What are the main factors that influence a Lead Developer's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change a Lead Developer's salary?

A Lead Developer's salary grows with experience: starting around $159,704 for beginners, reaching about $162,576 at mid-level, and approach $168,143 for experts.

What are the highest paying cities for a Lead Developer?

Lead Developer salary varies significantly by city. The top 3 highest paying cities in New Jersey for Lead Developer roles are San Jose $193,375, San Francisco $191,474, Oakland $187,227.

How much do different types of Lead Developer roles make?

Salaries for Lead Developer level roles vary by specialization: Lead PHP Developer: $170,639; Lead Applications Developer: $158,573; Lead Application Developer: $157,728; Lead Python Developer: $141,984; Lead Software Developer: $139,743.

What specialized skills increase a Lead Developer's salary?

Skills with high demand and low supply, such as Product Development (up to 10% premium), Product Engineering (up to 9% premium), Alignment (up to 8% premium), directly translate to higher compensation. Employers pay more for these capabilities to gain a competitive edge.

Lead Developer Salary in Pennington, NJ

How much does a Lead Developer make in Pennington, NJ?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Lead Developer in Pennington, NJ is $166,085 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $80.

However, a Lead Developer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $188,364
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $151,749 to $177,747
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $138,696

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Lead Developer Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$177,747	$14,812	$3,418	$85
Average	$166,085	$13,840	$3,194	$80
25th Percentile	$151,749	$12,646	$2,918	$73

You may get higher pay by adjusting the following factors:

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Key Factors That Influence Lead Developer Salaries

A Lead Developer's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, skills and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Lead Developer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Lead Developer's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $159,704
Early Career (1-2 years): $160,366
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $162,576
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $165,228
Expert (over 8 years): $168,143

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Lead Developer	$159,704
Intermediate Level Lead Developer	$160,366
Senior Level Lead Developer	$162,576
Specialist Level Lead Developer	$165,228
Expert Level Lead Developer	$168,143

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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Lead Developers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $193,375
San Francisco: $191,474
Oakland: $187,227

