Entry-Level Salary by Path (0–2 Years Experience)
| Career Path |
Salary Range |
Median |
Best Market |
| Frontend Developer |
$60,000 – $88,000 |
$72,000 |
Remote / NYC / SF |
| Fullstack Developer |
$65,000 – $95,000 |
$78,000 |
Remote / NYC / Austin |
| Backend Developer |
$68,000 – $95,000 |
$80,000 |
Remote / SF / Seattle |
| AI Engineer |
$140,000 – $180,000+ |
$155,000 |
SF / NYC / Remote |
Why AI Engineer pays so much more
AI engineering skills carry a 56% wage premium over non-AI roles. The talent supply is still thin relative to demand — companies that need LLM/RAG/agent skills pay a significant premium to get them.
Mid-Level Salary by Path (2–5 Years Experience)
| Career Path |
Salary Range |
Median |
Notes |
| Frontend Developer |
$90,000 – $130,000 |
$108,000 |
React + TypeScript required |
| Fullstack Developer |
$95,000 – $140,000 |
$115,000 |
Best all-round flexibility |
| Backend Developer |
$100,000 – $145,000 |
$120,000 |
SQL + Node + DevOps valued |
| AI Engineer |
$175,000 – $250,000+ |
$210,000 |
Fastest-growing segment |
Key Salary Boosters (Any Path)
| Skill / Factor |
Typical Salary Premium |
Notes |
| TypeScript proficiency |
+$8,000 – $12,000/year |
Now #1 GitHub language (Aug 2025) |
| Any AI/ML skills |
+56% above non-AI roles |
Even basic prompt engineering counts |
| Remote-first positioning |
+10–25% vs. local-only |
Larger talent pool = higher rates |
| Open source contributions |
+$5,000 – $15,000/year |
Credibility signal for hiring managers |
| Startup equity (seed/Series A) |
Varies wildly |
Base is 20–30% lower; equity compensates |
Scrimba Path Investment vs. Return
| Path |
Scrimba Pro Cost (Annual) |
Time to Job-Ready |
First-Year Salary (Median) |
| Frontend |
~$228/year |
4–8 months (part-time) |
$72,000 |
| Fullstack |
~$228/year |
6–12 months (part-time) |
$78,000 |
| Backend |
~$228/year |
4–8 months (part-time) |
$80,000 |
| AI Engineer |
~$228/year |
3–6 months (requires prior JS) |
$155,000 |
vs. Coding Bootcamp
A typical coding bootcamp costs $10,000–$20,000 and takes 3–6 months full-time. Bootcamp grads earn 5–10% less on average than self-taught developers with equivalent portfolios, according to Stack Overflow data. The interactive, project-based Scrimba format at $19/month offers comparable structure at a fraction of the cost.
Data Sources
- Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook (2026)
- Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2025
- Levels.fyi Software Engineer salary data
- LinkedIn Salary Insights (March 2026)
- Glassdoor Developer Salary Reports
Note: All figures are USD. Remote-eligible roles. Actual salaries vary by location, company size, interview performance, and portfolio quality. Always verify with current job listings in your target market.