The global IT sector is growing exponentially every single year. In order to remain competitive, tech companies seek innovative solutions to boost their business growth. C# programming language and .NET framework have become one of those means which can benefit any IT company, thanks to the versatility of technologies that make the coding process more cost-effective and expeditious. But where to hire C# developers and which country has the best price-to-quality ratio? For this article our team explored the average .NET developer salary rates in various regions to identify the best destination for the recruitment of such specialists.
.NET Developers Market Size
A .NET software developer is an IT specialist who is responsible for the creation, design and implementation of software applications, using a .NET framework coined by Microsoft. It is compatible with multiple programming languages, but .NET developers mostly use C#, VB.NET and F#. Thanks to continuous updates of the .NET platform, the range of technologies being built by C# developers keeps broadening: from the web, mobile and desktop software to IoT, machine learning and gaming.
Recently, the request for .NET developers has been increasing due to the growing need in web and mobile development. There are also some other aspects which make both .NET and its developers highly attractive for tech businesses:
– .NET is a reliable platform with solid corporate backing;
– It is constantly updated with new features and security patches;
– The development process with .NET platform is time-effective and affordable;
– It has multiple libraries and databases which makes the engineering process easier even with tight deadlines and limited resources;
– .NET programmers are multi-skilled which allows them to develop diverse products with great performance rates.
But what is the number of such programmers? Various experts and professionals of the field assume there are around 7-8 million .NET developers globally, and the majority of them use C# programming language. According to Statista, C# is applied by 27,86% of professional developers, while the TIOBE index for March 2022 ranks it the 5th most common language in the IT community. Another 2021 survey provided by SlashData shows that there are 6.5 million C# developers in the world. Thus one can conclude that roughly ¼ of the developers worldwide are .NET engineers (out of 26.8 million software developers).
Now, let’s have a look at the number of vacancies that are available on various job search web resources:
The above data shows that some IT markets, such as the US, Indian, Polish, Canadian and German, offer an overwhelming number of available vacancies — 9,500, on average. Swedish and Brazilian tech markets, in turn, are not as rich with them, but still have an average of 780 .NET developer job positions. Thus .NET engineers are in demand worldwide.
.NET Developer Salary: Key Takeaways
Nowadays, many IT companies are searching for .NET developers. Therefore, it’s crucial to examine the average .NET developer compensation rates in each region to find out the best ratio between price and quality. But first, let’s have a look at 4 main factors which influence the C# programmer salary.
1. Skill Stack
Professional skills and knowledge have a substantial impact on .NET developer salary rates. An average .NET developer needs to:
– be proficient in at least one of the .NET languages (C# / VB.NET / F#);
– be acquainted with job-specific platforms (.NET, .NET Framework);
– be an active user of databases (SQL Server / MS SQL / Oracle);
– understand the software development life cycle, various types of project flows, know how to test / patch code, and use tools for task fulfillment.
2. Experience Level
Unlike some other programmers, .NET developers have more chances to get to the top positions in the short term. The reason for that is an overwhelming shortage of such specialists — which has been increasing over the past couple of years. Therefore, when analyzing the C# programmer job vacancies on Glassdoor and LinkedIn, my team concluded that an average junior .NET developer should possess 1-2 years of experience, a middle specialist — 2-3 years, and a senior professional — 5+ years, although some companies are ready to employ a senior-level specialist with 3-4 years of relevant experience.
3. Company
Top tech enterprises are surely the dream employers for most software developers. These IT companies usually offer high compensations, huge bonuses, possibilities to work on cutting-edge technologies, use innovative tools for programming, and get more opportunities for career growth, etc.
Building a team with .NET skills? Discover the Team Lead salary in software development across the globe!
