25
2020 HackerRank Developer Skills Report Insights based on 116,648 developers

2020 HackerRank Developer Sklsli Reprot · Under the age of 39? Odds are that most of your peers learned to code in C. Most Baby Boomers and Gen Xers—or, those between the ages

  • Upload
    others

  • View
    1

  • Download
    0

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

  • 2020HackerRankDeveloper Skills ReportInsights based on 116,648 developers

  • At HackerRank, we have over 7 million developers in our community. That’s over 25% of the world’s developers who are using HackerRank to level up their coding skills.

    We’re fortunate to play a part in expanding and growing the developer community during this time of rapid change. Our mission at HackerRank is to help accelerate the world’s innovation as more and more companies shift to tech-focused approaches to running and building their businesses. Since 2010, 22 newcomers have entered the Fortune 100—a seismic shift—driven largely by technical innovation. Since that time, tech-first giants like Amazon, Google, and Facebook have joined the list, and they’re not slowing down.

    As companies evolve to embed tech into the heart of their products, the need for skilled talent is growing exponentially. To meet that demand, companies will have to become experts in developer hiring—not by relying on developers’ pedigrees or resumes, but by objectively evaluating their skills and placing them strategically throughout the organizations they work for.

    To understand the state of developer skills in 2020, we’re launching our third annual Developer Skills Report: the largest survey of its kind ever released. We asked for input on coding bootcamps, pay equity, and more—and over 116,000 developers from 162 countries responded. The data provides unparalleled insight into what employers and employees know, what they’re looking for in their work, and how they see their roles evolving as technology sweeps across industries of all sizes.

    I hope you enjoy our findings. Please feel free to tweet us @hackerrank or email us at [email protected] with comments or questions.

    Vivek RavisankarCo-founder & CEOHackerRank

    I N T R O

    2020 HackerRank Developer Skills Report | P.02

    https://twitter.com/hackerrankmailto:%20research%40hackerrank.com%20?subject=https://www.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://research.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://www.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020

  • T O O L S2020’s most widely known languages2020’s most widely known frameworksLanguages developers want to learnLanguages developers know vs. average salaryFrameworks developers want to learnFrameworks developers know vs. average salary

    W O R KDeveloper salaries across the worldDeveloper salaries in the USDevelopers on pay equityThe most important form of professional growthThe role developers want to have in 3 yearsHow developers spend their downtime

    M E T H O D O L O G Y

    I N T R O

    L E A R N I N GThe first language developers learned to code inHow developers learn new coding skillsAre managers hiring bootcamp grads?Hiring managers’ opinions on bootcamp grad skillsDeveloper education level vs. employer company size

    S K I L L S2020’s most in-demand talent poolRoles required to learn new skills most oftenLanguages hiring managers are looking for

    P.02

    P.04

    P.05

    P.06

    P.07

    P.08

    P.09

    P.10

    P.11

    P.12

    P.13

    P.14

    P.15

    P.16

    P.17

    P.18

    P.19

    P.20

    P.21

    P.22

    P.23

    P.24

    INDEX

    2020 HackerRank Developer Skills Report | P.03

    https://research.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://www.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020

  • Under the age of 39? Odds are that most of your peers learned to code in C.

    Most Baby Boomers and Gen Xers—or, those between the ages of 40 and 74 in 2020—learned to code in BASIC. Developed for educational use in 1964, BASIC was a popular instructional language in college classrooms.

    But that began to change in 1972, when Bell Labs invented C, allowing portability of the Unix operating system. Though it wasn’t an instant hit, the language rose to popularity in the late 70s and early 80s alongside the growth of Unix.

    Today, the language is celebrated for its longevity, flexibility, and ease of use—just some of the reasons it’s still popular for Gen Zers learning to code today.

    For learning to code, C is overtaking BASIC

    L E A R N I N G & E D U C A T I O N

    What was the first language you learned to code in?

    2020 HackerRank Developer Skills Report | P.04

    C Java C++ BASIC Pascal

    39.5

    %30

    .5%

    10.7

    %7.

    1%

    14.1

    %14

    .5%

    3.8%

    1.3%

    16.0

    %12

    .6%

    5.4%

    1.3% 3

    .2%

    8.1%

    45.3

    %32

    .9%

    3.5%

    8.3%

    13.5

    %7.

