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The average salary for a Lead Java Developer is approximately $104,818 per year, equating to about $50 per hour. This compensation can vary based on several factors, including location, years of experience, and the specific industry sector. Developers in metropolitan areas often see higher salaries due to the demand for skilled professionals.
In states known for tech innovation, such as California and New York, salaries can exceed the national average significantly. For instance, developers in San Francisco may command salaries upwards of $130,000, reflecting the cost of living and competitive job market.
Additionally, as technology evolves, so do the responsibilities of Lead Java Developers. Many companies offer competitive benefits and opportunities for advancement, making this role appealing for both experienced developers and those looking to grow their careers. Engaging in ongoing education and certification can further enhance earning potential and career prospects.
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The highest-paying states for lead java developers are California, Washington, and New York. The lowest average lead java developer salary states are South Dakota, Louisiana, and Nebraska.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $117,075 | $56.29 |
| 2 | California | $124,252 | $59.74 |
| 3 | Virginia | $107,610 | $51.74 |
| 4 | North Carolina | $107,473 | $51.67 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $110,495 | $53.12 |
| 6 | Nevada | $102,005 | $49.04 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $108,503 | $52.16 |
| 8 | New York | $115,025 | $55.30 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $106,665 | $51.28 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | $111,348 | $53.53 |
| 11 | Michigan | $98,010 | $47.12 |
| 12 | Arizona | $105,343 | $50.65 |
| 13 | Alabama | $104,226 | $50.11 |
| 14 | Delaware | $102,945 | $49.49 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $104,972 | $50.47 |
| 16 | Tennessee | $101,524 | $48.81 |
| 17 | Georgia | $101,313 | $48.71 |
| 18 | Illinois | $102,190 | $49.13 |
| 19 | Texas | $100,126 | $48.14 |
| 20 | Idaho | $95,066 | $45.70 |
| 21 | Ohio | $98,676 | $47.44 |
| 22 | Maryland | $102,271 | $49.17 |
| 23 | Oklahoma | $95,889 | $46.10 |
| 24 | Oregon | $95,943 | $46.13 |
| 25 | Vermont | $96,396 | $46.34 |
| 26 | Minnesota | $96,451 | $46.37 |
| 27 | Rhode Island | $92,890 | $44.66 |
| 28 | Maine | $96,624 | $46.45 |
| 29 | West Virginia | $96,605 | $46.44 |
| 30 | Connecticut | $101,031 | $48.57 |
| 31 | North Dakota | $92,470 | $44.46 |
| 32 | Kansas | $91,813 | $44.14 |
| 33 | Utah | $92,331 | $44.39 |
| 34 | Hawaii | $102,187 | $49.13 |
| 35 | Missouri | $94,797 | $45.58 |
| 36 | Montana | $90,275 | $43.40 |
| 37 | New Mexico | $89,619 | $43.09 |
| 38 | Arkansas | $87,772 | $42.20 |
| 39 | Colorado | $94,317 | $45.34 |
| 40 | Wisconsin | $92,136 | $44.30 |
| 41 | Alaska | $90,806 | $43.66 |
| 42 | Florida | $94,275 | $45.32 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $86,125 | $41.41 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $85,004 | $40.87 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $92,487 | $44.46 |
| 46 | Wyoming | $87,762 | $42.19 |
| 47 | Indiana | $84,579 | $40.66 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $88,996 | $42.79 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $84,865 | $40.80 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $86,059 | $41.37 |
| 51 | Iowa | $82,978 | $39.89 |
The highest-paying cities for lead java developers are San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $133,096 | $63.99 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $117,800 | $56.63 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $115,345 | $55.45 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $111,380 | $53.55 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $110,422 | $53.09 |
| 6 | Raleigh, NC | $108,384 | $52.11 |
| 7 | Richmond, VA | $107,433 | $51.65 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $107,215 | $51.55 |
| 9 | Piscataway, NJ | $104,943 | $50.45 |