San Jose, CA $193,375

San Francisco, CA $191,474

Oakland, CA $187,227

New York, NY $177,676

Queens Village, NY $176,526

Paramus, NJ $175,299

Passaic, NJ $175,146

Bergenfield, NJ $174,993

Stamford, CT $174,763

Huntington, NY $174,609

Newark, NJ $173,613

Bridgeport, CT $173,306

New Brunswick, NJ $172,800

Vallejo, CA $172,478

Middlesex, NJ $172,386

Somerset, NJ $172,248

Petaluma, CA $171,896

Santa Cruz, CA $171,298

Boston, MA $170,991

Monterey, CA $170,225

Fairbanks, AK $170,117

Los Angeles, CA $169,826

Washington, DC $169,749

Seattle, WA $169,473

Santa Rosa, CA $169,443

Juneau, AK $168,998

Orange, CA $168,492

Anchorage, AK $168,216

Anaheim, CA $168,109

Santa Ana, CA $167,879

Nassau, NY $167,787

Long Beach, CA $167,726

Danbury, CT $167,680

Santa Maria, CA $167,158

Everett, WA $167,128

Bremerton, WA $166,376

Trenton, NJ $166,085

Sacramento, CA $166,024

San Diego, CA $165,947

Brockton, MA $165,886

Tacoma, WA $165,824

Santa Barbara, CA $165,610

Lowell, MA $164,997

New Suffolk, NY $164,935

Nashua, NH $164,751

Lompoc, CA $164,506

Ventura, CA $164,353

Stockton, CA $164,307

New Haven, CT $164,000

Atlantic City, NJ $163,601

Hartford, CT $163,264

Modesto, CA $163,187

Poughkeepsie, NY $162,850

New Britain, CT $162,773

Olympia, WA $162,559

Kennewick, WA $162,559

New London, CT $162,528

Norwich, CT $162,482

Lawrence, MA $162,406

Bakersfield, CA $161,976

Riverside, CA $161,762

New Bedford, MA $161,762

Richland, WA $161,608

Portsmouth, NH $161,486

Vineland, NJ $161,455

San Bernardino, CA $161,332

Boulder, CO $160,903

Worcester, MA $160,780

Portland, OR $160,642

Saint Paul, MN $160,458

Minneapolis, MN $160,458

Philadelphia, PA $160,244

Honolulu, HI $159,431

Springfield, MA $158,895

Providence, RI $158,879

Chicago, IL $158,435

Bellingham, WA $158,251

Baltimore, MD $158,082

Chico, CA $157,699

Wilmington, DE $157,438

Pittsfield, MA $157,285

Manchester, NH $156,994

Spokane, WA $156,319

Denver, CO $156,304

Albany, NY $155,583

Troy, NY $155,522

Schenectady, NY $155,200

Burlington, VT $154,862

Portland, ME $154,326

Salem, OR $154,203

Yakima, WA $154,173

Ann Arbor, MI $154,127

Rochester, MN $153,697

Fresno, CA $153,621

Reno, NV $153,621

Milwaukee, WI $153,483

Detroit, MI $153,329

Allentown, PA $153,283

Carson City, NV $153,268

Houston, TX $153,038

Colorado Springs, CO $153,023

Syracuse, NY $152,946

Eugene, OR $152,655

Bismarck, ND $152,471

Gary, IN $152,471

Galveston, TX $152,471

Springfield, OR $152,348

Medford, OR $151,980

Fort Collins, CO $151,919

Austin, TX $151,796

Mesa, AZ $151,474

Phoenix, AZ $151,444

Dallas, TX $151,398

Reading, PA $151,306

Saint Cloud, MN $151,244

Concord, NH $151,106

Madison, WI $151,045

Utica, NY $150,631

Raleigh, NC $150,508

Las Vegas, NV $150,493

Rochester, NY $150,386

Des Moines, IA $150,370

Atlanta, GA $150,125

Battle Creek, MI $150,079

Salt Lake City, UT $150,033

Lancaster, PA $149,803

Champaign, IL $149,772

Harrisburg, PA $149,588

Durham, NC $149,450

Kansas City, MO $149,435

Kansas City, KS $149,404

Fort Worth, TX $149,389

Boca Raton, FL $149,328

Cleveland, OH $149,313

Columbus, OH $149,282

Pittsburgh, PA $149,267

Richmond, VA $149,205

Indianapolis, IN $149,175

Cincinnati, OH $148,975

Petersburg, VA $148,745

Billings, MT $148,408

Lansing, MI $148,408

Huntsville, AL $148,408

Lebanon, PA $148,393

Dayton, OH $148,377

Pueblo, CO $148,377

Appleton, WI $148,331

Buffalo, NY $148,270

Racine, WI $148,193

Charlotte, NC $148,178

Saint Louis, MO $148,132

Springfield, IL $148,071

Elkhart, IN $148,040

York, PA $148,040

Gastonia, NC $148,025

Benton Harbor, MI $148,025

Beaumont, TX $147,933

Lorain, OH $147,902

Toledo, OH $147,841

Binghamton, NY $147,764

Rock Hill, SC $147,749

Rockford, IL $147,672

Fargo, ND $147,595

Elyria, OH $147,595

Flagstaff, AZ $147,488

Fort Lauderdale, FL $147,396

Miami, FL $147,304

Duluth, MN $147,059

Bangor, ME $146,859

Cedar Rapids, IA $146,691

Louisville, KY $146,614

Grand Rapids, MI $146,584

Hialeah, FL $146,568

Casper, WY $146,354

Scranton, PA $146,170

New Orleans, LA $146,124

Virginia Beach, VA $146,108

Akron, OH $146,032

Peoria, IL $145,832

Sarasota, FL $145,802

Green Bay, WI $145,694

Baton Rouge, LA $145,618

Charleston, SC $145,587

Nashville, TN $145,541

Jamestown, NY $145,510

Davenport, IA $145,510

Tucson, AZ $145,434

Cheyenne, WY $145,388

Saint Petersburg, FL $145,342

Tampa, FL $145,311

Omaha, NE $145,280

Port Arthur, TX $145,219

Evansville, IN $145,219

Bradenton, FL $145,158

Santa Fe, NM $144,882

Orlando, FL $144,728

Clearwater, FL $144,560