    1%

    Gen Z Millennial Gen X Baby Boomer

    https://time.com/69316/basic/https://time.com/69316/basic/https://research.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://www.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020

  • Gen Z is more likely than any previous generation to learn coding skills from bootcamps. Nearly one in six say they’ve leveraged bootcamps to learn new skills.

    On the flip side, they’re less likely to learn coding skills from older generations’ go-tos, like books and on-the-job training. As Gen Z comes to rely more heavily on non-traditional education sources like bootcamps, they’re poised to become a key talent pool.

    So which coding bootcamps are they turning to? Among respondents, the most commonly attended bootcamps were:

    Gen Z is utilizes bootcamps to learn new skills

    L E A R N I N G & E D U C A T I O N

    How do you learn new coding skills?

    • Codeworks

    • AppAcademy

    • Hack Reactor

    • Coderhouse

    • Byte Academy

    2020 HackerRank Developer Skills Report | P.05

    YouTube

    HackerRank

    Coding Bootcamps

    From Peers or Mentors

    Developer Websites (e.g. GitHub)

    Online Courses (e.g. edX)

    On-the-job Training

    Books

    71.0%61.1%

    47.4%40.6%

    51.6%43.5%

    34.7%32.9%

    16.0%13.2%

    10.5%9.7%

    36.4%36.7%

    34.8%27.1%

    72.9%76.4%76.0%

    63.2%

    59.3%66.9%

    65.6%63.9%

    36.7%45.3%

    47.0%46.5%

    39.3%46.3%

    63.1%68.4%

    Gen Z

    Millennial

    Gen X

    Baby Boomer

    https://codeworks.me/https://www.appacademy.io/https://www.hackreactor.com/https://www.coderhouse.com/https://byteacademy.co/https://research.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://www.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020

  • Hiring managers are bringing on bootcamp grads: 32% of them have hired a developer who learned their coding skills from a bootcamp.

    But not all hiring managers have tapped into this growing talent pool. Nearly half (49%) of hiring managers have never hired a bootcamp grad. Results were similar across all company sizes.

    As younger generations are increasingly drawn to bootcamps, that mentality may have to change. Gen Z is more likely than previous generations to learn coding skills from a bootcamp, while bootcamp attendance rates have risen 11x over the last decade. Combined, it’s a signal that bootcamp grads are slated to grow in number—and may grow as a talent source as time goes on.

    Nearly 1 in 3 hiring managers have hired a bootcamp grad

    L E A R N I N G & E D U C A T I O N

    Have you hired a developer that learned their coding skills from a bootcamp?

    2020 HackerRank Developer Skills Report | P.06

    Yes 31.7%

    No 48.9%

    Not Sure 19.4%

    https://www.coursereport.com/reports/coding-bootcamp-market-size-research-2019https://research.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://www.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020

  • Hiring managers that bring on bootcamp grads reap the benefits.

    In fact: 72% of hiring managers that have hired a bootcamp grad felt they were equally or better equipped for the job than other hires. According to managers, the top reasons bootcamp grads exceed are:

    • Ability to learn new technologies & languages quickly (71%)

    • Strong practical experience (61%)

    • Eager to take on new responsibilities (52%)

    It’s a strong endorsement for this fast-growing form of coding education. While the first coding bootcamps emerged in 2011, their popularity has exploded over the course of the decade. A recent study counted 20,000+ bootcamp graduates in 2019 from 110 full-time programs—and that’s just in the United States (US) and Canada.

    And hiring managers believe they’re well-suited for the work

    L E A R N I N G & E D U C A T I O N

    Do you find bootcamp grads are better equipped for the job than other hires?

    2020 HackerRank Developer Skills Report | P.07

    Yes 33.0%

    No 27.8%

    Same as Other Hires 39.2%

    https://www.coursereport.com/reports/coding-bootcamp-market-size-research-2019https://research.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://www.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020

  • Tech hiring giants like Google, Apple, and IBM have famously lifted their 4-year degree requirements. But for hiring developers without degrees, it’s small companies that are leading the charge.

    32% of developers at small companies (1-49 employees) haven’t obtained a Bachelor’s degree. It’s a stark contrast to large companies (10,000+ employees); there, 91% of developers have obtained a Bachelor’s degree or higher, while only 9% have not.

