WordPress Developer Salaries: 2023 Guide for Digital Agencies

Talking openly about salaries isn’t typically a comfortable conversation subject. However, studies on up-to-date pay rates are crucial for achieving transparency and helping the client and developer build a win-win collaboration.

In this article, we explore the 2023 WordPress developer salaries and freelance rates and the factors influencing them. So, if you’re looking for a WordPress development partner for your project and want to ensure the rate you agree upon is fair, keep reading.

Why Hire WordPress Developers For Your Digital Agency

WordPress holds a market share of 43% and is a go-to option for anyone who needs to build a website for a good reason. This content management system offers an easy-to-use customizable interface, SEO-friendly functionality, and reliable and scalable website publishing options. Moreover, it’s easy to maintain thanks to a large community of WordPress adopters ready to help others quickly find solutions to any technical challenges. 

Let’s get down to when you might need to hire a WordPress developer.

For digital agencies responsible for developing or updating multiple websites for their clients, the pressure is twice as high as when building their web app. And when dozens of customers need a website on top of other requests, it’s crucial to have a reliable WordPress development partner to delegate the tech task to and focus on the business goals.

For digital agencies, cooperation with white-label WordPress developers requires the most thorough research, as delivered results will be associated with the agency’s brand and reputation. 

From our long experience as a white-label WordPress development partner, the following case scenarios are some of the most common for digital agencies:

• You need an experienced web development partner to quickly and efficiently build or update WordPress solutions so that you can rebrand it afterward and present the website to the client as your own. 
• You are looking for ways to quickly enhance your existing WordPress development team with additional specialists due to project scaling, increased clients, and other reasons.
• You want to speed up the WordPress development processes and reduce costs without giving up the quality of the final software product.
• You need additional expertise and consulting services regarding a WordPress project.

If any of these use cases apply to your needs — the following sections of this article will help you figure out how much it can cost to hire a WordPress developer and what cooperation options are available.

What Affects WordPress Developers’ Salaries?

Before we get down to the actual numbers, let us explain why we are diving into WordPress developers’ salaries in the first place.

Firstly, the term ‘WordPress developer’ is rather broad since it entails many responsibilities, from building a custom website to monitoring its performance and managing the platform daily. Moreover, the skills of WordPress developers also vary depending on their job. Therefore, once you know the specific requirements for your project, it will be easier to determine the expertise you require and the appropriate rate for it.

Secondly, knowing the average market price for the services you seek makes sense money-wise. With this knowledge, you can plan the budget for your project ahead. It will also make it easier for you to negotiate with prospective software development partners and agree upon a fair, competitive rate that will satisfy both parties.

There is no universal formula to calculate how much WordPress developers earn. However, there are significant factors that influence WordPress web developers’ salaries that can help you understand pay formation better:

• Experience and skills. The rates you will eventually pay your developers mainly depend on their aptitudes. There are two ways to go here. Option one is sieving through the market to find inexperienced programmers who charge less or are willing to do the job for free as a learning project. Option two is turning to middle and senior devs who know their job well and charge more but can solve the task quicker and more efficiently.
• Roles and responsibilities. As we already mentioned, WordPress developer is an umbrella term that can relate to many tasks.   

For instance, some WordPress jobs only require the installation of ready-made themes and plugins. Others look for developers to build websites from scratch using the core technologies and programming languages needed for WordPress development (PHP, JavaScript, HTML, jQuery, SQL, and CSS). Custom WordPress-based solutions, like headless W.P. apps and multi-website portals, require the highest level of expertise and, naturally, offer the highest salaries. 

• Location. Ordering a cappuccino in Brooklyn is likely a different story than, let’s say, in Bengaluru. Depending on the location of your WordPress talent, the rates also vary drastically to match the local salaries and make sure those developers can afford to buy the said cappuccino and pay for other necessities like rent or medical insurance.
• Type of employment. Hiring a freelancer usually costs less than going for an in-house team of WordPress web developers. Yet still, working with full-time developers brings certain advantages worth paying higher wages.

