The Complete React Developer Salary Guide for 2022

Data from a Statista study shows that React JS is the most in-demand web framework in 2022, with 40.41% of software developers globally indicating they use it to develop web applications. This does not come as a surprise, since the demand for React developers has been growing steadily in recent years. Speed, scalability, and SEO-friendliness are the few reasons some big companies such as Uber and Netflix run on this library. If you are looking to develop this skill or you are a working professional already, being up-to-date about the React developer salary rates in the U.S. can come in handy when negotiating compensation with employers. 

What Is a React Developer?

A React developer is a software engineering professional that designs and implements consumer-facing features for websites and applications using either React JS or React Native frameworks.

React JS is a declarative, efficient, and flexible JavaScript library employed in building user interfaces. It allows software and application developers to build complex UIs from small and isolated pieces of code known as “components.” On the other hand, React Native is a Javascript framework whose use lies in writing real, natively rendering mobile applications for iOS and Android. 

Why Is There a High Demand for React Developers?

As we are already aware, React JS is one of the most popular frameworks in the market since some of the leading IT companies are relying on this library to power their businesses. The core reason why many companies are favoring React frameworks is down to the fact that these libraries allow them to develop scalable and easy-to-maintain systems. This translates to high demand for skilled professionals and explains React developer salaries’ competitiveness. 

Factors that Affect React Developer Salaries

Location is one of the main factors influencing the salary a React developer earns. But, it is not the only factor that most hiring managers consider. The question is, what else determines a React developer’s salary prospects?  Well, some of the other factors that come into play include:

Experience

It goes without saying that your level of seniority can have a significant impact on the salary you earn as a React developer. The experience level is a testament to the skills and expertise you bring to the table. For this reason, senior React developers tend to command salaries on the higher end of the scale compared to junior or entry-level React developers. 

Skillset

The more skilled you are as a React Developer, the higher the salary employers are willing to pay. This includes in-depth knowledge of key aspects such as:

• State management (Redux)
• System architecture
• Design principles
• UX

Possessing additional expertise and certifications in testing frameworks like Jasmine and Jest or even competence in advanced styling CSS modules, web security, and scalability can significantly boost your income. 

Company Size

Whether you are a junior, mid-level, or senior React developer, working in a large corporation such as Netflix or Facebook is more likely to earn you a bigger salary compared to a small business that does not have a lot of cash to pay. Nonetheless, it is essential to remember that this is not the rule.

In some instances, a well-established company with more industry experience will pay you less than a start-up or a company still finding its feet in the market. This is because, eventually, as the company size grows and stability increases, most companies recruit more developers, which means the allocated amount gets distributed accordingly.

What is the Average React Developer Salary in the U.S.?

In this section, we will have an overview of the annual React Developer salaries across the U.S. for junior, mid-, and senior-level positions. Considering React skills and experience are in high demand currently, the market for these professionals is without a doubt very competitive. To help you understand how much you stand to earn if you are pursuing a career in this industry, we compared the average React developer salary across the US from the top job posting platforms, namely:

• ZipRecruiter
• PayScale
• Glassdoor
• Indeed

ZipRecruiter

ZipRecruiter is a job posting platform that allows you to find information about React Developer salaries based on the job title. They provide the annual React developer salary data for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of professionals in the U.S. For example, according to ZipRecruiter, a junior React developer in the U.S. takes home an average annual salary of $87,500.

On the other hand, a mid-level React developer earns an annual salary of $110,278, while the income for senior-level professionals stands at $133,500. The top earners in this profession pocket a mean annual salary of $146,000. In terms of hourly rates, junior React developers earn $42 per hour, whereas their mid, senior, and top-level counterparts receive $53, $64, and $70/hour, respectively. 

PayScale

Payscale is renowned for its extensive database of compensation data across a wide variety of professions. What is even more unique about PayScale is the level of granularity it offers. Essentially, you can filter the information by, but not limited to:

• Job title
• Skillset (inclusive of programming language 
• Location
• Level of experience
• Education 
• Type of organization
• Certifications acquired
• Current employment status

Based on the data available, the React developer base salary ranges between $55,000 and $127,000. Specifically, the average annual junior React developer salary in the U.S. starts at $55,000. In contrast, the mid-level React developer salary stands at $83,000. Lastly, according to Payscale’s data, a senior React developer’s salary is $127,000 annually. PayScale also provides data on how much income in bonuses professionals receive, with the average being between $1,000 and $15,000 every year. 

Glassdoor

Glassdoor is without a doubt one of the top platforms when it comes to finding jobs as well as assessing an employer’s suitability for your needs. Apart from aiding you to find the right job, it also provides a highly granular salary calculator that can allow you to refine searches based on job title and experience, just to name a few. In addition, with Glassdoor, you also get information about the high and low projections of what you expect to earn.

The most recent data shows that the average yearly salary for a junior React developer in the U.S. with less than 1 year of experience is $77,615. On the other hand, mid-level React developers with 1-3 years of experience earn an average of $81,765 per year. Finally, senior React developer positions for professionals who have 4-6 years of experience attract an annual salary of $93,932 in the U.S.

Indeed

When it comes to finding information about React developer jobs and prospective salaries, Indeed is one of the least granular yet reliable sources. It is considered less detailed since it does not provide options for technical language and seniority. To evaluate the average annual salary for React developers in the U.S., we checked the base income for front-end developers. As a matter of fact, a front-end developer in the U.S. stands to take home $100,329 annually. San Francisco, Austin, and New York are the best-paying cities in the US with annual salaries of $142,412, $113,732, and $112,320 respectively. 

From the analysis, it is clear that projections from each platform vary. Nonetheless, here is a simplified table to give you a quick overview of the React developer salary range in the US based on years of experience from the four platforms we analyzed.

How to Prepare for Interviews and Negotiate Your React Developer Salary Package

Money is always a complex subject to discuss. So much so that most professionals opt to avoid the conversation altogether. However, failure to negotiate the salary you desire, require, or deserve can leave you feeling bitter before you even start your new role. Similarly, not getting a pay increase after a significant amount of time does not help anyone.  

So, how do you approach the salary topic for a React developer role with your prospective employers?

Preparation

• Determine what you want.
• Determine your lower limit.
• Map out how you will handle a low offer.
• Decide what happens if you don’t get what you want.

Negotiation

• Always ensure you allow both parties to negotiate. Avoid demanding things or appearing “pushy.”

Adding Value

• Demonstrate why you are worth the salary you consider fair compensation for your skillset.
• Show how you added value in your previous positions.
• Highlight how you will add value in the future.

Conclusion

React has a far higher use rate than Vue and Angular. Although Vue is expanding at a quick pace, React continues to grow at the fastest rate.

This indicates that React is extremely popular and this trend is set to continue in the foreseeable future. For open-source initiatives like this one, popularity is critical since more developers using it equals more job openings and competitive salaries for the most skilled React developers.