    It’s a win for small companies, and should be seen as an opportunity for larger companies to tap into a broader talent pool.

    Small companies are most likely to hire developers without a degree

    L E A R N I N G & E D U C A T I O N

    What is the highest level of education you’ve completed?

    2020 HackerRank Developer Skills Report | P.08

    Less than Bachelor's degree Bachelor’s degree Master’s degree or Doctorate degree

    31.9

    %

    18.4

    %

    14.9

    %

    8.6%

    50.9

    %

    59.7

    %

    59.9

    %

    69.0

    %

    17.2

    % 22.0

    %

    25.2

    %

    22.5

    %

    1-49 employees 50-999 employees 1,000-9,999 employees 10,000+ employees

    https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/16/15-companies-that-no-longer-require-employees-to-have-a-college-degree.htmlhttps://research.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://www.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020

  • Across company sizes, hiring managers agree that full-stack developers are top priority: 38% of hiring managers say it’s the #1 role to fill in 2020. Back-end developers and data scientists were ranked second and third priorities, respectively.

    The emphasis on full-stack developers was most pronounced in small companies (1-49 employees), 43% of which ranked the role as their top priority.

    Though the qualities that define a “full-stack developer” are a subject of debate, most agree that they should have a basic understanding (or better) of all layers of a tech stack, and should be able to generate a minimum viable product on their own. It’s why they’re especially important in small organizations, where fewer employees often have to do the job of many.

    2020’s most in-demand talent pool: full-stack developers

    I N - D E M A N D S K I L L S

    What’s the most important role you’re looking to fill in 2020?

    2020 HackerRank Developer Skills Report | P.09

    Full-stack developer Back-end developer Data scientist

    Front-end developer DevOps engineer

    100%

    0

    1-49 employees 50-999 employees 1,000-9,999employees

    10,000+employees

    Total

    43.4%

    20.1%

    13.0%

    10.9%

    7.4%5.2%

    33.9%

    27.7%

    14.9%

    10.3%

    7.9%5.3%

    34.3%

    28.0%

    15.1%

    8.1%

    9.0%5.4%

    36.2%

    21.2%

    17.8%

    8.5%

    10.2%

    6.2%

    37.6%

    24.0%

    14.8%

    9.9%

    8.3%5.4%

    QA engineer

    https://blog.hackerrank.com/full-stack-developer/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://blog.hackerrank.com/full-stack-developer/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://research.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://www.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020

  • Full-stack developers may be in highest demand, but their role is also one of the most professionally demanding. 60% of full-stack developers were required to learn a completely new framework or platform in the last year—more than any other role polled.

    Full-stack developers also have to learn the most languages: 45% reported that they had to pick up a new one within the last year. Their peers have to learn more about theoretical concepts; data scientists and DevOps engineers were required to learn new concepts most often (33%).

    With expertise that spans front-end, back-end, and more (depending on whom you ask), full-stack developers have one of the more nebulous job descriptions in the technical world. The relative flexibility of their role—and the breadth of technologies they have to keep up on as a result—means learning on the job never stops.

    Full-stack developers are required to learn new skills most often

    I N - D E M A N D S K I L L S

    Did your job require you to learn a new technical skill in the last year?

    2020 HackerRank Developer Skills Report | P.1045

    .459

    .727

    .3

    36.1

    49.3

    21.9

    38.3

    53.0

    28.2

    41.4 4

    5.1

    33.1

    39.8

    56.9

    33.4

    39.7

    46.6

    25.8

    Yes, a new language Yes, a new platform/framework Yes, a new theoretical concept

    Full-stackdeveloper

    Front-end developer

    Back-end developer

    Data scientist

    DevOps engineer

    QA engineer

    %

    %

    %

    %

    %%

    %

    %%

    %

    %

    %

    %%

    %

    %

    %

    %

    https://blog.hackerrank.com/full-stack-developer-hiring-guide/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=blog&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://blog.hackerrank.com/full-stack-developer-hiring-guide/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=blog&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://research.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://www.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020

  • Globally, JavaScript is the most popular language hiring managers look for in a candidate. But not all hiring managers see language skills as a top priority: globally, 14% say they’re language agnostic when screening candidates.

    This trend is most pronounced in the Americas region (AMER): 21% of hiring managers in the region are language agnostic when searching for new hires. Asia-Pacific region (APAC) hiring managers are half as likely to be language agnostic (10%).