4. Location
Having a large stack of expertise and being experienced are not the only prerequisites for a higher salary. Each country has its own market trends that influence wage rates. Let’s compare the average .NET developer remuneration per year in various regions by the level of expertise. The local currencies were converted to US dollars at a relevant exchange rate for July 2022.
| Gross annual income, USD |
North America |
South America |
||||
| Junior | Middle | Senior | Junior | Middle | Senior | |
|
.NET Software Developer |
$54,000 | $75,000 | $99,000 | $15,750 | $22,000 | $27,750 |
The .NET software developer compensation in North and South Americas differ drastically, as the wage rates of the former are 3-4 times higher than that of the latter. For instance, a junior .NET developer salary in the North American region spans between $44K and $54K, while in South America it keeps within $14K – $15K.
| Gross annual income, USD |
Western & Nordic Europe |
Eastern Europe |
||||
| Junior | Middle | Senior | Junior | Middle | Senior | |
|
.NET Software Developer |
$44,500 | $67,000 | $88,500 | $21,000 | $40,000 | $49,500 |
The .NET software developer wages in the regions compared are quite dissimilar. For instance, the entry-level .NET developer salary in Western & Nordic Europe is almost 2 times higher than in Eastern Europe. Moreover, the price tag for a senior-level C# specialist in the former exceeds $88K, while in the latter it constitutes only $49K.
| Gross annual income, USD | Eastern & Southern Asia | Middle East | Africa | ||||||
| Junior | Middle | Senior | Junior | Middle | Senior | Junior | Middle | Senior | |
| .NET Software Developer | $37,000 | $52,000 | $65,000 | $47,000 | $67,000 | $84,000 | $15,000 | $22,000 | $27,000 |
The average salary for a C# .NET developer in the Middle East is the highest in the regions compared, where a junior-level specialist earns around $47K annually. In turn, .NET developer compensation rates in Africa are on average 2-3 times lower than the ones in the Eastern & Southern Asia and Middle East regions.
Now let’s have a closer look at the average annual .NET developer salary in each country to identify the ones with the most appealing rates for IT recruitment.
| Gross annual income, USD | United States | |||
| California | Texas | Florida | New York | |
|
.NET Software Developer |
$122,500 | $110,000 | $100,000 | $120,000 |
USA
The USA is an absolute leader when it comes to .NET developer salary rates, ranging from 97K to 122K, with the highest remunerations in California and New York.
Canada
The Canadian salaries are not lagging behind, offering slightly lower median .NET developer compensation rates: $85K-$89K.
Mexico
The average .NET developer salary in the Mexican market, in comparison with the previous two, is the smallest in North America, ranging between $20K and $24K.
.NET Developer Salary in South America
| Gross annual income, USD | North America | South America | |||
| USA | Canada | Mexico | Brazil | Argentina | |
|
.NET Software Developer |
$112,000 | $89,500 | $22,000 | $28,000 | $15,500 |
Brazil
The average annual .NET software developer salary in Brazil is not that prominent, but still higher than the one offered in Mexico: $27K-$28K.
Argentina
Argentinian .NET programmers are paid the lowest annual remuneration in the regions compared:$14K – $15K.
.NET Developer Salary in Western & Nordic Europe
United Kingdom
| Gross annual income, USD | United Kingdom | |||
| England | Scotland | Wales | North Ireland |
|
|
.NET Software Developer |
$72,000 | $70,000 | $66,500 | $63,000 |
.NET specialists in the United Kingdom receive a decent annual compensation which on average spans between $52K and $72K.
| Gross annual income, USD | Western Europe | ||||||||
| Germany | France | Italy | Spain | Norway | Netherlands | Sweden | Austria | Belgium | |
|
.NET Software Developer |
$72,000 | $64,500 | $54,000 | $56,000 | $80,000 | $70,000 | $61,500 | $75,000 | $68,500 |
Germany
C# programmers are paid well in Germany. Their salary on average ranges from $58K to $72K, which makes it the second-highest annual reward in the region.
France
France offers quite a satisfactory average .NET developer salary among the countries compared: $48K – $64K.
Italy
Italian .NET professionals receive significantly lower wages than their German and French colleagues. The compensation rates here fluctuate between $41K and $54K.
Spain
The wages for .NET developers in Spain are quite similar to the ones in Italy. These specialists earn around $42K to $56K annually, which makes it one of the smallest average remunerations in Western & Nordic Europe.
Norway
Norway offers the most generous average salary for a C# .NET developer in the region. These professionals charge from $63K to $80K annually.
