Exploring Salaries in DevRel Careers: Research

For the past month, our team has diligently scoured job boards, LinkedIn vacancy pages, and the careers sections of software development company websites to compile a comprehensive report on the average salaries that professionals in Developer Relations (DevRel) & Developer Advocate roles can expect. DevRel plays a pivotal role in fostering relationships between developers and technology companies, bridging communication gaps, and promoting products or platforms.

Our motivation for this research stemmed from a genuine desire to offer guidance to professionals navigating the DevRel job market. We understand the myriad of questions that arise when evaluating job offers, and our aim is to shed light on this complex terrain.

We do acknowledge that our sample size is relatively small, yet we hope it serves as a foundational step towards providing a more comprehensive and in-depth analysis that we will look to publish in 2024. Our commitment is to continually refine our understanding of DevRel salaries and empower jobseekers and employers alike with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions.

Our research has spanned diverse company sizes, ranging from small startups with 1-10 employees to tech giants with over 5,000 employees.

In this report, we break down the average salaries based on company size and location. To make comparisons easier, we have converted all non-USD salaries into USD using today’s (6th September) exchange rate. We also summarised the experience requirements across the jobs for each level of position.

We hope you find it of use.

Summary of Findings

Size of Company: The size of the company does not always have a significant impact on the salary offered for Developer Relations roles. Salaries can vary widely within each company size category, and other factors such as location, experience of the candidate and the level of the position play a more crucial role in determining compensation.
Location Matters: Location is a key determinant of salary. Roles in the USA generally offer higher salaries compared to countries like the UK, Canada, or India. Geographic differences are especially prominent in Developer Relations salaries.
Experience Requirements: Experience requirements for DevRel roles vary based on the level of the position. Senior roles often require more extensive experience, while junior roles are more accessible for candidates with less experience.
Salary Transparency: It is worth noting that out of the 79 jobs we examined, a surprising 22 failed to provide any salary indication in their job postings. This highlights the need for greater salary transparency in the DevRel industry. Salary transparency can benefit both job seekers and employers by fostering a fair and competitive job market.

Salaries by Position, Location and Company Size

Senior Director / VP of Developer Relations

Country: USA

11-50 Employees: $175,000 – $215,000
501+ Employees: $178,000 – $220,000

Experience required: A minimum of 7 years of experience in a DevRel role is expected. Candidates should possess proven expertise in strategizing at a high level, teaching, coding, engaging, and collaborating with the developer community both internally and externally. Additionally, at least 10 years of experience in software development, along with a degree or relevant experience in Computer Science, is essential.

Lead / Manager of Developer Relations

Country: UK

11-50 Employees: $125,000 – $150,000

Country: USA or Global

51-200 Employees: $182,000 – $225,000
201-500 Employees: $88,000 – $150,000
501+ Employees: $184,000 – $313,875

Experience required: A minimum of 5 years of experience in a relevant Developer Relations or Developer Advocate role is expected. Candidates should have experience building and leading community programs and possess strong technical writing skills.

Senior Developer Relations Engineer

Country: UK

11-50 Employees: $150,000 – $175,750

Country: USA

11-50 Employees: $150,000 – $200,000
501+ Employees: $135,000 – $169,000

Experience required: Candidates should have a minimum of 3 years of experience, including involvement in or managing open-source software communities or working in a developer relations role. Additionally, they should possess the same amount of experience in developing applications with relevant coding languages, a community-driven mindset, and the ability to showcase contributions to open-source communities.

Mid-Level Developer Relations Engineer

Country: Canada

1-10 Employees: $80,000 – $140,000

Country: Germany

11-50 Employees: $131,000 – $147,000

Country: USA

51-200 Employees: $120,000 – $180,000
501+ Employees: $130,800 – $212,650

Experience required: Candidates should have at least 2 years of experience working in developer relations, developer community management, contributor success, or a related field. They should also possess coding skills in relevant languages, good writing skills, and the ability to communicate complex technical topics effectively.

Junior Developer Relations Engineer

Country: UK

1-10 Employees: $80,000 – $180,000

Country: USA

11-50 Employees: $125,000 – $190,000

Country: India

201-500 Employees: $5,040 – $8,652

Experience required: Candidates for junior roles should have at least 1 year of experience working as a developer, the ability to code in relevant languages, good writing skills, enthusiasm for technology, and strong organisational skills.

Senior Developer Advocate*

Country: USA

501+ Employees: $164,000 – $199,000

Country: Germany

501+ Employees: $82,000 – $130,000

Country: France

501+ Employees: $86,000 – $116,000

Country: Poland

501+ Employees: $71,000 – $96,000

Country: Bulgaria

501+ Employees: $51,000 – $69,000

Experience required: Candidates for senior developer advocate roles should have experience creating educational programs and materials, significant experience building and deploying applications using various languages and CI/CD systems, experience speaking at conferences or public venues, and strong interpersonal skills.

*N.B. All these roles were for the same company and for the same position. This highlights the impact that location has on salaries in this field.

Junior-Mid Level Developer Advocate

Country: UK

11-50 Employees: $82,500 – $122,500

Country: USA

51-200 Employees: $105,500 – $144,000

Experience required: Candidates for junior-mid level roles should have a minimum of 2 years of experience in full-stack development or relevant coding languages, the ability to write, engage, and build a community, strong technical writing skills, and evidence of contributing to open-source projects.

In conclusion, our month-long research into Developer Relations (DevRel) and Developer Advocate salaries has shed light on the compensation landscape for professionals in this field. While our sample size is modest, it serves as an initial step toward a more comprehensive analysis in 2024. We’ve observed that company size doesn’t always dictate salary, with location and position level playing more significant roles. Notably, salary transparency remains a crucial concern within the industry, as a significant number of job postings omit salary information. As DevRel continues to evolve, fostering transparency in salary practices is essential for creating a fair and competitive job market that benefits both job seekers and employers.

If we can help provide any clarity on this research, or if you are looking to expand your DevRel capacity OR indeed, looking for your next DevRel opportunity – please do get in touch with our DevRel recruitment specialist, Louise Ogilvy.