Canton, OH $144,238

La Crosse, WI $144,238

Grand Forks, ND $144,192

Albuquerque, NM $144,146

Tulsa, OK $144,146

Newport News, VA $144,130

High Point, NC $144,084

Ogden, UT $144,023

Corpus Christi, TX $143,901

Laramie, WY $143,809

Norfolk, VA $143,809

Rock Island, IL $143,717

Saginaw, MI $143,686

Jacksonville, FL $143,671

Salisbury, NC $143,640

Memphis, TN $143,609

Moline, IL $143,533

Fort Myers, FL $143,487

Waterloo, IA $143,287

Spartanburg, SC $143,134

Lincoln, NE $143,057

Fort Wayne, IN $143,027

Birmingham, AL $142,858

Cedar Falls, IA $142,827

Provo, UT $142,812

Springfield, OH $142,797

San Antonio, TX $142,766

Greensboro, NC $142,705

South Bend, IN $142,689

Winston Salem, NC $142,674

Boise, ID $142,628

Savannah, GA $142,521

Muskegon, MI $142,245

Lima, OH $142,061

Lake Charles, LA $141,999

Anderson, IN $141,969

Lexington, KY $141,923

Augusta, GA $141,877

Greenville, SC $141,877

Wichita, KS $141,739

Tuscaloosa, AL $141,739

Columbia, SC $141,601

Bloomington, IN $141,218

Roanoke, VA $141,126

Asheville, NC $140,926

Knoxville, TN $140,666

Shreveport, LA $140,650

Wilmington, NC $140,451

Frankfort, KY $140,160

Oklahoma City, OK $140,052

Chillicothe, OH $139,991

Longview, TX $139,976

Topeka, KS $139,930

Mobile, AL $139,700

Terre Haute, IN $139,638

Erie, PA $139,623

Altoona, PA $139,546

Melbourne, FL $139,500

Amarillo, TX $139,439

Killeen, TX $139,393

Fayetteville, AR $139,270

Sioux Falls, SD $139,163

Chattanooga, TN $139,071

Idaho Falls, ID $139,056

Gainesville, FL $138,734

Portsmouth, OH $138,657

Little Rock, AR $138,627

Lynchburg, VA $138,627

Lafayette, LA $138,565

Youngstown, OH $138,565

Temple, TX $138,504

Daytona Beach, FL $138,473

Clarksville, TN $138,458

Pensacola, FL $138,443

Hopkinsville, KY $137,983

Charleston, WV $137,967

Florence, SC $137,891

Sioux City, IA $137,799

Macon, GA $137,354

Tallahassee, FL $137,339

Fayetteville, NC $137,308

Waco, TX $137,277

Wichita Falls, TX $137,277

Pine Bluff, AR $137,216

Vincennes, IN $136,925

Lubbock, TX $136,863

Great Falls, MT $136,771

Alamogordo, NM $136,756

Abilene, TX $136,633

Rapid City, SD $136,434

Monroe, LA $136,434

Albany, GA $136,342

Huntington, WV $136,327

Jackson, MS $136,311

Greenville, MS $136,296

Parkersburg, WV $136,143

Montgomery, AL $136,112

Johnstown, PA $136,082

Springfield, MO $135,959

Biloxi, MS $135,882

Sumter, SC $135,560

Columbus, GA $135,545

Twin Falls, ID $135,453

Pascagoula, MS $135,254

Kingsport, TN $134,855

Gulfport, MS $134,809

Alexandria, LA $134,303

Fort Smith, AR $133,920

El Paso, TX $133,506

Helena, MT $133,307

Las Cruces, NM $132,816

Harlingen, TX $132,387

Pocatello, ID $132,249

Florence, AL $132,203

Brownsville, TX $132,172

Dothan, AL $131,927

Mcallen, TX $131,850

Columbus, MS $130,716

Altus, OK $130,010

Lawton, OK $129,719

Pierre, SD $129,167

What Skills Can Increase a Lead Developer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Leadership (Mentioned in 6.58% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
Adobe (Mentioned in 2.26% Job Postings): A mixture of wet earth and grass made into bricks and dried in the sun, used to build houses. It originated from the oral form of Arabic al-tob, meaning "brick," It is the first materials used to create buildings in the 8th century B.C
User-Centered Design (Mentioned in 1.85% Job Postings): User-centered design (UCD) is an iterative design process in which designers focus on the users and their needs in each phase of the design process.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Leadership	6.58%
Adobe	2.26%
User-Centered Design	1.85%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Lead Developer's salary.

Product Development: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
Product Engineering: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Alignment: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Product Development	$182,694	10%
Product Engineering	$181,033	9%
Alignment	$179,372	8%
Usability Testing	$179,372	8%
Product Design	$179,372	8%
Research Design	$176,050	6%

Get Latest Data

Lead Developer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Lead Developer's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on January 01, 2026

$151,749

Average $166,085/year

$177,747

$12,646

Average $13,840/month

$14,812

$2,918

Average $3,194/week

$3,418

$73

Average $80/hour

$85

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$177,747	$14,812	$3,418	$85
Average	$166,085	$13,840	$3,194	$80
25th Percentile	$151,749	$12,646	$2,918	$73

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