    1 in 5 hiring managers in the Americas are language agnostic when seeking new hires

    I N - D E M A N D S K I L L S

    What language skills do you look for when hiring developers?

    2020 HackerRank Developer Skills Report | P.11

    JavaScript

    Python

    Java

    C#

    C++

    PHP

    Language Agnostic

    53.6%

    49.5%

    44.1%

    19.7%

    18.3%

    17.0%

    14.3%

    51.6%

    38.1%

    21.7%

    17.2%

    15.0%

    20.5%

    51.2%

    50.7%

    51.3%

    15.8%

    17.5%

    16.8%

    10.0%

    53.6%

    45.2%

    40.9%

    23.6%

    20.9%

    19.5%

    12.8%

    56.9%

    Global

    AMER

    APAC

    EMEA

    https://research.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://www.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020

  • D E V E L O P E R T O O L S

    In terms of most known languages, little has changed over the last three years. In fact, the top 10 languages saw only two changes from last year: C# and PHP switched between sixth and seventh position.

    It’s worth noting that the best known language, JavaScript, isn’t a language most developers learn to code in—only 5% of respondents reported it as their first programming language. Java follows a similar pattern: it’s the second best known language overall, yet only 13% of developers say it was their first language learned.

    JavaScript is this year’s most widely known language (again)

    Best known languages: 2018-2020

    JavaScript 1 1 2

    Java 2 2 1

    C 3 3 3

    Python 4 4 5

    C++ 5 5 4

    C# 6 7 6

    PHP 7 6 7

    TypeScript 8 8 8

    Pascal 9 9 9

    R 10 10 10

    2020 2019 2018

    2020 HackerRank Developer Skills Report | P.12

    https://research.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://www.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020

  • D E V E L O P E R T O O L S

    This year, the framework landscape was as dynamic as last year, with five total changes across the top 10.

    Since our first Developer Skills Survey, Vue.js, has shown steady growth, rising one spot per year since 2018. But the most dramatic change was for Django, which moved up two spots between 2019 and 2020 (rising from sixth to fourth most popular).

    Django’s lift in usage is inextricably linked to the rise of Python. A popular choice for machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), Python saw an uptick in usage in 2019, and has consistently been ranked as one of the top languages that developers want to learn year over year. And since Django is a Python-based framework, it’s natural that Django would rise alongside it.

    Django and Vue.js are rising steadily

    Best known frameworks: 2018-2020

    AngularJS 1 1 1

    React 2 2 3

    Spring 3 3 2

    Django 4 6 6

    ExpressJS 5 4 4

    ASP 6 5 5

    .NETCore 7 7 7

    Vue.js 8 9 10

    Ruby on Rails 9 8 8

    JSF 10 10 9

    2020 2019 2018

    2020 HackerRank Developer Skills Report | P.13

    https://research.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://www.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020

  • D E V E L O P E R T O O L S

    For the third year running, Go is the #1 language developers want to learn next.

    Developed by Google, Go has seen increasing popularity since its invention in 2009, due in part to the visibility of its creators. As we noted in our 2018 report, it’s not the first time tech giants like Google have driven language adoption: Twitter similarly boosted Scala when it outgrew Ruby on Rails, as Apple did for Swift when it moved away from Objective-C.

    And slowly but surely, developers are learning Go. It inched up to the 12th best known language for 2020, up from 13th in 2018.

    Go is the #1 language developers want to learn

    What languages do you plan on learning next?

    GoPython

    KotlinTypescript

    RScalaSwiftRust

    RubyJavaScript

    C#Haskell

    C++Clojure

    ElixirObjective-C

    ErlangJavaJuliaLuaPerlPHP

    OCamlProlog

    StanPascal

    C

    36.2%27.7%

    24.9%20.7%

    20.0%18.7%

    16.7%16.3%

    15.9%15.0%

    13.5%12.0%

    11.4%11.3%

    11.0%10.6%10.6%

    10.2%10.1%

    9.4%9.3%

    8.8%7.9%

    7.7%7.5%

    6.6%6.0%

    2020 HackerRank Developer Skills Report | P.14

    https://research.hackerrank.com/developer-skills/2018?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020#developer-tools1https://research.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://www.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020

  • D E V E L O P E R T O O L S

    Perl is the language most closely associated with above-average pay. Globally, developers that know Perl make 54% more than the average annual developer salary. It’s followed by Scala (+42%), and Go (+33%).