No matter how skilled and experienced you need the developer to be, there are two main cooperation options: you can work with a freelance developer or with a full-time specialist. When going with the latter option, you can also decide between hiring a developer for your in-house team or signing a deal with a company that provides outstaffing services.

In the following sections of the article, we explore how much each cooperation model can cost you.

Full-time WordPress Developer Salaries

The two most significant drivers of WordPress programmer salaries are their geographical location and seniority. To find out the average cost of retaining a WordPress developer full-time, look at our estimations based on data from PayScale, Glassdoor, ZipRecruiter, and other similar platforms.

North America

If your project is on a tight budget, there are better places to look for developers than the United States or Canada. For instance, the median monthly WordPress beginning salaries in the U.S. are around $4600. Middle devs earn approximately $6000 monthly, and senior programmers make $9100/mo.

Western Europe

WordPress developers’ rates in countries like the UK, Denmark, or Germany are lower than in the U.S. and Canada, but hiring a team there is still relatively expensive. For example, entry-level WordPress developer salaries in the U.K. are around $2600 monthly, while middle and senior devs earn $4700 and $6000, respectively.

Central Europe

WordPress developer salary in Europe highly depends on the region. Poland is one of the most attractive countries for outsourcing talented devs for an affordable price. Average WordPress developer salaries reach $1900 monthly, with senior developers with vast experience earning up to $3300.

Eastern Europe

Ukraine offers some of the most attractive price-quality ratios for hiring developers from all Eastern European countries. Here you can hire dedicated WordPress developers paying $1080 to junior devs, $2070 to middle devs, and around $3000 to senior specialists. And if we move south to Bulgaria, hiring a full-time WordPress developer will cost you $1200/mo to $1700/mo, depending on the skill level. 

South Asia

Once the trendiest destination for outsourcing, India and Pakistan lose to European countries today in terms of quality and communication, according to customer reviews on Clutch and GoodFirms. However, the WordPress developer salaries are lower too. For example, a junior W.P. developer’s salary in India starts at $330/mo, growing to $660/mo and $1000+/mo for middle- and senior-level skills, respectively. 

Southeast Asia

One of the most popular countries for outsourcing, the Philippines, can offer reasonably affordable prices for WordPress developer services. Here, an average junior WordPress developer’s salary equals $600 monthly, and a senior’s salary can be up to $3000.

Latin America

Brazil and Argentina offer lucrative prices for WordPress development. For instance, an entry-level WordPress developer’s salary in Brazil is approximately $590 monthly, while middle to senior developers earn $1200-$2000/mo. The rates are higher in Argentina, with senior WordPress top salaries reaching $2900 monthly. However, before signing a contract, consider the significant time differences that may impede communication if your company is in Europe.

WordPress Developer Salaries vs. Drupal vs. Joomla vs. Webflow

While WordPress holds most of the market share for content management systems, other decent options exist. Some other relatively popular platforms include Drupal, Joomla, and Webflow. Let’s look at how much the U.S.-based developers working with these alternatives earn as of February 2023, according to Glassdoor and ZipRecruiter.

This correlation between the rates and platforms can be observed worldwide. 

Hiring WordPress programmers would cost you less because it’s the world’s most popular CMS. Therefore, more developers specialize in WordPress-based development.

Useful Websites to Check WordPress Developer Salaries

WordPress developer salaries change continuously due to numerous factors, from industry-specific market demand to global factors like the economic crisis and the ever-increasing cost of living. While we kept this article as up-to-date as possible, we’ve also made a list of platforms that might come in handy when you want to check the current rates yourself later:

• Talent.com
• Glassdoor
• ZipRecruiter
• SimplyHired
• Payscale

Freelance WordPress Developer Hourly Rates at the Largest Marketplaces

Just as the salaries of the full-time WordPress devs, freelance WordPress developer hourly rate depends highly on the geographical location. 

