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28.1% of South African software engineers list Node.js as their primary framework, making it the most widely used framework in the country. Here, we’ll look at what Node.js developers earn at each stage of their careers and how they compare to their React and JavaScript counterparts.
Average junior Node.js developer salary trends
Junior Node.js salaries have increased handsomely since 2022 – and the good news is they grow significantly as one gains experience. Developers starting out in this field can expect to earn a monthly income of R22 806. That’s a significant 23.2% (R4 292) increase up from last year’s average of R18 514. It’s also 4.8% (R1 037) more than rookie JavaScript developers, but 4.4% (R1 051) less than those starting out in React.
After two years on the job, Node.js developers should see their salary rise 38% (R8 671) to R31 477, up 8.7% (R2 527) from last year’s R28 950. That puts them 2.9% (R890) ahead of JavaScript developers at this level, but 3.7% (R1 213) behind React developers.
With four years’ experience, Node.js developers get a 42.8% (R13 467) raise to R44 944, which is actually 0.9% (R399) less than the 2022 figure of R45 343. This salary is 2.3% (R1 004) more than similarly experienced JavaScript developers, but 5.4% (R2 556) less than React.
Node.js is the most used developer framework in South Africa, so developers skilled in its use are in high demand. This means they have ample opportunities to switch jobs early in their careers, which also bring with them fresh salary negotiations that typically yield higher increases.
Average Node.js Developer Salaries by Experience
Average Salary by Years Experience, showing 25th and 75th percentiles
| Years of Experience | 25th Percentile | Average | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-2 | R15,000 | R22,806 | R27,500 |
| 2-4 | R21,500 | R31,477 | R40,000 |
| 4-6 | R33,500 | R44,944 | R54,500 |
| 6-10 | R41,500 | R65,328 | R77,500 |
| 10+ | R67,500 | R87,698 | R98,500 |
Average senior Node.js developer salary trends
Salaries for experienced South African Node.js developers continue to rise generously. This reflects the increasing responsibilities that they take on later in their careers – including testing, mentoring less experienced developers and managing teams – along with the popularity of the framework.
Developers with six years of experience see a huge 45.4% (R20 384) rise to a monthly salary of R65 328, up 5.8% (R3 567) from last year’s R61 761. This puts them 3.1% (R1 969) ahead of JavaScript developers at this level, but 2.8% (R 1855) behind React developers.
At the 10-year mark, Node.js developers can expect another sizeable increase of 34.2% (R22 370) to R87 698, which is 3.7% (R3 124) more than the 2022 average of R84 574. It’s also 5.1% (R4 228) more than highly experienced JavaScript developers, but 3.3% (R2 996) less than React developers.
Average Node.js Developer Salaries in 2022 vs 2023
| Years of Experience | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| 0-2 | R18,514 | R22,806 |
| 2-4 | R28,950 | R31,477 |
| 4-6 | R45,343 | R44,944 |
| 6-10 | R61,761 | R65,328 |
| 10+ | R84,574 | R87,698 |
Keep in mind
The data in this article is taken from OfferZen's upcoming 2023 State of the Software Developer Nation Report. In this article, 'salary' refers to the gross monthly salary (before tax) provided by more than 4 500 survey respondents.
Average salaries are single data points and only one part of a bigger story. It's expected that many respondents may earn significantly more or less than these averages. However, we hope to provide a picture of underlying trends by mapping the average salaries for different experience levels.
These averages should not be used to estimate what your actual salary will or should be.
Salaries depend on the industry, individual, perks and nature of work. These factors all influence the salary a company will offer to a prospective hire. In addition, most developers are "fluent" in several languages, which will affect the final figures.
It's also important to remember that every individual's context is different. Ultimately, salary is a personal conversation that should take place between employee and employer.
On OfferZen you can hire Node.js developers and find Node.js developer jobs.
Related resources:
- State of South Africa’s Software Developer Nation
- How to Negotiate a Job Offer That's More Than Just the Money
- How to Negotiate when Hiring Developers
- Developer Salaries 2022: Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria
- Backend Developer Salary Trends in South Africa
- Java Developer Salary Trends in South Africa
- Front End Developer Salary Trends in South Africa
- Full Stack Developer Salary Trends in South Africa
- React Developer Salary Trends in South Africa
- Azure Developer Salary Trends in South Africa
- TypeScript Developer Salary Trends in South Africa
- Go Developer Salary Trends in South Africa
- Ruby Developer Salary Trends in South Africa
- Kotlin Developer Salary Trends in South Africa