    The high pay association with languages like Perl, Scala, and Go is due in part to the demographic that knows them. For example, about 10% of senior developers polled knew Perl—but only 2% of junior developers did. Scala and Go showed similar patterns. And since senior developers tend to earn higher salaries, the average salary associated with each language is elevated.

    Those that know Perl make 54% more than the average developer

    Salary increase based on languages knownOver global average salary ($54,491 USD)

    Perl

    Scala

    Go

    Ruby

    Objective-C

    Swift

    Pascal

    R

    Prolog

    C#

    Kotlin

    Typescript

    Python

    JavaScript

    C++

    +54.2%

    +41.6%

    +33.4%

    +32.3%

    +22.4%

    +19.6%

    +15.2%

    +13.1%

    +11.3%

    +7.3%

    +6.8%

    +5.4%

    +4.0%

    +2.2%

    +1.6%

    2020 HackerRank Developer Skills Report | P.15

    https://research.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://www.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020

  • D E V E L O P E R T O O L S

    React is the framework most developers want to learn—32% say it’s the framework they’re learning next.

    AngularJS and Django round out the top 3: 28% say they plan to learn AngularJS, and 26% say they’re learning Django. All three frameworks are in the top five that hiring managers need.

    Last year, we noted that an increasing number of developers were planning to learn React—and that as a result, it had a chance to become the best known framework in 2020. But in this year’s survey, React’s position remained static as the second best-known framework.

    Developers are learning React, AngularJS, and Django

    Which frameworks do you plan on learning next?

    React

    AngularJS

    Django

    Vue.js

    Ruby on Rails

    Spark

    Spring

    ExpressJS

    .NETCore

    Backbone.js

    ASP

    Ember

    Cocoa

    Struts

    Meteor

    Pyramid

    JSF

    Padrino

    27.6%

    32.3%

    26.3%

    23.6%

    16.3%

    15.3%

    15.1%

    13.7%

    12.5%

    11.0%

    8.9%

    8.6%

    8.4%

    8.3%

    8.1%

    8.0%

    7.4%

    7.1%

    2020 HackerRank Developer Skills Report | P.16

    https://research.hackerrank.com/developer-skills/2019?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020#skills3https://research.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://www.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020

  • D E V E L O P E R T O O L S

    Backbone.js is the framework associated with the highest pay: developers that know it earn 49% more than the global average.

    Cocoa and Ruby on Rails were linked to the second and third highest average salaries. Those that know Cocoa earn 35% more than the global average, whereas those that know Ruby on Rails earn 30% more than the global average.

    Again, the association with higher pay is tied in part to seniority. Take, for example, Backbone.js. 7% of senior developers know it, compared to only 2% of junior developers. And since senior developers earn higher pay, it could elevate the average pay linked to the framework.

    It’s worth noting that Backbone.js is also an uncommon skill— globally, only 4% of developers know it. So the low knowledge supply may allow those that know it to demand higher pay.

    But globally, Backbone.js is associated with the highest pay

    Salary increase based on frameworks knownOver global average salary ($54,491 USD)

    Backbone.js

    Cocoa

    Ruby on Rails

    Spark

    Struts

    .NETCore

    React

    ASP

    Vue.js

    Angular JS

    JSF

    Spring

    Django

    ExpressJS

    +48.7%

    +34.6%

    +29.6%

    +29.4%

    +19.3%

    +10.7%

    +8.7%

    +7.4%

    +6.3%

    +3.7%

    +2.2%

    +1.2%

    +1.0%

    +0.1%

    2020 HackerRank Developer Skills Report | P.17

    https://research.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://www.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020

  • Averaged across all job roles and levels, US developers are paid the most: developers there make $109,167 annually on average.

    Australia and Canada were the next highest paying countries, with average developer salaries of $88,539 and $72,771, respectively. The Netherlands and the United Kingdom rounded out the top five highest paying countries.

    US developers make more than those in any other country

    D E V E L O P E R S A T W O R K

    What is your current salary?

