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Our upcoming State of the Developer Nation Report data shows 1 in 10 South African developers listed PHP as a primary programming language making it the eighth most widely used in the country. Here’s an overview of average PHP developer salaries at each stage of their careers and how they compare to average salaries for Python, Go and Ruby developers.
Average junior PHP developer salary trends
The average monthly salary for an entry-level PHP developer salary has fallen 10.2% (R2 030) since 2022, from R19 895 to R17 865. That puts it 23.8% (R5 585) behind the Python average, 27.2% (R6 658) behind Go, and 37.1% (R10 556) behind Ruby.
With two years of experience, however, PHP developers see a massive 51.8% (R9 248) pay rise for an average monthly salary of R27 113, up 17.3% (R3 995) from 2022. This is still 22.5% (R7 893) less than Python developers with the same amount of experience, 43.1% (R20 553) less than Go, and 40.6% (R18 512) less than Ruby’s average.
At the four-year mark, PHP devs get a 26.8% (R7 255) salary increase to R34 368. This increase is less than last year, with the package being 11.2% (R4 332) off the 2022 average. It’s also 32.5% (R16 532) less than the Python average at this level, 48.1% (R31 861) less than Go, and 34.1% (R17 811) less than Ruby.
PHP Developer Salaries by Experience
Average Salary by Years Experience, showing 25th and 75th percentiles
| Years of Experience | 25th Percentile | Average | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-2 | R12,500 | R17,865 | R23,750 |
| 2-4 | R15,500 | R27,113 | R34,500 |
| 4-6 | R22,500 | R34,368 | R47,500 |
| 6-10 | R37,500 | R53,545 | R67,500 |
| 10+ | R52,500 | R79,166 | R92,500 |
Average senior PHP developer salary trends
Once they hit six years’ experience, PHP developers get the largest pay rise of their careers: 55.8% (R19 177) up to R53 545 – a nominal 0.3% (R176) up from 2022. At this level, they are left trailing Python devs by 22.4% (R15 450), Go by 35.7% (R29 760), and Ruby by 30.5% (R23 510).
PHP developers with a decade’s worth of experience can expect another significant jump of 47.8% (R25 621) to an average salary of R79 166, up 11.2% (R7 972) from 2022. Similarly, experienced Python developers earn 14.7% (R13 593) more, Go developers 21.9% (R22 228) more, and Ruby developers 18.3% (R17 769) more.
Experienced PHP developers are expected to possess a range of competencies, including familiarity with source control and bug tracking systems, developing components of broader system designs, participating in quality assurance activities, and understanding the difference between game-specific and game-agnostic features, for example. They’re also likely expected to lead and mentor less experienced developers. This explains why their salaries continue to rise as they gain experience.
PHP Developer Salaries in 2023 vs 2022
| Years of Experience | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| 0-2 | R17,865 | R19,895 |
| 2-4 | R27,113 | R23,118 |
| 4-6 | R34,368 | R38,700 |
| 6-10 | R53,545 | R53,369 |
| 10+ | R79,166 | R71,194 |
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 PHP developers and find PHP 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