How to hire a mobile app developer

How to hire a mobile app developer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step mobile app developer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a mobile app developer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new mobile app developer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a mobile app developer do?

Post a mobile app developer job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a mobile app developer, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A mobile app developer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, mobile app developers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of mobile app developer salaries for various roles:

   Type of Mobile APP Developer	Description	Hourly rate
   Mobile APP Developer	Software developers are the creative minds behind computer programs. Some develop the applications that allow people to do specific tasks on a computer or another device... Show more	$36-62
   Software Developer Internship	A software developer intern is responsible for assisting the software engineers with the design implementation and shadowing their duties to understand the processes more efficiently. Software developer interns use their classroom knowledge on practical applications, suggesting recommendations on how to make the project successful... Show more	$14-23
   Applications Developer	An application developer is responsible for creating program applications for devices based on clients' specifications and business needs. Application developers must have excellent knowledge of computer systems, as well as a strong command of programming languages to develop customized programs... Show more	$32-56

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Java
   • JavaScript
   • React Native
   • Application Development
   • Python
   • C++
   • Web Services
   • Object Oriented Programming
   • JSON
   • App Development
   • Objective C
   • UI
   • JQuery
   • CSS3

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage all aspects of maintaining/improving multiple websites running on Magento.
   • Experience in programming languages such as ASP.net, HTML5and JavaScript and markup languages such as XML and JSON.
   • Work on web service calls, XML and JSON parsing include in the project.
   • Experience in working with data parsing forms such as XML and JSON, to dynamically display data on iPhone/iPad.
   • Used git as a version control for project.
   • Develop CSS for consistent look and feel of the web site.

   More mobile app developer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the mobile app developer job description is a good way to get more applicants. A mobile app developer salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a mobile app developer in Kentucky may be lower than in Washington, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level mobile app developer. Additionally, a mobile app developer with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average mobile app developer salary

   $99,840yearly

   $48.00 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level mobile app developer salary

   $75,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

   Average mobile app developer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$133,853	$64
   2	California	$126,096	$61
   3	Massachusetts	$117,602	$57
   4	Pennsylvania	$110,041	$53
   5	Arizona	$105,587	$51
   6	North Carolina	$102,758	$49
   7	Virginia	$100,678	$48
   8	Colorado	$99,190	$48
   9	New York	$97,434	$47
   10	District of Columbia	$95,419	$46
   11	Florida	$95,268	$46
   12	Michigan	$93,983	$45
   13	Georgia	$92,411	$44
   14	Illinois	$89,270	$43
   15	Louisiana	$85,427	$41
   16	Texas	$85,147	$41
   17	Missouri	$84,058	$40
   18	Alabama	$83,101	$40

   Average mobile app developer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Apple	$147,233	$70.79	403
   2	Costco Wholesale	$130,941	$62.95	1
   3	Citi	$127,024	$61.07	25
   4	Best Buy	$126,756	$60.94	2
   5	TIBCO Software	$123,964	$59.60
   6	SurveyMonkey	$123,272	$59.27	3
   7	Boot Barn	$122,497	$58.89	3
   8	Acadia Healthcare	$119,028	$57.23
   9	Merrill Lynch	$118,670	$57.05
   10	US Oncology Holdings Inc	$118,107	$56.78	2
   11	Magnetar Capital	$118,050	$56.75
   12	CyberCoders	$117,550	$56.51
   13	Ralph Lauren	$117,104	$56.30
   14	Randstad North America, Inc.	$116,533	$56.03	58
   15	Hired	$116,397	$55.96	1
   16	Ford Motor	$115,910	$55.73	368
   17	Marathon Healthcare Group LLC	$114,945	$55.26
   18	Pegasus	$114,818	$55.20
   19	Motion Recruitment	$114,730	$55.16	44
   20	Bank of America	$113,998	$54.81	62

4. Writing a mobile app developer job description

   A good mobile app developer job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a mobile app developer job description:

   Mobile app developer job description example

   The developer will implement, support, and enhance custom applications using Dynamics 365 and Power Apps Model Driven frameworks, as well as using out of the box Dynamics CRM/CE applications for business needs such as case management and task management. Responsibilities include the following:
   
   Perform as a developer for the delivery of Dynamics 365 configuration, custom assembly development, integration code and data migration scripts
   
   Perform design and development of full-lifecycle development efforts which are based on Microsoft Dynamics 365 CE, Canvas or Model Driven frameworks
   
   Work as part of an integrated Agile team to develop user stories, use cases and design artifacts to effectively convey requirements to both client stakeholders and development teams
   Required Skills
   At least 5 years of total IT experience performing complex application development projects on the Microsoft stack working closely with cross-functional Team Members in Agile Development environment. At least 3 years of hands-on development experience with Dynamics 365 / CE and/or Power Platform. In-depth hands-on knowledge of the Microsoft Dynamics platform, the entity model, security model, and Web services. Strong working knowledge of the Power Platform suite (Power Apps, Power BI, Power Automate, Power Virtual Agent, Power Pages) and Dataverse Hands-on experience architecting solutions that involve Dynamics customization to include server side code, custom business logic, integration modules, workflow assemblies and plug-ins. Excellent client-facing written and oral communications skills Familiarity with agile software delivery methodologies such as Scrum Must be a US Citizen
   Desirable Skills
   Microsoft Dynamics 365 or Power Apps certifications Experience working for federal government customers. Active Federal Government public trust clearance. Experience with Dynamics system content migration and/or Scribe tool.
   
   
   this is a remote position

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right mobile app developer for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with mobile app developers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit mobile app developers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your mobile app developer job on Zippia to find and attract quality mobile app developer candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit mobile app developers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   Sometimes, it's not enough to interview mobile app developer candidates, so you can ask them to do a test project. If you are not a technical person and don't know what a test project should be, you can use these websites:

   • TestDome
   • CodeSignal
   • Testlify
   • BarRaiser
   • Coderbyte

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new mobile app developer

   Once you've decided on a perfect mobile app developer candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new mobile app developer. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a mobile app developer?