Picturing yourself as a full stack developer with just two years of grind behind you, it's natural to wonder how much you should actually be paid in 2025. You’ve probably seen numbers all over the place—some way too optimistic, some strangely low. Here’s the reality: most full stack devs with two years experience in the US are pulling in between $75,000 and $110,000 a year right now. Location, skills, and the company you’re at make a bigger difference than you might think.
If you're working at a big tech firm, expect to sit toward the top end of that range. At smaller start-ups, it's sometimes lower, but perks or stock options can help make up for that. And don’t ignore remote jobs—some companies don’t care where you live as long as you get the work done, and they offer pretty competitive salaries to sweeten the deal.
But here’s a thing barely anyone talks about: even with the same experience, two developers can end up with very different paychecks. Are you working mostly on the back-end, wrangling servers and APIs, or do you spend your days building slick front-end apps? If you’re fluent in popular frameworks like React, Next.js, or keeping up with cloud services (AWS, Azure), your value just shot up. Real skills matter more than years on your resume.
If you’re a full stack developer with two years of experience, you’re likely scoping out actual paycheck numbers—so let’s get real and skip the unicorn salaries. According to Levels.fyi and Glassdoor data from early 2025, the average salary for this role in the US is right around $93,000 per year, with some variation depending on where you live and who you work for.
For those in cities like San Francisco and New York, salaries can climb to $110,000 or more, mostly due to higher living costs and fierce tech competition. Meanwhile, places like Austin, Atlanta, and Miami often fall in the $80,000–$95,000 range. Remote roles—super hot right now—usually land between $85,000 and $100,000, and many offer flexible benefits on top.
Here’s a quick breakdown of what’s typical in 2025:
A lot of companies also throw in sign-on bonuses, regular raises, and some level of stock options—especially if you’re joining a fast-growing tech firm.
“The demand for full stack engineers keeps rising every year, and salaries reflect that demand—even for those with just a couple years of professional experience.” — Emily Tran, Tech Careers Reporter at Dice.com
And one small but weirdly key thing: don’t just look at the annual number. Check out what benefits, paid time off, and remote work options are bundled in. All those extras add real value—sometimes up to $10K a year or more.
The paycheck you pocket as a full stack developer with 2 years of experience isn’t only about your job title or time in the game. Several nuts-and-bolts factors play a big role in the final number.
Here’s a handy table showing how some of these factors stack up:
| Factor | Potential Pay Difference |
|---|---|
| Major Tech Hub vs. Rural Area | +30% to +50% |
| Big Tech vs. Small Startup | Up to +25% higher salary, but possibly less equity |
| In-Demand Skills (React, AWS, etc.) | +10% to +20% |
| Certifications/Side Projects | +5% to +15% |
| Negotiation | Usually +10% to +15% |
The biggest lever for boosting your full stack developer salary? Consistently learning and showing off what you know. Even if your current company drags its feet on raises, these factors will help you land a better offer somewhere else.
If you’re comparing city jobs to remote gigs, you’ll spot some big differences in pay. Tech hubs like San Francisco, New York, and Seattle almost always top the charts. In 2025, a full stack developer with two years’ experience in San Francisco can snag $110,000 or more. New York isn’t far behind—think $105,000 and up for solid companies. Even places like Austin and Boston offer $90,000+ for that same experience.
Now, remote work has changed the game. Lots of companies—especially post-pandemic—are offering remote roles that pay close to big-city levels, even if you’re in a spot with a lower cost of living. For example, you could be living in Ohio or Tennessee and still pull in $85,000 to $100,000 because companies want the best talent, not just the closest. Some massive firms (think Google, Stripe, Shopify) post remote roles with pay set to national averages, ignoring your city altogether.
One thing to watch: while remote jobs can pay well, some companies adjust salaries based on your location. So if you’re living somewhere with really low costs, you might get an offer on the lower end—even in a remote role. Always ask how they set pay.
If you’re in it for the best balance of pay and living costs, remote roles are tough to beat right now. But if you want to climb fastest or build a network, city jobs can still give your full stack developer career a push.
Salary is just one part of the story for any full stack developer gig with two years of experience. These days, companies know most developers are looking at perks and extras just as closely. You can find a surprising range of benefits even at startups, not just the big tech giants.
Health insurance is almost a given. Most job offers, even from smaller companies, include solid coverage for health, dental, and vision. Remote work is often on the table—since 2021, almost 65% of tech jobs have a remote or hybrid option, and that number keeps climbing. Paid time off is getting more generous, too. Entry-level devs used to get maybe two weeks, but now three or four weeks isn’t unusual.
Let’s get specific. Here’s a quick look at some typical non-salary benefits:
Curious about the numbers? Here’s a snapshot of common benefits among full stack devs with 2 years on the job, based on recent 2025 survey data:
| Benefit Type | % of Developers With This Perk |
|---|---|
| Health/Dental/Vision Insurance | 90% |
| Remote/Hybrid Work Option | 81% |
| 401k or Retirement Plan | 77% |
| Stock Options/Equity | 54% |
| Annual Bonus | 68% |
| Professional Development Budget | 42% |
Don’t just focus on cash when you size up a new offer. Some benefits, like learning stipends or a flexible schedule, end up being more valuable than a small pay bump. If you’re job hunting, always ask hiring managers to spell out every perk—they expect you to ask, so don’t be shy.
If you're a full stack developer with 2 years of experience, you don't have to sit back and just hope your salary will go up. There are a handful of practical moves you can make to boost your paycheck pretty quickly.
For a quick look at how different skills and moves affect pay, check this table:
| Factor | Typical Salary Boost |
|---|---|
| Learning React or Next.js | $5,000–$9,000 per year |
| Cloud Certification | Up to 12% raise |
| Job Switch After 2 Years | $13,500 increase |
| Open Source Contributions | Faster promotions, easier interviews |
One more tip: track what others in your field are actually earning. Sites like Levels.fyi and Glassdoor list real salaries, so you know what’s fair before you negotiate. Don’t sell yourself short—the demand for a skilled full stack developer is only going up.
It’s easy to mess up salary talks, especially when you’re new to the game. You can lose thousands just by making rookie mistakes that are totally avoidable. Salary negotiation is a real skill, and knowing the basics saves you serious regret. Here's what to steer clear of when trying to bump up your offer as a full stack developer with two years of experience.
If you want some hard numbers to ground your negotiations, here’s data from 2024 showing median base salaries by region in the US for full stack developers with 2 years of experience:
| Region | Median Base Salary (USD) |
|---|---|
| San Francisco Bay Area | $112,000 |
| New York City | $106,000 |
| Austin, TX | $97,000 |
| Remote (US average) | $89,000 |
| Seattle | $103,000 |
Keep this info handy before you even start the negotiation. When you walk in loaded with facts and confidence, your odds of walking away with a better deal go way up. Don’t just hope for the best—set yourself up to actually get it.