We used Upwork, one of the top platforms used by freelancers, to compare the average rates of top WordPress developers depending on their geographical locations, and here is what we’ve found out. Average WordPress hourly rates around the world are as follows:

• The United States — $72 per hour
• Australia and New Zealand— $55 per hour
• Canada — $50 per hour
• Western Europe — $50 per hour
• Eastern Europe — $56 per hour
• Southeast Asia — $40
• The Middle East — $35 per hour
• South Asia — $35
• Latin America — $30 per hour
• Northern Africa — $29 per hour

What’s the Difference Between a Freelance WordPress Developer and a Full-time Outsourcing Partner?

As mentioned, choosing the type of cooperation with WordPress developers affects the final cost. Traditionally, working with freelancers is cheaper than collaborating with an outsourcing or outstaffing company that builds a remote WordPress team for you. However, deciding based solely on the cost exposes your project to multiple communication and operational risks. Here are the core advantages and disadvantages of working with these cooperation models.

Advantages of Hiring an Outsourcing Partner

• Scope of work. Unlike freelancers, a full-time software development partner has a wide range of specialists with different types of expertise and experience available for consultation and assistance. It allows more flexibility with custom web development.
• Additional services. When you hire a W.P. development company, you can quickly expand the team and gain access to a broader talent pool, including Q.A. engineers, project managers, and other consultants.
• Reliability. You can be sure an outsourcing company won’t suddenly disappear for three weeks due to personal reasons, delaying your project’s release. When signing a deal, the company is responsible for providing a substitute developer in case of any force majeure. This partnership allows you to pursue long-term projects and build solid relations with your team.

Disadvantages of Hiring an Outsourcing Partner

• Cost. Yes, working with an outsourcing partner will cost you more than choosing a freelancer. However, a higher price tag comes along with several additional services, from tailored recruitment to assisting with team scaling and retention. It takes the hassle out of organizational matters so you can focus more on growing your business. Besides, this option is often significantly more affordable than hiring in-house tech specialists since the outsourcing company covers all administrative expenses.
• Communication. Sometimes companies need help with communication problems because of the numerous intermediaries between the client and the WordPress developers. However, there are ways to minimize such a drawback. For instance, we at Beetroot encourage direct contact between clients and programmers without the involvement of middle managers.

Advantages of Hiring WordPress Freelancers

• Specialization. Freelancers generally find their feet in one specific area of expertise and continuously polish their skills, becoming true professionals.
• Flexibility and cost. As freelancers, WordPress developers can be flexible regarding working hours and deadlines. What is more, working with freelancers gives you many options in terms of cost. For instance, you can choose between hiring a US-based developer for $100 per hour and a freelancer from the Philippines with a $25 hourly rate.
• Determination. Building a solid reputation on freelance marketplaces can take much work, especially for entry-level specialists. So, it’s in the freelancer’s best interest to do the job as fast and flawlessly as possible to persuade you to return for their services or recommend them to your friends and colleagues.

Disadvantages of Hiring WordPress Freelancers

• Lack of commitment. Skilled freelancers usually have several projects on their plates simultaneously, so there is no guarantee that they will prioritize your tasks. After all, the nature of the freelance industry is that developers only partially commit to the projects they take on as much as in-house or dedicated programmers do.
• Limited scalability and expertise. One person with narrow expertise is unlikely to be able to take care of all the aspects of a project, especially if it changes significantly down the road and involves custom solutions.
• Unreliability. Big-name freelance marketplaces like Upwork improve the safety of cooperation with freelance developers. However, let’s face it, freelancers often disappear. It has always been part and parcel of freelancing; though lower, the risk remains.
• Miscommunication risks. Although all teams are prone to misunderstandings, hiring a freelancer offshore may entail additional risks of poor communication due to language barriers, cultural differences, and geographical remoteness.
• Security violations. The flip side of the freelance market is that you can never be 100% sure who you are working with, and your sensitive data might be compromised, misused, or stolen. Information security regulations and data privacy compliance bind software development companies. At Beetroot, we are strictly committed to providing a new level of credibility as an ISO 27001-certified service partner, and our customers can feel at ease working with our teams.