Netherlands
C# programmers in the Netherlands are paid a pretty high annual wage, which on average ranges from $53K to $70K.
Sweden
Unlike its neighbor Norway — Sweden has much lower .NET developer compensation rates: $44K to $61K.
Austria
Austria provides almost the same average C# developer salary as in the Netherlands: $50K – $75K.
Belgium
The average dot NET developer salary in Belgium is similar to the one in France: $49K – $68K.
.NET Developer Salary in Eastern Europe
| Gross annual income, USD | Eastern Europe | ||||
| Ukraine | Poland | Hungary | Czech Republic |
Romania | |
|
.NET Software Developer |
$45,500 | $45,000 | $37,500 | $44,000 | $28,000 |
Ukraine
In Ukraine, the compensation rates of .NET developers are lower than the ones offered in Western & Nordic Europe. However, these salaries are still the highest among the Eastern European countries, spanning on average from $40K to $45K.
Curious about other positions? Check out the software developer salaries in Ukraine!
Poland
Polish .NET professionals make almost the same amount of money as their Ukrainian colleagues: $37K – $45K annually.
Hungary
The Hungarian market provides quite a decent average .NET software developer salary: $33K – $37K.
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is not lagging behind from Ukraine and Poland, offering an average C# developer compensation of $44K.
Romania
The IT salaries in Romania are considerably lower than the ones in the above-mentioned countries, with the median C# developer salary being only $28K.
.NET Developer Salary in Eastern & Southeastern Asia
| Gross annual income, USD | Eastern & Southeastern Asia | ||||
| China | Japan | South Korea |
India | Singapore | |
|
.NET Software Developer |
$49,000 | $74,500 | $47,000 | $18,000 | $74,000 |
China
The average dot NET developer salary in the Chinese IT market is around $44K to $49K, which is lower than in Western and Nordic countries, but higher than in Eastern European ones.
Japan
The average .NET programmer pay rates in Japan are the highest in Eastern and Southern Asia, fluctuating between $68K and $74,5K.
South Korea
The average salary for a С# .NET developer in South Korea is similar to the one in China: $40K – $47K.
India
The IT market in India provides the smallest average .NET software developer salary in the region: $15,5K to $18K, which is 4 times lower than the one offered in Japan.
Singapore
.NET programmers in Singapore have the second-highest median wages in the region, being paid $64K to 74K annually.
.NET Developer Salary in Israel
| Gross annual income, USD |
Israel |
|||
| Jerusalem | Tel Aviv | Haifa | Karmiel | |
|
.NET Software Developer |
$67,000 | $69,000 | $67,000 | $66,000 |
The IT industry in Israel is rapidly growing year by year, offering decent compensation rates for .NET developers: $57K to $68K. The highest ones can be found in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
.NET Developer Salary in Australia
| Gross annual income, USD |
Australia |
|||
| Sydney | Melbourne | Perth | Adelaide | |
|
.NET Software Developer |
$120,000 | $123,000 | $101,000 | $96,000 |
The Australian tech sector possesses one of the highest average .NET developer salaries on the global tech arena: $94K to $123K. If comparing the rates in various cities, such engineers are the most well-paid in Sydney and Melbourne, while Perth offers the lowest .NET engineer compensations.
Quality and Expertise Issues
When hiring .NET programmers, it’s essential to pay attention not only to the salary rates of a particular country or region but also to the expertise of such professionals. In this way, you will be able to cut your expenses and at the same time get an excellent software product.
Depending on the software development type and level of expertise, .NET engineers may be required to have additional skills. If you are looking for a .NET developer, they may be required to know PHP, Ruby, or Java, be active users of frameworks, databases, IDE for .NET and .NET Core (Visual Studio / Rider), and cloud technologies (MS Azure / Amazon).
Soft skills play a significant part in C# developer’s work as well, since such specialists are often engaged in complex team projects. The most essential ones are communication, time management, problem-solving, project management, customer support and analytical thinking.
Another vital aspect to take into account is knowledge of the English language. According to job search web resources (LinkedIn, Jooble), junior and middle .NET developers are required to have at least a B1 level, while senior C# professionals should possess a B2 level of English and higher.