    United States

    Australia

    Canada

    Netherlands

    United Kingdom

    Germany

    South Africa

    Indonesia

    Spain

    Ukraine

    Argentina

    Colombia

    Turkey

    Mexico

    Brazil

    Poland

    Italy

    Romania

    Russia

    Pakistan

    India

    Bangladesh

    Nigeria

    $88,539$109,167

    $72,771$68,194

    $65,388$64,088

    $45,990$45,269

    $44,038$43,600

    $42,442$41,818$41,758$41,392$40,876$40,420$39,716$39,641$39,256$39,154

    $38,229$35,096

    $33,582

    Global Average Salary:

    $54,491 (USD)

    2020 HackerRank Developer Skills Report | P.18

    https://research.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://www.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020

  • Taking a closer look at the US, western cities take the cake for highest developer salaries. Cities in the west have the highest pay (with an average salary of $128,198), while the northeast comes in second (with an average salary of about $112,871).

    High salaries in the west region are led by coastal tech talent magnets like San Francisco ($147,948), Seattle ($134,539), and Los Angeles ($129,080), which make up the three highest paying cities in the region. And in the northeast, Boston ($116,804) and New York ($115,792) pay the highest salaries.

    • West Average: $128,198

    • Northeast Average: $112,871

    • Midwest Average: $100,711

    • South Average: $98,986

    The west is the highest paying region in the US

    D E V E L O P E R S A T W O R K

    Average developer salary by US metro area

    San Francisco

    Seattle

    Los Angeles

    Boston

    New York

    Chicago

    Austin

    San Diego

    Portland

    Salt Lake City

    Washington D.C.

    Atlanta

    Denver

    Philadelphia

    Dallas

    Minneapolis/St. Paul

    Phoenix

    Detroit

    Raleigh

    Miami

    $129,080

    $134,539

    $147,948

    $116,804

    $115,792

    $113,820

    $109,562

    $107,903

    $107,432

    $106,293

    $105,967

    $104,803

    $101,095

    $97,343

    $96,641

    $90,882

    $88,437

    $86,046

    $83,125

    $79,583

    2020 HackerRank Developer Skills Report | P.19

    https://research.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://www.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020

  • Only 35% of developers believe they’re being paid fairly. On the flip side, 39% believe they’re being paid unfairly compared to peers, and 26% just aren’t sure.

    As sharing salaries has become the norm through websites like Glassdoor and LinkedIn, developers have gained unprecedented access to peer salary estimates. In many ways, that shift is a positive one; it gives developers the ammo they need to negotiate pay aligned with their fair market value. But it also means developers are more aware when their pay differs from that of their peer group.

    Globally, 39% of developers feel they’re paid unfairly

    D E V E L O P E R S A T W O R K

    Do you believe you’re being paid fairly compared to your peers?

    Yes 34.9%

    No 39.1%

    Not Sure 26.0%

    2020 HackerRank Developer Skills Report | P.20

    https://research.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://www.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020

  • Last year, we learned that competitive compensation is the #3 criteria developers look for in a job—but professional growth and learning is #1. This year, we asked developers to define the form of professional growth that’s most important to them.

    Most developers agree: they want opportunities to learn new technical skills on the job. A whopping 59% of developers ranked it as the most important form of professional growth.

    It was twice as important as the ability to take on new responsibilities, and more than 4x more important than chances to develop soft skills.

    The most important form of professional growth: new tech skills

    D E V E L O P E R S A T W O R K

    What form of professional growth is most important to you?

    59.0%24.9%

    13.9%

    2.3%

    Opportunity to learn new technical skills at work

    Ability to take on more responsibilities & receive promotions at work

    Opportunities to develop soft skills

    2020 HackerRank Developer Skills Report | P.21

    https://research.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://www.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020

  • 62% of developers in individual contributor roles want to become a technical lead in the next three years. That’s a stark contrast to the number that want to become managers (15%).

    It may be part of why most developers prioritize learning new tech skills when it comes to professional growth (versus taking on more responsibility or soft skills advancement, for example). Most are less interested in managing people, and more interested in filling a technical lead role, like a principal architect—so picking up new technical skills is paramount.

    On the flip side, developers currently acting as managers and technical leads were pleased with their current roles. Most wanted to stay in the same role down the line.

    Individual contributors want to be tech leads, not managers

    D E V E L O P E R S A T W O R K

    What role do you want to have in three years?

