How Much Do Web3 Developers Make In 2024? Full Comparison

The Web3 boom is driving salaries up for developers worldwide. In this article, we will present a comprehensive comparison of Web3 developer salary across industry segments, geographical borders and seniority levels. Whether you are an experienced developer looking to transition to Web3, or a fresh computer science graduate looking for a place to start your career, the numbers here should give you a very good picture of how salaries are looking for developers in web3.

Disclaimer

Any numbers mentioned in this article are for reference only. It's important to understand that there is always limited transparency regarding Web3 developer salary figures. Web3 developer salary packages can vary depending on a job's skill and experience requirements, location, the employer’s budget, and the candidate’s negotiation skills. Do not, by any means, use the numbers here as a hardline for your job search. Do your own research on how much a role should be paid and how much your skills and experience are worth in the current market.

The main objective of this article is not to pinpoint exact Web3 developer salary numbers, but rather to see if there are significant differences in salary if you choose one career path over another.

We'll focus more on salaries for entry-level and intermediate-level jobs since these are what most of you will be looking for. Numbers for these levels are also more consistent and less skewed by the occasional outlier.

Web3 Developer Salary - Market Statistics

Which Categories Of Web3 Developers Earn Higher Salaries?

We gathered data from major recruitment platforms like Web3.career to give you a general picture of how much devs are making today.

From $70,000 to $261,000

Based on the data we found, the average Web3 developer salary is around $145,000, ranging from a minimum base salary of $70,000 to a maximum of $261,000.

Highest Earners: Blockchain Architects - Up to $250,000

Leading the way are blockchain architects who are responsible for designing and implementing blockchain systems. As compensation for their critical role in the development of Web3 infrastructure, blockchain architects earn between $150,000 and $250,000 annually. 

Second Place: Smart Contract Devs - Up to $200,000

Coming in second in the list are smart contract developers who earn between $120,000 and $200,000 per year thanks to the growing use of smart contracts for decentralized finance (DeFi) and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) transactions. These developers can also delve into roles that are more focused on decentralized applications (dApps), and expect to earn similar salaries.

How Does Web3 Developer Salary Differ Across Geographical Regions?

Besides category, geography is another variable factor in the salaries of Web3 developers. The annual salary for Web3 developers in the U.S. range from $60,000 to $180,000 with an average of $100,000. 

Europe: Lithuania is a Hotspot for Web3 Devs

Across the Atlantic Ocean, Lithuania leads the way for Europe as the average Web3 developer salary there is around $165,000, with the range being from $150,000 and $180,000, while in Croatia where the average Web3 developer salary is around $125,000 with a range between $60,000 and $190,000. 

Asia: Hong Kong & Singapore Fighting for Talent

As for Asia, Hong Kong and Singapore lead the way with the average Web3 developer salary being around $90,000 with the range starting at $60,000 and going up to $150,000. Safe to say, the salaries for Web3 developers vary widely across geographical regions due to differences in cost of living, demand for blockchain expertise, and regional economic conditions. Similar trends can be seen for other roles such as ML engineers.

How Wide Is The Gap Between Junior And Senior Web3 Developer Salary?

Regardless of where you are based, the salary gap between a junior and a senior Web3 developer is going to be quite wide due to differences in their experience, skill level, and the complexity of the projects they handle. Junior Web3 developers earn between $20,000 and $100,000 annually and average around $45,000 per year. In contrast, senior Web3 developers and team leads generally earn salaries between $65,000 and $150,000 per year, averaging around $100,000. 

What Are The In-Demand Skills That Help Web3 Developers Earn More?

Blockchain Proficiency: Ethereum, Solana and Polkadot

Web3 developers who are proficient in Ethereum earn the most with salaries ranging from a base of $80,000 to a maximum of $260,000, and an average of $150,000. In contrast, the Solana-proficient blockchain developer salary scale has a minimum base salary of $62,000 and a maximum of $250,000 with an average of $147,000 whereas the Polkadot-proficient blockchain developer salary scale has a minimum base salary of $70,000 and a maximum of $180,000 with an average of $120,000.

Plan For The Future

Most web3 projects are built on Ethereum and the demand for Ethereum-proficient Web3 developers will likely continue to rise.  Solana's rapid growth and high throughput capabilities might help it gain more market share and popularity in the next few years, so it might be a good skill to invest in early as well. The demand for Polkadot proficiency probably won’t overtake them anytime soon, but having a skill or experience that is less common on the market can also help you negotiate a better salary. It could also be helpful to consider a transition to AI and machine learning, which are extremely hot in the current market. If you're wondering how to do so, check this guide.

Programming Proficiency: Solidity and Rust

Solidity and Rust are the 2 leading programming languages in web3 today, and will likely remain dominant for the foreseeable future. Solidity is used for writing smart contracts on the Ethereum blockchain, and is the preferred language for dApps and DeFi projects. Web3 developers who are proficient in Solidity earn an average annual salary of $140,000 with base salaries that range from $60,000 to $250,000. 

Rust, on the other hand, is known for its performance and safety features, and is utilized in various blockchain projects, including Solana and Polkadot. Despite being less popular than Solidity, Rust devs tend to earn slightly higher with an average annual salary of $150,000. Their base salaries tend to start from $70,000 and can go up to $274,000. Their slightly higher salary comes from the fact that Rust is also in high demand outside of web3, and the competition for Rust devs isn’t only driven by blockchain projects.

Application Proficiency: Crypto and NFT

The average salary for devs in the cryptocurrency sector is around $150,000, typically earning anywhere from $75,000 to $257,000. The NFT sector earns slightly less at around $120,000 on average, in between $60,000 and a maximum of $250,000 per year.

Several market factors contribute to this salary disparity. First, the cryptocurrency market has experienced significant growth and demand for skilled developers, especially those with front-end and back-end software engineering skills, leading to a higher full stack Web3 engineer salary scale. In contrast, NFT projects often focus on specific applications and user experience, which requires less specialized expertise. Furthermore, the cryptocurrency ecosystem is more established, providing stable salary benchmarks, while the NFT sector is still evolving, potentially leading to less stable Web3 software engineer salary structures.

What Does The Future Hold For Web3 Developer Salary?

Future prospects look promising for web3 devs as the demand for their expertise continues to grow with the expansion of blockchain technology and decentralized applications. If the trends in our data are anything to go by, the salary for Web3 developers still has significant potential for growth, both for novice devs who just entered the industry and experienced experts who have very specialized skills. 

Conclusion

The fierce competition for talent in the web3 industry is not slowing down anytime soon. Many factors affect the salary range of an individual Web3 developer, such as skills, experience, and location of work. While there is not much that Web3 developers can do to change their region unless they decide to relocate, choosing the right skill sets and specialization areas as well as making full use of their experience could make a significant difference to Web3 dev salary levels.

If you're a developer who’s looking to break into the web3 industry, don’t forget to check out our article on How To Start Your Web3 Career and check out our blog section for more web3 and AI focused career tips. Visit our web3 job board and see if any developer positions suit you.

About Hyphen Connect

Hyphen Connect is a recruitment and staffing consultant focused on helping AI and web3 businesses find the best talent and build the best team. When we are not too busy helping companies hunt down the world’s best talents, we love to share tips on recruitment, staffing, and career advancement.