This article summarizes findings from Stack Overflow’s Annual Developer Survey (2018 edition), as reported by ZDNet and techworm.net. Salary figures are drawn from that survey and are presented in U.S. dollars.
DevOps and Machine Learning Lead Salary Rankings
Stack Overflow’s eighth Annual Developer Survey, completed by more than 100,000 developers worldwide, found that DevOps specialists and machine learning engineers sit at the top of the tech salary ladder. The survey noted that languages, frameworks, and disciplines associated with these two fields are growing rapidly — and that the professionals who work in them are rewarded accordingly.
“DevOps and machine learning are important trends in the software industry today. Languages and frameworks associated with these kinds of work are on the rise, and developers working in these areas command the highest salaries.”
Stack Overflow Annual Developer Survey (2018)
Salary Breakdown by Developer Role
The table below shows median salaries as reported in the Stack Overflow survey, converted to U.S. dollars. Global figures represent worldwide medians; U.S. figures represent U.S.-only respondents.
- Engineering manager — $89,000 globally / $137,000 U.S.
- DevOps specialist — $72,000 globally / $110,000 U.S.
- Data scientist or machine learning specialist — $60,000 globally / $102,000 U.S.
- Data or business analyst — $59,000 globally / $90,000 U.S.
- Embedded applications or devices developer — $59,000 globally / $98,000 U.S.
- Full-stack developer — $59,000 globally / $100,000 U.S.
- Desktop or enterprise applications developer — $57,000 globally / $100,000 U.S.
- Back-end developer — $56,000 globally / $102,000 U.S.
- System administrator — $56,000 globally / $93,000 U.S.
- QA or test developer — $55,000 globally / $83,000 U.S.
- Database administrator — $51,000 globally / $90,000 U.S.
- Front-end developer — $51,000 globally / $93,000 U.S.
- Designer — $46,000 globally / $85,000 U.S.
- Educator or academic researcher — $44,000 globally / $88,000 U.S.
- Mobile developer — $43,000 globally / $101,000 U.S.
- Game or graphics developer — $40,000 globally / $90,000 U.S.
The gap between global and U.S.-only figures is significant across all roles, reflecting both purchasing-power differences and the concentration of high-paying tech employers in the United States.
Experience Levels: DevOps Practitioners Are Seasoned Professionals
The survey found that DevOps specialists and desktop/enterprise application developers reported the most professional coding experience, averaging approximately eight years. This is notable given that DevOps as a formal discipline and job title is relatively recent.
“DevOps as a discipline and professional identity is relatively new, but the people working in this field are highly experienced.”
Stack Overflow Annual Developer Survey (2018)
At the other end of the spectrum, game/graphics developers and mobile developers reported the fewest years of professional experience, suggesting those communities attract more early-career entrants.
Most-Used Programming Languages and Frameworks
The survey also captured the languages and frameworks developers rely on most:
- JavaScript was the most commonly used programming language overall, used by approximately 70% of respondents.
- Python topped the list of fastest-growing languages for the sixth consecutive year and is widely used across data science, automation, and scripting workloads.
- Node.js (approximately 50% of respondents) and AngularJS (approximately 37%) were the most widely adopted frameworks.
- React (approximately 28%) and .NET Core (approximately 27%) were also significant.
For DevOps and ML practitioners specifically, Python’s growth is particularly relevant: it underpins major ML frameworks (such as TensorFlow and scikit-learn) and is commonly used in infrastructure automation and scripting tasks.
Developer Sentiment on Artificial Intelligence
When asked about the future of AI, developer sentiment skewed positive. Roughly three-quarters of respondents said they were more excited than worried about AI’s potential, while approximately one-quarter expressed more concern about its risks. This cautiously optimistic outlook aligns with the broader industry momentum around machine learning investment at the time of the survey.
Key Takeaways for Engineers and Hiring Managers
- DevOps and machine learning skills consistently command a salary premium over other developer specializations, both globally and in the U.S.
- DevOps practitioners tend to be experienced professionals, making the role competitive for those entering the field without a strong systems or software background.
- Python proficiency is increasingly a cross-cutting requirement — useful for ML pipelines, infrastructure-as-code, and automation scripts alike.
- Despite being a relatively young formal discipline, DevOps engineering attracts some of the most experienced people in the industry, suggesting that practitioners often transition from adjacent roles such as system administration, software engineering, or release engineering.
Source: Stack Overflow Annual Developer Survey 2018, as summarized by ZDNet and techworm.net.