Marketplaces to Look for Freelance WordPress Developers

In case you decide that hiring a freelance developer is the perfect option for your project, here is a list of time-proven websites where you can look for suitable candidates.

General Freelance Marketplaces

• Upwork is one of the most popular freelancing websites. It is excellent for beginners since the bar for becoming a freelancer there is low. 
• Toptal is a network of top freelance specialists, including software developers. It’s known for its meticulous screening process, leading to only 3% of applicants being added to the pool. Those looking for a freelancer to hire must put in a refundable deposit and pay monthly and additional job placement fees.
• Fiverr is another popular platform that connects clients with freelancers, including website developers. Advanced filter search lets you find developers with specific niche expertise, including WordPress development. However, this platform is best suited for minor, small-budget tasks.

Specialized Freelance Marketplaces

• UpStack is one of the best alternatives to Toptal, where clients can find software developers for projects of any scale. Thanks to its 8-point assessment evaluation, the platform ensures the top quality of the services provided by their freelancers. However, remember that just like Toptal, UpStack charges an upfront deposit.
• Codeable is a dedicated WordPress freelancer platform that uses the vetting process to guarantee the developers match the industry standards. The platform also offers a risk-free money-back policy.
• WordPress Jobs is a platform run by the official WordPress.org team. It’s straightforward in terms of the interface and is free of charge. However, it might be problematic to check the freelancer’s previous experience since they don’t need to sign up to apply for the job you offer.

Reasons for WordPress Developers Increasing Their Rates

Upwork’s Freelance Forward 2022 report has shown that 43 percent of freelancers said they raised their rates last year. The primary reasons for this include gaining more professional experience (39%), economic conditions (37%), higher demand for their services (36%), and the striving to meet competitive rates (34%). 

Naturally, WordPress developers’ rates also change, whether it’s due to professional growth, inflation, or a desire to keep up with fellow specialists. And that’s completely fine — both for freelancers and outsourcing companies. After all, the job market is a dynamic, ever-changing place where skilled specialists are the most valuable asset. That is why we at Beetroot consider our employees’ salary expectations — just as you probably do with your in-house team.

If you need more than 100% sure your business or organization offers competitive compensation, here are a few reasons to investigate the matter. Fair wages help with the following:

• Making employees feel valued and thus increasing motivation, efficiency, and productivity;
• Employing and retaining top-notch talents, and as a result, increasing your profits and decreasing recruitment costs;
• Closing the gender pay gap and promoting gender equality;
• Building a solid and visible brand image through social responsibility on a corporate level;
• Making a positive social impact by increasing your employees’ spending power.

As a company focusing on sustainable software development, Beetroot can vouch for all the above statements. In addition, our experience has proven that fair compensation, strong organizational culture, and an open, trust-based workplace environment help build high-performing teams that achieve outstanding results.

Final Thoughts

Hiring in-house WordPress developers, working with freelancers, or choosing an outstaffing model — all these options can be viable depending on your project requirements and resources. At Beetroot, you can combine the reliability of a full-time team with the cost-efficiency of freelancers and the flexibility of a white-label partner. 

Our team has worked with numerous digital agencies based on white-label agreements, and therefore, we have an in-depth understanding of the agency’s workflow and specific needs.

Moreover, Beetroot offers multiple cooperation models that fit different budgets and use cases. For instance, you can outsource minor urgent tech tasks to our flex teams, build custom products from scratch by hiring our dedicated teams, or request consulting services if you require additional expertise. Check out the details of Beetroot’s services and cooperation models on our website, or reach out if you need help finding the most suitable solution for your project.