Average WordPress Developer Salary in USA And Around The World

Are you considering becoming a WordPress developer or looking to hire one? Want to know the average WordPress developer’s salary? This blog is for you. Before we jump into the numbers, let’s understand the current lay of the land for WordPress. As per research:

• One-third market share: WordPress is used by 64.2% of all the websites whose content management system we know–this constitutes about 43% of all websites. 
• High-performance website builder: Some of the most popular websites that use WordPress include Zoom.us, Indeed.com, Salesforce.com, Godaddy.com, Grammarly.com, and so on.
• High-demand: At the moment, there are over 8,260 WordPress Developer jobs posted on Upwork.

For all things related to a WordPress developer’s salary, consider this to be your go-to guide. We will cover topics such as WordPress developer salary per hour, the average salary of freelance web developers, how much should a WordPress web developer charge per hour, how much a WordPress developer makes, and how much a WordPress developer earns in the most optimized way possible.

We also recommend mentioning these points in your WordPress developer job description. So, let’s jump right in.

Why Compare the Average Salary of WordPress Developers? 

While comparing salaries is not taken with good intention, it is necessary if you want to maximize your earning potential. Plus, the 2021 Compensation and Culture Report from Beqom suggests that 41% of employees are not comfortable talking about pay.

So what do you do to get into the nitty-gritty of the  WordPress developer salary? You compare salaries and arm yourself with the requisite knowledge. Here are a few compelling reasons why you should compare the average salary of WordPress developers.

Why Compare the Salary of a WordPress Developer: Developer’s Perspective

• One, it will help you to understand if you’re being paid fairly (or not).
• Two, the WordPress universe is dynamic–the job roles vary from industry to industry, the scope of work involves frontend and backend website development, and the WordPress expert salary keeps changing. Not staying abreast of these trends can hamper your salary negotiation potential.
• Three, WordPress developers engage in a wide variety of work, such as building a website and/or maintaining it. Since the job roles vary vastly, the salaries will differ even if the job titles are the same.
• Four, WordPress is the world’s top content management system. Understanding the WordPress specialist salary can help you propel your career in a profitable and rewarding capacity. 

Why Compare the Salary of a WordPress Developer: Client/Recruiter’s  Perspective

• One, if you want to hire WordPress developers and have a specific budget in mind, it helps to understand the industry average so that you can stick to your costs.
• Two, comparing the salaries will also help you to understand whether you need the services of a junior WordPress developer or a senior WordPress specialist. This will prevent you from either overspending on hiring a WordPress developer or avoiding the chance of putting up a low-quality WordPress website that neither fits your needs nor those of your customers.
• Three, you can understand the expertise, job roles, and skills that WordPress developers exhibit and conceptualize a high-performing WordPress website together.
• Four, you can hire a fine-tune and pre-vetted talent with more experience in 40% less salary if you know of the salaries paid to them in other countries. 

The takeaway: There is no standard rate when it comes to a WordPress web developer’s salary, working on a freelance basis. While budgeting, keep this point in mind. This is because the WordPress developer’s salary depends on your project needs, the kind of work expected, the industry, and the kind of specialized skills they are bringing to the table.

For organizations and business owners, the cost to build a WordPress website can take a heavy toll on their budget. This is why hiring the right kind of WordPress developer is key.

So, analyzing the average WordPress developer salary can help you to compare your offer against the industry benchmark so that you get access to high-quality talent at an affordable cost.

What is the Average WordPress Developer’s Salary According to Different Job Sites?

Let’s look at the average WordPress developer salary as posted on different websites:

Here are a couple of points to note:

• The WordPress developer’s salary depends on the various stages of the developer’s career.
• The average salary of WordPress developers that are on the higher end is for more experienced WordPress developers.
• The lower yearly salaries are for junior WordPress developers with up to two years of experience.

Freelance WordPress Web Developer’s Salary

Given the astronomic rise of remote workers and freelancers, WordPress developers, are no exception. This section will address all your queries related to freelance WordPress web developer salary-be it for WordPress development hourly rate or freelance WordPress web developer charges for general and specialized freelance marketplaces.

Since freelance developers are dispersed throughout the globe, the freelance web developer’s salary for these marketplaces considers at global rates. Also, most freelancers charge on a per-project basis or an hourly rate.

A. WordPress Developer Freelance Rates at General Marketplaces

General freelance marketplaces include Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer.com, and People Per Hour. All you need to do is sign up and get started as a freelance WordPress developer across these platforms; there is no vetting process involved:

B. Freelance WordPress Developer Salary at Specialized Marketplaces

Specialized freelance marketplaces require WordPress developers to take tests and undergo a vetting process to prove their skills literally.

As a result, the pay is at par with that of an average WordPress developer salary. Some of the common specialized marketplaces for WordPress developers include Codeable, Arc.Dev, etc.

