Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2024 reference period
How Much Does a Junior Web Developer Make? (2026)
Junior or early-career web developers earn approximately $82,671 per year as of 2026, based on the 25th percentile of Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS wage data — the standard proxy for workers with 2–5 years of experience. Across U.S. metros, junior pay ranges from $53,040 (lowest-paying) to $137,590 (highest-paying).
25th percentile across U.S. metros, employment-weighted
What This Pay Level Means
The 25th percentile is the BLS-published wage below which 25% of workers in this occupation earn. It is the standard anchor for "early-career" or "junior" pay — workers past the initial onboarding period but still building independent scope. The 25th percentile is the bottom of the typical negotiation band; if you have 2+ years and an offer is below this number, you have a clear data point for asking for more.
For workers in their first one-to-two years, the 10th percentile (entry-level band) is the right anchor. For mid-career workers with 5+ years, the median (50th percentile) becomes the benchmark. See "Entry-level web developer salary" and "How much do web developers make?" for those bands.
Top-Paying Metros at This Level
| Metro | Junior Pay |
|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $137,590 |
| San Francisco, CA | $99,990 |
| Seattle, WA | $95,750 |
| Denver, CO | $84,920 |
| Atlanta, GA | $83,700 |
What the Numbers Tell You
Geographic pay spread for Web Developers is unusually wide — top metros pay roughly 2.3× what the lowest-paying metros pay, a $99,730 gap. Most of that variation tracks cost of living, regional industry concentration, and the depth of senior workers in each market.
Web Developer is a smaller occupation, with about 66,340 workers tracked. Individual employers can move the local market noticeably.
Other Pay Levels for Web Developers
Each percentile band targets a distinct experience level — see the dedicated page for your career stage:
- Entry-level web developer salary →
- How much do web developers make →
- Senior web developer salary →
- Top 10% web developer salary →
How This Salary Is Calculated
Wages come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program — an annual survey of about 1.2 million U.S. establishments published by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code and Metropolitan Statistical Area. The figure on this page is employment-weighted across 24 BLS-tracked metros for SOC code 15-1255. The mapping from BLS percentiles to experience bands (entry / junior / mid / senior / top 10%) follows the convention used by the U.S. Department of Labor's prevailing wage system. See full methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Does a Junior Web Developer Make? (2026)?
Junior or early-career web developers earn approximately $82,671 per year as of 2026, based on the 25th percentile of Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS wage data — the standard proxy for workers with 2–5 years of experience. Across U.S. metros, junior pay ranges from $53,040 (lowest-paying) to $137,590 (highest-paying).
How does this percentile compare to the median?
Web Developers have a national median (50th percentile) of $102,793. The 25th percentile shown on this page ($82,671) is 20% below the median — typical for this experience band.
Where do web developers at this level earn the most?
San Jose, CA pays the highest at this percentile band — $137,590. Lowest-paying tracked metro: Tampa, FL at $53,040.
What years of experience does this percentile represent?
The 25th percentile is the BLS-published wage below which 25% of workers in this occupation earn. It is the standard anchor for "early-career" or "junior" pay — workers past the initial onboarding period but still building independent scope. The 25th percentile is the bottom of the typical negotiation band; if you have 2+ years and an offer is below this number, you have a clear data point for asking for more.
Where does this web developer salary data come from?
Every wage figure comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program at bls.gov/oes — an annual federal survey of more than 1 million U.S. employers. The percentile figure on this page is employment-weighted across BLS-tracked metros.
Junior or early-career web developers earn approximately $82,671 per year as of 2026, based on the 25th percentile of Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS wage data — the standard proxy for workers with 2–5 years of experience. Across U.S. metros, junior pay ranges from $53,040 (lowest-paying) to $137,590 (highest-paying).