6 Statistics on Hiring Web Developers in 2026 (USA Report)

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• The median annual pay for web developers is $95,380, or $45.85 per hour (BLS).
• Glassdoor lists 10,410 open web developer jobs, including 1,730 remote positions.
• Remote jobs account for 16.6% of all listed web developer openings.
• San Francisco offers the highest average web developer salary at $270,000.
• Developers with more than 7 years of experience earn an average salary of $176,333.

• Back End Developers and Full Stack Developers earn more on average than traditional Web Developers

   

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual pay for web developers is $95,380, while the median hourly pay is $45.85. This median represents the middle point of all reported salaries, making it a useful benchmark when planning hiring budgets.

For businesses, this means entry-level hiring costs can vary widely depending on location, while experienced developers and specialists often command significantly higher compensation.

According to Glassdoor, there are 10,410 active web developer job openings. Of these, 1,730 are fully remote, while 8,680 are on-site or hybrid positions.

💡 Hiring insight: Although remote hiring has become more common, most companies still recruit developers for hybrid or office-based roles. Businesses that offer remote flexibility may gain access to a larger talent pool.

We analyzed salary data from Built In to identify where businesses are likely to face the highest hiring costs. Our analysis found that San Francisco ($270,000), Colorado ($135,000), and Austin ($121,500) are the three most expensive markets for hiring web developers. 

These markets are home to a high concentration of technology companies, which increases competition for experienced developers and drives up compensation.

💡 Hiring insight: Companies recruiting in high-paying cities often face stronger competition for experienced developers. Many organizations now hire distributed teams or work with development agencies to access skilled talent without competing in the most expensive markets.

Experience is one of the biggest factors that affects the cost of hiring a web developer. We found that developers with less than one year of experience earn an average salary of $100,000. 

Salaries increase to $119,000 for developers with 5–7 years of experience and reach an average of $176,333 for professionals with more than 7 years of experience. 

💡 Hiring insight: While junior developers may reduce initial hiring costs, experienced developers often deliver projects faster, require less supervision, and contribute to long-term product stability.

To understand which technical roles are the most expensive to hire, we analyzed salary data across related software development positions. 

Our findings show that Back End Developers ($173,388) earn the highest average salary, followed by Full Stack Developers ($162,772) and Senior Software Engineers ($157,878). 

However, traditional Web Developers rank ninth with an average salary of $110,610, while Front End Developers earn $110,010 on average. 

💡 Hiring insight: Modern websites often require expertise beyond front-end development. Businesses building custom platforms, SaaS products, or enterprise applications frequently need back-end or full-stack developers to manage APIs, databases, integrations, and scalable infrastructure.

Most web developers earn between $80,000 and $90,000 per year, making it the most common salary range in the market. Salaries tend to increase with experience, specialized technical skills, and the complexity of the role. 

At the higher end of the market, annual salaries can exceed $270,000, although these positions represent only a small percentage of web development jobs.

💡 Hiring insight: Most companies can expect to compete within the middle salary ranges. Premium salaries are typically reserved for highly experienced developers or specialists working on complex products.

This report combines publicly available data from:

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for median annual and hourly pay.
• Built In for salary benchmarks by city, experience, gender, salary distribution, and related development roles.
• Glassdoor for job availability and remote hiring trends.

The figures represent publicly available market data at the time of analysis and are intended to provide directional insights into the web developer hiring landscape in 2026.

Hiring a web developer is about more than finding someone with the right technical skills. It's also about choosing the hiring model that fits your project. Depending on your goals, a freelancer or a web development agency could both be the right choice.

Freelancers are a good fit when you need a simple business website, a landing page, bug fixes, or a few feature updates. They usually have lower overheads, so their rates are often more affordable than hiring an agency.

If your project has clear requirements and doesn't require ongoing support, working with a freelancer can be a practical and cost-effective decision.

One thing to keep in mind is that you're relying on a single person. If your project later needs UI/UX design, SEO, testing, or back-end development, you may need to hire additional specialists and manage them yourself.

If your website plays a key role in generating leads, selling products, or supporting customers, an agency often makes more sense. Instead of hiring one developer, you get access to a team that can handle design, development, testing, project management, and long-term support.

This becomes especially valuable when building ecommerce stores, SaaS products, customer portals, or custom web applications where multiple skills are needed throughout the project.

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Cost is important, but it shouldn't be the only factor. Our market research shows that most web developers earn between $80,000 and $90,000 per year, while developers with more than 7 years of experience earn an average salary of $176,333. Specialized roles such as Back End Developers earn an average of $173,388, reflecting the premium businesses pay for experienced technical talent.

These numbers explain why experienced developers charge more. You're paying for years of problem-solving, faster execution, and the ability to build scalable, reliable software.

If you need a simple website and have a limited budget, hiring a freelancer is often the right choice. Many businesses successfully launch websites this way.

However, if your website is expected to become an important part of your business, whether that's attracting customers, generating revenue, or integrating with other systems, an agency is usually the better long-term investment. 

You gain access to specialists across multiple disciplines, reduce the risk of project delays, and have a team that can continue supporting your website as your business grows.

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