WordPress Developer’s Salary Based on Job Role and Experience 

In this section, we will look at the basic WordPress developer salary based on job role and experience as the key parameters.

Please note that numerous factors affect WordPress salaries such as your level of experience, job type, type of employment, and location.

A. Junior WordPress Developer Salary

According to Glassdoor, the average base pay for a junior WordPress developer is $55,855 /yr. The minimum range is $37,000/yr, and the maximum range is $84,000/yr.

The average cash compensation is $2,620 and ranges between $242 – $28,331. As per Talent.com, the average salary at an entry-level position is $55,000.

On the other hand, as per Payscale, the average base salary of a junior WordPress developer is $39,677/yr. As per Indeed, the average base salary is $52,807.

Skills needed for a junior WordPress developer:

• Knowledge of WordPress fundamentals such as HTML, CSS, PHP, and JavaScript knowledge
• The ability to build custom themes from design files
• Being able to understand the WordPress technical environment
• An associate’s degree
• A few years of personal coding experience

B. Senior WordPress Developer Salary 

As per Talent.com, the senior WordPress developer’s salary is around $97,500/yr in the US, which equals about $50 per hour. The senior WordPress developer’s salary at an entry-level is $80,000 per year, whereas, for the most experienced developers, it can come up to an impressive $126,750 per year.

Similarly, for Payscale, the average salary for a senior WordPress developer is $88,030. Glassdoor estimates that the average base pay for senior developers is $1,03,069/yr, whereas, for Indeed, the average base pay is $99,654.

Here’s an important point to remember: Senior WordPress developers enter into a managerial position, which means they’ll generally be in charge of a group of junior WordPress developers.

To be able to qualify as a senior WordPress developer, you should have a minimum of 5 years of experience and a bachelor’s degree at the minimum.

Bonus material: Here’s a comprehensive, amazing guide on WordPress Plugin developers.

C. WordPress Theme Developer Salary 

When it comes to understanding the average salary of a WordPress Theme Developer, you need to make a note of the following points:

• These theme developers can either be independent contributors or full-time employees (from companies such as Themeforest), allowing users to buy and sell themes.
• The salary cannot be bracketed as it is not fixed. According to ZipRecruiter, the annual salary for a WordPress theme developer is as high as $135,000 and as low as $25,000. For a majority of WordPress Theme Developers, the current salary range lies between $60,500 (25th percentile) to $88,500 (75th percentile). The top earners (90th percentile) make around $114,000 annually in the United States.
• The salary depends on numerous factors such as the number of downloads or purchases your theme can get.

D. Full-Stack WordPress Developer Salary 

According to ZipRecruiter, the full-stack WordPress developer salary is $84,583 a year in the United States, which comes up to about $40.66 an hour. On the other hand, according to Indeed.com, the average base salary for a full-stack developer is $100,400. These developers also reportedly get a $5,000 cash bonus per year.

The role of a full-stack developer includes the following:

• API layer
• Business logic
• Data modeling
• Network, server, and hosting
• User interface (UI)
• Security
• Quality assurance 
• Customer service 

E. WordPress Plugin Developer Salary 

Data from ZipRecruiter indicates that the PHP WordPress developer’s salary can be as high as $118,000 and as low as $30,000. The WordPress plugin developer’s salary range lies between $56,500 (25th percentile) to $90,000 (75th percentile).

Note that the top earners (90th percentile) earn about $106,500 annually in the United States. A WordPress plugin developer must have the following skills:

• The ability to create the best WordPress plugins
• The ability to activate or deactivate a plugin
• The ability to create custom tables
• An understanding of how to include scripts and styles
• How to create shortcodes and filter content
• How to work with Ajax
• How to write SQL queries
• How to add option boxes
• How to use nonces for plugin security

WordPress Developer Average Salary in the USA

Let’s look at the WordPress developer’s average salary in the USA with location-wise segregation.

According to Talent.com, here’s a quick region-wise breakup of the WordPress developer salaries:

WordPress Developer Average Salary in the USA: Quick Takeaways

• Surprisingly, Minnesota offers the highest average WordPress developer salary at $126,750 per year, which comes up to $65 per hour.
• The entry-level positions start at $80,000 per year whereas the most experienced developers make up to $136,500 per year.
• The average WordPress developer salary is $50,000 per year or $25.64 per hour for developers based out of Nevada. For the entry-level positions, the salary starts at $50,000 per year and for the most experienced developers, the salary starts at  $97,500 per year.

On the other hand, as per Indeed, here’s the list of top-5 highest paying states in the USA.

WordPress Developer Average Salary in the USA: Top-5 Cities

• Washington, DC: $63,797 per year
• Los Angeles, CA: $63,052 per year
• Tampa, FL: $62,601 per year
• New York, NY: $62,237 per year
• Chicago, IL: $61,739 per year

Data by Indeed also suggests that around 50% of WordPress developers in the United States think their salaries are enough for the cost of living in their area.

