Developer salaries: a clearer way to compare markets.

Start with the published benchmarks

BLS reports a U.S. software developer median annual wage of $135,980 for May 2025. The UK National Careers Service lists £30,000 for starters through £75,000 for experienced developers. These measures have different definitions and should not be treated as equivalent offers.

These are salary references, not Double H Global prices. We have not converted currencies or calculated a savings percentage from these different measures.

Compare the same job, not just the title

Write one role brief for every market. Include the technologies, expected ownership, experience level, communication requirements and working-hour overlap. A developer maintaining a small application and an engineer owning a production platform may share a title while doing very different work.

• Match seniority and responsibilities before comparing pay.
• Separate base salary from bonuses, equity and benefits.
• Record the currency, payment frequency and date of each quote.
• Keep employment salaries separate from contractor or managed-service fees.

Build an annual cost worksheet

Start with the agreed annual compensation. Add the costs that apply to your arrangement: recruitment, equipment, workspace, software, benefits, administration and onboarding. Ask each provider to identify what their price includes, then compare the same items over the same twelve-month period.

For a Sri Lankan candidate, request a quote based on your actual role and working model. A verified candidate expectation is more useful for a hiring decision than an unsourced market average.

• Compensation + applicable employer or service costs
• Tools, equipment and workspace
• Recruitment and onboarding
• Currency conversion assumptions and payment costs

Turn the benchmark into a hiring brief

Set a budget range, define the outcomes you need in the first ninety days, and agree how candidates will be assessed. Use salary data to start the conversation; use evidence of the candidate’s work to decide who fits the role.