    Want to be aTechnical Lead

    Want to be anIndividual

    Contributor

    Want to be anEngineering

    Manager

    Other

    61.8

    %

    57.6

    %

    39.9

    %

    19.1

    %

    4.5% 6.0%

    15.3

    %

    30.4

    %

    47.6

    %

    3.8% 7.

    5%

    6.5%

    Individual Contributors Technical Leads Engineering Managers

    2020 HackerRank Developer Skills Report | P.22

    https://research.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://www.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020

  • When they’re not coding, most developers spend their time listening to music (61%).

    Surfing the web (52%), getting something to eat or drink (48%), and exercising (48%) were also popular options for a quick time out. But 3% of developers say they never take a break!

    Developers spend downtime listening to music and surfing the web

    D E V E L O P E R S A T W O R K

    What do you do to take a break from coding?

    Listen to Music

    Surf the Web

    Eat or Drink Something

    Exercise / Go for a Walk

    Check Social Media

    Watch Videos

    Talk to a Co-Worker

    Read

    Play Video Games

    Text or Call Someone

    Take a Nap

    Meditate

    Play Ping Pong/Pool/Foosball

    Spend Time With my Pet(s)

    Never Take a Break from Coding

    Other

    61.0%

    52.0%

    48.2%

    47.6%

    40.8%

    40.2%

    37.3%

    31.2%

    27.7%

    27.5%

    20.2%

    10.5%

    8.7%

    8.3%

    2.8%

    4.4%

    2020 HackerRank Developer Skills Report | P.23

    https://research.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://www.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020

  • HackerRank conducted its third annual developer skills survey to identify trends in the developer community. A total of 116,648 developers and students responded to the 15-minute online survey from November 12 to December 11, 2019. The survey was programmed in SurveyMonkey and HackerRank recruited respondents via email (community members, customers, and prospects) and through social media sites. Respondents came from 162 countries. Results were analyzed using Q Research. Tests of significant differences were conducted at the .05 level (95% probability that the difference is real, not by chance). Percentages may not always add to 100% due to rounding.

    Global region definitions:

    • Americas (AMER): Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela• Asia-Pacific (APAC): Afghanistan, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Fiji, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Malaysia, Mauritania, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Tajikstan• Europe, Middle East, & Africa (EMEA): Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Armenia, Austria, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Congo, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malta, Mauritius, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mali

    US region definitions (based on US Census Bureau method):

    • Midwest: Chicago, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Detroit• Northeast: Boston, New York, Philadelphia• South: Austin, Atlanta, Miami, Dallas, Raleigh, Miami, Washington D.C.• West: San Francisco, Seattle, Los Angeles, San Diego, Portland, Salt Lake City, Denver, Phoenix Generation definitions (based on Pew Research ranges):

    • Gen Z: Born 1997-2012• Millennial: Born 1981-1996• Gen X: Born 1965-1980• Baby Boomer: Born 1946-1964

    Methodology

    2020 HackerRank Developer Skills Report | P.24

    https://www2.census.gov/geo/pdfs/maps-data/maps/reference/us_regdiv.pdfhttps://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/01/17/where-millennials-end-and-generation-z-begins/https://research.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://www.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020

  • Code & Get HiredMore Research

    Get in TouchHire Talent

    F O R D E V E L O P E R S

    F O R W O R K

    Join over 7 million developers, improve your coding skills, and find the best job.

    HackerRank is the leading end-to-end technical recruiting platform for hiring developers.

    [email protected] | www.hackerrank.com

    USA: +1-415-900-4023 | India: +91-888-081-1222 | UK: +44-208-004-0258

    2020 HackerRank Developer Skills Report | P.25

    https://research.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020mailto:Research%40hackerrank.com?subject=https://www.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://research.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://www.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://www.hackerrank.com/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://research.hackerrank.com/developer-skills/2019?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://research.hackerrank.com/women-in-tech/2019?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://research.hackerrank.com/student-developer/2018?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020https://research.hackerrank.com/tech-recruiting/2018?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020http://https://www.hackerrank.com/products/?utm_medium=content&utm_source=pdf&utm_campaign=devskills2020