WordPress Developer Salary in India 

In this section, we will look at WordPress developer salaries with the location-wise breakup. As per Indeed, here’s a quick run-through of the top-8 WordPress developer salaries in India:

Quick takeaways:

• As you can see, the highest reported average salary for a WordPress developer is ₹3,47,978 per year which comes from Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
• Additionally, Kolkata reports the lowest reported average salary for a WordPress developer which is ₹2,79,652 per year.

WordPress Developer Salary in Other Countries 

According to estimates by Beetroot, WordPress developers are compensated differently depending on their geographical location and seniority. Here’s a quick breakup of the same:

Quick takeaways:

• If you are on a shoestring budget, it doesn’t make business or logical sense to hire WordPress developers from the United States or Canada. For example, in the US, while the median monthly salary of junior developers stands at $4100, the price becomes steeper for middle developers who earn $5200 per month and for senior developers who earn $6400.
• WordPress developer salaries for people in the UK or Germany are lower in comparison to US and Canada, however, Finding and hiring a team of WordPress experts can take a toll on your bank balance. For instance, a junior WordPress developer will cost you around $3200 per month, a mid-experienced developer will cost around $4000, and a senior developer will cost around $4900.
• In Central Europe, Poland is one of the most attractive places for outsourcing WordPress developers at an affordable price. You can get entry-level developers for $1500 per month and senior developers for $3000.
• In the Eastern Europe region, you can hire WordPress developers from Ukraine, which will cost you $980 for junior developers, $1900 for middle-level developers, and $2600 for senior developers. If you hire from Bulgaria, the cost should come to about $1160 to $1740 for a junior to senior skill-level WordPress specialist.
• In Asia, you can hire seasoned WordPress developers from India and Pakistan, which should cost you anywhere between $280 to $700. In Southeast Asia, the Philippines offers affordable WordPress developers with junior specialists quoting $560, middle-level developers quoting $700, and senior developers quoting $1000.
• In the Latin America region, Brazil and Argentina offer high-quality WordPress developers at lucrative prices. For entry-level specialists, they charge $490 a month, and intermediate to senior developers charge between $1300-$1400.

Plus, as per a Codementor survey, the average WordPress developer hourly rate globally is as follows:

The Hourly Rate for Freelance Web Developer for:

• Asia — $49 per hour
• Australia + New Zealand — $70 per hour
• Canada — $65 per hour
• Eastern Europe — $56 per hour
• Latin America — $51 per hour
• Northern Africa — $41 per hour
• The Middle East — $64 per hour
• United States — $70 per hour
• Western Europe — $63 per hour

What is the Right Salary to a Hire WordPress Developer?

Now that you’ve got a good fundamental understanding of the salaries of WordPress developers around the globe, it’s time to address the elephant in the room: “What’s the right salary to hire a WordPress developer? The cost you’ll incur while hiring a WordPress developer depends on the type and experience levels.

There are four major types of WordPress developers you can go for: freelance WordPress developers, full-time WordPress developers, remote WordPress developers from the US, and remote WordPress developers from India.

A. Salary for a Freelance WordPress Developer 

If you are looking to understand the magic number for the salary of a freelance WordPress developer, Upwork suggests that the average salary stands at between $20 and $100 per hour. In comparison, the average salary for a freelance WordPress developer at Indeed is $32.54.

B. Salary to Hire a Full-Time WordPress Developer 

Based on the salary ranges provided in this blog, the right salary to hire a full-time WordPress developer is $57,540.

C. Salary to Hire a Remote WordPress Developer in USA

As per data by Arc.Dev, the WordPress developer salary for remote workers globally stands at an average of $60,648 per year. Furthermore, please note that the remote WordPress developer salaries in the US start from $74,994 to $105,744+ which is among the highest software developer salaries in the world. You must also remember that this is a great option if you wish to find and hire WordPress developers with a stipulated budget. 

D. Salary to Hire Remote Developers from India 

If you are wondering about the remote WordPress developer’s average salary in India, keep reading. According to data by Ambitionbox, the remote WordPress developer’s average salary in India ranges from ₹1 Lac to ₹6 Lacs. The average annual salary comes up to about ₹2.6 Lacs.

Given that remote WordPress developers make a global average of $60,648 USD per year (which is ₹47,90,339), hiring remote WordPress developers from India makes business, financial, and logical sense. You will get access to a talented pool of high-quality WordPress developers with lower salaries–as low as a one-eighth percent of the global average!

In Conclusion 

Understandably, the WordPress specialist salary is a hot topic in the developer world. Every aspiring developer wants to deliver meaningful work and be fairly compensated for it. Because let’s face it: Building a high-performing WordPress website is a tall order and requires a cocktail of skills, expertise, knowledge, time, and patience.

Get started with your WordPress website on the right note by hiring WordPress developers who are skilled, dedicated, and fast in their approach and work style. Once you’ve got a professional team in place, consider half the job done.