Programmer salaries vary worldwide, with big differences between the USA and Europe. Your location plays a significant role in the pay you can expect to receive each month. We’ve compared the average salaries of programmers and programming-related fields in both regions.
A programmer’s salary is greatly influenced by factors like company size, industry, level of employment, and most importantly, location. In the USA, programmer salaries are well above the national average, with the average programmer making over $1,800 every week. An average programmer in Silicon Valley will easily make as much money in a month as a programmer in Pakistan or India would make in a year.
In this article, we’ve collected the average salaries of programmers, software developers, data scientists, and similar positions in the USA and Europe. We also break down the salaries of different levels of employees for the same position.
All salary information was collected from Glassdoor.
Junior Programmer Salary:
Programmers just starting in the profession make significantly less than their more experienced colleagues. But don’t let this scare you. With a few years of professional experience under their belts, programmers see a substantial rise in annual salaries in Europe and the USA alike. These are the average starting salaries of programmers:
London: $44,872
Copenhagen: $50,392
New York: $64,490
Silicon Valley: $69,382
Average salary of a Junior Programmer: $57,284
Programmer Salary:
After 2-3 years of professional experience, programmer salaries are averaged at these numbers in the USA and Europe:
London: $51,309
Copenhagen: $55,382
New York: $84,928
Silicon Valley: $92,930
Average salary of a Programmer: $71,137
As with many jobs, the sky’s the limit in terms of programmer salaries. It all depends on your skill set, expertise, location, and of course a little bit of luck. Senior programmers can earn well above 100K in Europe and the USA.
Now let’s look at the salary ranges for software developers in the same locations.
Junior Software Developers Salary:
A junior software developer has less than 2 years of experience. The average starting salary for a software developer between the USA and Europe is about $60,000 / year.
London: $34,853
Copenhagen: $40,652
New York: $76,265
Silicon Valley: $87,799
Average salary of a Junior Software Developer: $60,000
Software Developer Salary:
A software developer with between 2-6 years of experience can expect to make around $96,000 per year.
London: $63,743
Copenhagen: $60,422
New York: $133,068
Silicon Valley: $128,676
Average salary of a Software Developer: $96,000
Senior Software Developer Salary:
A senior software developer has 7+ years of experience in a professional environment and the skills needed to work at a high level. They make on average $113,000 annually.
London: $86,350
Copenhagen: $86,032
New York: $167,834
Silicon Valley: $175,699
Average salary of a Senior Software Developer: $133,000
One job that continues to grow each year is data science. As roles continue to open up for junior and experienced data scientists alike, we expect that their salaries will continue to rise in the coming years.
Let’s compare the current average salaries of data scientists in Europe and the USA.
Data Scientist Salary:
Even with a few years of experience, data scientists can expect to make impressive salaries in both Europe and the USA.
London: $92,390
Copenhagen: $101,062
New York: $114,344
Silicon Valley: $165,330
Average salary of a Data Scientist: $113,000
Senior Data Scientist Salary:
Senior-level data scientists must have at least 6 years of relevant work experience. Their salaries top 100K in both the USA and Europe, with US senior data scientists making closer to 200K annually.
London: $101,395
Copenhagen: $142,728
New York: $161,983
Silicon Valley: $186,380
Average salary of a Data Scientist: $133,438
As the numbers show, those working in tech in the USA generally make more than their European counterparts. But these numbers aren’t the only thing that matters. You must also consider living and housing costs, health insurance (generally not covered by US employers), and social security like pension funds and 401K.
In general, programmers, software developers, web developers and other tech professionals bring home above-average salaries in almost all developed countries. This is expected to continue in the future with the rise of technology and digitalization.
All in all, these aspects should give you a rough estimate of potential salaries in Europe and the USA. Now all you have to do is build your skillset and start working towards your dream role!
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