    Learning.1-1stlangLearning.2-LearnBootcampLearning.3-BootcampGradLearning.4-BootCwellSuitedLearning.5-LevelofEduSkills.1-RoleFullStSkills.2-NewSkillSkills.3-LangAgnosticTools.1-KnownLangTools.2-KnownFramWTools.3-WantoLearnLangTools.4-SalaryIncreaseLangTools.5-WanttolearnFramWTools.6-SalaryIncreFWWork.1-SalaryWorldWork.2-SalaryUSWork.3-UnderpaidWork.4-ProfGrowthWork.5-RoleFutureWork.6-BreakMethodologyIntroIndex TOC

    INDEXBtn: INTRObtn: LEARNINbtn: TOOLSbtn: WORKbtn: SKILLSbtn: INDEXBtn 2: LEARNINbtn 24: TOOLSbtn 10: WORKbtn 24: SKILLSbtn 24: INTRObtn 24: LEARNINbtn 2: TOOLSbtn 2: WORKbtn 2: INTRObtn 2: SKILLSbtn 2: INDEXBtn 3: TOOLSbtn 3: WORKbtn 3: LEARNINbtn 3: INTRObtn 3: SKILLSbtn 3: INDEXBtn 4: TOOLSbtn 4: WORKbtn 4: LEARNINbtn 4: INTRObtn 4: SKILLSbtn 4: INDEXBtn 5: TOOLSbtn 5: WORKbtn 5: LEARNINbtn 5: INTRObtn 5: SKILLSbtn 5: INDEXBtn 6: TOOLSbtn 6: WORKbtn 6: LEARNINbtn 6: INTRObtn 6: SKILLSbtn 6: INDEXBtn 7: LEARNINbtn 7: TOOLSbtn 7: WORKbtn 7: INTRObtn 7: SKILLSbtn 7: INDEXBtn 8: LEARNINbtn 8: TOOLSbtn 8: WORKbtn 8: INTRObtn 8: SKILLSbtn 8: INDEXBtn 9: LEARNINbtn 9: TOOLSbtn 9: WORKbtn 9: INTRObtn 9: SKILLSbtn 9: INDEXBtn 10: LEARNINbtn 10: WORKbtn 10: INTRObtn 10: TOOLSbtn 23: SKILLSbtn 10: INDEXBtn 11: LEARNINbtn 11: WORKbtn 11: TOOLSbtn 11: INTRObtn 11: SKILLSbtn 11: INDEXBtn 12: LEARNINbtn 12: WORKbtn 12: TOOLSbtn 12: INTRObtn 12: SKILLSbtn 12: INDEXBtn 13: LEARNINbtn 13: WORKbtn 13: TOOLSbtn 13: INTRObtn 13: SKILLSbtn 13: INDEXBtn 14: LEARNINbtn 14: WORKbtn 14: TOOLSbtn 14: INTRObtn 14: SKILLSbtn 14: INDEXBtn 15: LEARNINbtn 15: WORKbtn 15: TOOLSbtn 15: INTRObtn 15: SKILLSbtn 15: INDEXBtn 16: LEARNINbtn 16: TOOLSbtn 16: WORKbtn 16: INTRObtn 16: SKILLSbtn 16: INDEXBtn 17: LEARNINbtn 17: TOOLSbtn 17: WORKbtn 17: INTRObtn 17: SKILLSbtn 17: INDEXBtn 18: LEARNINbtn 18: TOOLSbtn 18: WORKbtn 18: INTRObtn 18: SKILLSbtn 18: INDEXBtn 19: LEARNINbtn 19: TOOLSbtn 19: WORKbtn 19: INTRObtn 19: SKILLSbtn 19: INDEXBtn 20: LEARNINbtn 20: TOOLSbtn 20: WORKbtn 20: INTRObtn 20: SKILLSbtn 20: INDEXBtn 21: LEARNINbtn 21: TOOLSbtn 21: WORKbtn 21: INTRObtn 21: SKILLSbtn 21: INDEXBtn 22: LEARNINbtn 22: TOOLSbtn 22: WORKbtn 22: INTRObtn 22: SKILLSbtn 22: INDEXBtn 23: Card-2019Devskills: Card-2018Student: Card-2018TRR: Card-2019WIT: Signup-Btn: LearnMoreBtn: LEARNINbtn 23: TOOLSbtn 24: WORKbtn 23: INTRObtn 23: SKILLSbtn 23: INDEXBtn 24: