2025 Java Tech Salary Guide

Motion Recruitment's 2025 Tech Salary Guide offers essential insights into the Java job market in the U.S., featuring salary data for over 100 job titles. Use this guide to understand Java professionals in today's market before continuing your job search.

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IT Salaries and Tech Market Insights for Java Workers in 2025

With tech unemployment rates well below the national average, today's Java hiring landscape is complex. Motion’s 2025 IT Salary Guide gives technologists the info needed to navigate either a Java job search or hiring plans.

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Map Out Your 2025 Strategy for the Java Hiring Market

with Expert Insights & Salary Data

The tech industry is stabilizing after five years of fluctuations, and hiring managers and job seekers to be able to navigate the changing IT market effectively.

 

Java continues to be a focal point in tech hiring, as companies all across the economy are looking for those with Java experience. Finance, healthcare, government agencies and more are all hiring for Java roles.

 

Motion's 2025 Guide explores the latest trends in the Java job market and provides starting salary information for top Java roles.

$166K

Java Developer Salary

The national average for Senior-level Java Developers can reach over $166,000. Salary numbers can vary from city to city, based on the cost of living and demand for a particular tech specialty. 

7.8%

Rise in pay year-over-year

Java Developer salaries grew year-over-year on average by 7.8%, one of the largest pay jumps in tech in 2024.

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Tech Companies Seek Java Workers

Java remains one of the most popular programming languages in tech, as it is used in more organizations than any other development in tech. DevOps, AI, Big Data, Socal, and others utilize Java, making those in the field in high demand.

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Q: What Advice Would You Give Tech Job Seekers and Hiring Managers in 2025?

From John Rosenbaum, Chief Information Officer at Motion Recruitment:

"Navigating the tech industry in 2025 will demand more than technical expertise; it will require adaptability, continuous learning, and the ability to navigate the evolving landscape of AI, cybersecurity, and digital transformation. With a growing shift toward skills-based hiring, job seekers must highlight their impact and practical abilities. Similarly, employers should prioritize proven outcomes and demonstrated expertise to make more strategic hiring decisions."

What will I find in Motion's IT Salary Guide?

What Tech Job Data and Trends are Covered in the Guide?
  • The state of tech employment in 2025, with the impact of layoffs, economic conditions, IT job creation and the tech talent shortage.

  • How the tech industry has finally stabilized after five years of peaks and valleys.

  • Cyber security, artificial intelligence and more: the emerging technology and sectors businesses are hiring for in 2025.

  • Tech hiring and workplace trends, including tech workers heading back to the office, the move to skills-based hiring, and the golden generation in tech.

  • Advice from market experts on what you can do to succeed in 2025.
What valuable insights into IT salary data can I discover?

You will find starting salaries for mid and senior-level ranges for over 100 specific job titles across technology areas. There are also city-specific variances included, which you can use to measure the regional salary ranges per tech job.

 

You will see IT salaries for top roles from the most in-demand technology areas: Software, Data & AI, Security, Infrastructure & DevOps, Mobile, Functional, Product & UX and Executive.

Java Salaries Demand and Supply Market Insights

Previous Salary Guides

Tech Hiring Market
Mid-Year Update 2024

Download Guide

Tech Salary Guide
North America 2024

Download Guide

Tech Salary Guide
North America 2023

Download Guide

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good salary in Java?

In 2025, a good salary for a Java Developer varies based on the level of experience. Mid-level Java Developers can expect to earn between $111,799 and $141,781, while senior-level Java developers could see salaries ranging from $132,747 to $166,806.

Which Java job has the highest salary?

The Java job with the highest salary is for a Java Architect, with a salary range from $160,000 to $190,000

What is the salary for a 5-year experienced Java Developer?

The salary for a mid-level Java Developer with approximately 5 years of experience in 2024 ranges from $111,799 to $141,781.

Did Java Salaries increase in 2024?

Java Developer salaries did increase in 2024. The salary range for mid-level Java Developers is between $111,799 and $141,781, while for senior-level developers, it ranges from $132,747 to $166,806.

What impacted Java growth in 2024?

The growth of Java in 2024 was influenced by several key factors. One significant aspect was the salary trend for Java Developers. In 2024, the compensation for Java Developers showed a range for mid-level to senior-level roles from approximately $111,799 to $166,806, which indicates a competitive market for skilled professionals. This competitive salary range suggests sustained demand for Java Developers, possibly due to ongoing tech talent shortages in the United States. 
 
Moreover, the role of Java in the broader technological landscape continued to be robust, given its prevalence among popular software development languages. As companies continued to invest in technology infrastructures, Java's role remained steady, although the exact growth dynamics would likely be tempered by broader economic conditions and resource allocation decisions within organizations.  
 
Overall, while there was no dramatic spike or decline, the steady demand coupled with competitive salaries underscores Java's continued importance in 2024. 

What skills do you need for a career in Java?

Based on the latest data for 2024, here are the updated key skills needed for a career in Java: 

  • Proficiency in Java Versions: Java 17 is now increasingly being adopted by the industry, making familiarity with it, along with Java 11, essential for developers looking to stay current. 
  • Frameworks Knowledge: The Spring framework remains a cornerstone of Java development, with continued high demand for skills in Spring and Spring Boot. These frameworks are essential, given their widespread industry use. 
  • Build Tools: Expertise in build tools such as Maven and Gradle continues to be valued. These tools are crucial for efficient project management and automation tasks in Java development. 
  • Persistence APIs: Mastery of Java Persistence API (JPA) remains important for managing relational data effectively within Java applications. 

Developing these skills will provide a robust foundation for a successful career in Java development. 
 

What are the long term prospects for Java?

The long-term prospects for Java continue to be promising in 2024. Java Developer salaries have shown stability, ranging from $111,799 to $166,806 at the senior level, reflecting a positive salary trend notwithstanding market fluctuations. 

Are there opportunities for growth in the Java industry?

The Java industry continues to present promising opportunities for growth. According to emerging trends in the tech sector, companies are increasingly investing in areas like AI and machine learning, which can augment the demand for skilled Java Developers. As AI continues to mature and integrate into various business functions, developers proficient in Java who also acquire AI-related skills could see significant professional advantages.  
 
With businesses across North America looking to expand their AI capabilities, and given their willingness to offer lucrative salaries for such skills, there is a considerable opportunity for Java Developers to leverage AI knowledge for career advancement. This trend reflects the broader growth trajectory in the tech industry, where evolving technologies stimulate new roles and responsibilities, offering a dynamic pathway for skilled professionals in the Java domain.