location. For example, the front end developer salary in San Francisco can reach up to $115,766 per year. The mid level front end developer salary increases with mid-level engineers earning between $84,166 and $105,000. The average senior front end web developer salary tops the list and reaches up to $130,000, according to Glassdoor.

An average back end developer salary stays on a similar level. Median junior back end developer salary of $57,500 to $78,052. Middle back end developer salary surges up to $90,000, while the average senior back end developer salary lies in the range of $90,824 to $145,092. Front end vs back end developer salary also varies greatly by country.

FAQ

Who gets paid more front end or back end developer?

According to Salary.com, the median salary for a frontend developer is $119,224, ranging between $106,000 and $130,000.The average backend development salary comes in at $106,255. The range is between around $91,000 and $120,000. Glassdoor states an average base pay of $87,136 for frontend developers, ranging between $52,000 and $147,000. Backend developers, as measured by Glassdoor, make an average base pay of $80,086 and range anywhere between $48,000 and $133,000.

Is it better to be a front end or back end developer?

Both of these roles are in high demand, so it depends on your skills and preferences.

Is front end or back end more in demand?

According to Ineed and Upwork websites, there are usually slightly more front end developers than back end ones.

Are Front End engineers less desirable?

Front-end developer skills including web design, maintenance, and web development are some of the hottest and most in-demand skills today. In October 2021, Glassdoor advertised 14,157 front-end developer jobs in the USA, 6,350 jobs in the UK, and 1,070 in Canada.

Wrapping Up

In recent years, there has been a high demand for Front-end developers for dedicated development teams, which means there is great competitiveness between the specialists. It is much easier to master this side of development compared to the Back-end. However, the latter programmers usually receive higher salaries. Whatever your case is, Qubit Labs is ready to help you out. We have proven experience in the industry and can easily find the necessary developers for your project. Our company has access to a pool of top-notch Ukrainian specialists. If you are ready to turn your ideas into reality, feel free to drop us a line!

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