Now let’s have a closer look at the price-to-quality ratio in Eastern Europe to find out if this region is a good choice for hiring .NET programmers.
For quite a while, Eastern Europe has been a hotspot for IT offshoring, as this region provides a whole bunch of opportunities for rapid business growth. It has a huge talent pool (1,3 million developers out of which 166 thousand are C# engineers), highly qualified IT specialists, lower wages and taxes, convenient location (7 hours difference with the US), cultural similarity with western countries, well-organized tech infrastructure, and a dynamic IT community. The most frequent destinations for IT offshoring in this region are Ukraine and Poland. Let’s compare the average .NET developer salary rates in Ukrainian and Polish cities with the ones offered in American states.
According to the data from the local job search websites, the average annual .NET developer salaries in the USA range from $97K to $122K with the lowest in Florida ($97K – $100K) and the highest in California ($118K – $122K). In Ukraine, the C# engineer compensation rates are 3 times lower than in the US, with Kharkiv offering the lowest remuneration for such a specialist: $39K – $42K. Kyiv and Lviv, on their part, provide relatively similar average .NET developer wages: $43K – $46K. The annual salaries for a C# developer in Poland are pretty similar to the ones in Ukraine, with the highest rates in Warsaw ($42K – $45K) and the lowest ones in Katowice ($39K – $42K).
Thus the above-stated statistics show that Eastern Europe, specifically Ukraine and Poland, is a beneficial location for hiring .NET software developers, as the price-to-quality ratio is well balanced there.
Hire Dedicated .NET Developers via Alcor’s Recruiting Solution
As known, the U.S. IT market is considered one of the biggest in the world, yet it has been experiencing a massive labor shortage. This factor has become a driving force for the active offshoring of software development. American product companies seek talented engineers specifically in Eastern Europe because it provides opportunities for a rapid scale-up. That’s when local recruitment agencies come into play.
Alcor is an international company with Ukrainian roots, which helps foreign product firms to hire Ukrainian developers, as well as IT specialists from other Eastern European countries. Our team has deep expertise in technical recruitment and operational management to support offshore development teams. We provide clients with market research, executive search for rare specialists, recruitment marketing, employer branding, consultations on recruitment outsourcing and remote team management. Alcor’s IT researchers constantly expand their knowledge of the local labor market to be armed with relevant information, while our recruiters carry out the prompt hiring of top-notch software developers.
BigCommerce is one of those IT companies which was able to experience our high-quality recruitment. We helped to expand their team, which grew from 4 to 30 software developers within a 6 month period. To enable the smooth functioning of their offshore team, Alcor also provided some BPO services: payroll & accounting, and legal compliance within our all-in-one place R&D solution. Such operational support enables clients to focus on developing their IT products and managing offshore teams.
In general, an offshore software development center provides product companies with lots of advantages, such as a reliable team of programmers who work under their brand, reduced costs by paying lower wages and taxes, completely transparent pricing, and secured IP rights. Thus if any of our clients need the coverage of back-office operations, we provide them without interfering in the actual software development process.
FAQ
⚖ 1. What is the difference between the average .NET developer salary in North America and Eastern Europe?
The average .NET developer salary rates in North America and Eastern Europe are considerably different. C# programmers earn on average $44,5K – $99K in the former, while in the latter the same specialists have 2 times lower wages, making $19,5K – 49,5K annually.
2. Which countries offer the highest annual salaries for senior .NET developers?
The highest average senior .NET developer salary can be found in such regions as North America, Western Europe, and Australia. When it comes to countries, the USA, Australia, Canada, and Norway are topping the list.
3. Which countries offer the lowest salaries for entry-level .NET developers?
The lowest entry-level .NET developer salaries can be found in such countries as Romania, Brazil, Mexico, India, and Argentina.
4. What are the benefits of hiring .NET software developers in Eastern Europe?
Eastern Europe is an attractive region for hiring .NET software developers (and other IT specialists) because it offers a wide spectrum of benefits: access to a huge pool of tech talents (166,000 C# programmers), a possibility to cut expenses by paying lower wages (an average .NET developer salary — $19,5K – $49,5K), qualified professionals with a high level of the English language, and convenient location, etc.