| 10 | Wilmington, DE | $102,957 | $49.50 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $102,367 | $49.21 |
| 12 | Rockville, MD | $102,267 | $49.17 |
| 13 | Brentwood, TN | $101,591 | $48.84 |
| 14 | San Antonio, TX | $101,274 | $48.69 |
| 15 | Alpharetta, GA | $101,178 | $48.64 |
| 16 | Columbus, OH | $98,933 | $47.56 |
| 17 | Dearborn, MI | $98,321 | $47.27 |
| 18 | Richfield, MN | $96,491 | $46.39 |
| 19 | Saint Louis, MO | $95,415 | $45.87 |
| 20 | Tampa, FL | $94,627 | $45.49 |
A lead java developer's salary ranges from $81,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $134,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $134,000 | $11,167 | $64 |
| 75th Percentile | $119,000 | $9,917 | $57 |
| Average | $104,818 | $8,735 | $50 |
| 25th Percentile | $91,000 | $7,583 | $44 |
| 10th Percentile | $81,000 | $6,750 | $39 |
The highest paying types of lead java developers are senior/lead developer, lead developer, and lead software developer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Developer Analyst | $85,279 | $7,107 | $41.00 | 219,524 |
| Applications Developer | $89,205 | $7,434 | $42.89 | 279,877 |
| Web Application Developer | $85,840 | $7,153 | $41.27 | 229,802 |
| Architect And Developer | $110,970 | $9,248 | $53.35 | 316,181 |
| Software Developer | $87,521 | $7,293 | $42.08 | 294,329 |
| NET Developer | $88,984 | $7,415 | $42.78 | 236,690 |
Top companies hiring lead java developers now:
Lead java developer salaries at J.P. Morgan and Citi are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average lead java developer salary at companies like Deutsche Bank and JPMorgan Chase & Co. are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | J.P. Morgan | $132,266 | $63.59 |
| 2 | Citi | $130,188 | $62.59 |
| 3 | Deutsche Bank | $129,142 | $62.09 |
| 4 | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | $127,447 | $61.27 |
| 5 | UBS | $127,070 | $61.09 |
| 6 | TheBrain Technologies | $126,613 | $60.87 |
| 7 | Oriental Trading | $123,744 | $59.49 |
| 8 | SiriusXM | $123,687 | $59.46 |
| 9 | Fresh Direct Holdings Inc | $123,424 | $59.34 |
| 10 | Northern Trust | $123,247 | $59.25 |
| 11 | CyberCoders | $122,095 | $58.70 |
| 12 | Florida Power and Light | $121,955 | $58.63 |
| 13 | iHeartMedia | $121,877 | $58.59 |
| 14 | BI WORLDWIDE | $121,842 | $58.58 |
| 15 | Nuveen Investments | $121,338 | $58.34 |
| 16 | Morgan Stanley | $121,064 | $58.20 |
| 17 | Zurich | $120,775 | $58.06 |
| 18 | Nike | $120,193 | $57.79 |
| 19 | Atrium | $119,176 | $57.30 |
| 20 | Energy Transfer | $117,783 | $56.63 |
The average lead java developer salary has risen by $17,028 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average lead java developer earned $87,790 annually, but today, they earn $104,818 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for lead java developers over the last decade.
Compare lead java developer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare lead java developer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $105,000 | $50.39 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $101,000 | $48.73 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $99,100 | $47.63 | +2.1% |
| 2022 | $97,000 | $46.64 | +2.7% |
| 2021 | $94,400 | $45.37 | +1.8% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan Stanley | Lead Full Stack Java/React Developer | Alpharetta, GA | 06/29/2025 | $109,000 |
| Milestone Technologies, Inc. | Lead Java Spring AWS Developer | Seattle, WA | 06/28/2025 | $187,830 |
| Synechron | Lead Java Developer GEN Ai/Copilot | Dallas, TX | 06/28/2025 | $125,000 |
| Synechron | Java Developer/Lead_Nyc | New York, NY | 06/28/2025 | $120,000 |
| Synechron | Lead Java Developer | Charlotte, NC | 06/28/2025 | $120,000 |
| System One | Senior/Lead Java Developer | Baltimore, MD | 06/27/2025 | $135,655 |
| Brooksource | Lead Java Developer | Charlotte, NC | 06/27/2025 | $104,350 |
| Citigroup | Lead Java Middle Tier Developer-C13 | Jersey City, NJ | 06/24/2025 | $142,320 |
| Accenture | Java Developer Lead (Front End and Back END) | Charlotte, NC | 06/24/2025 | $106,562 |
| Royal Bank of Canada | Lead Java Full Stack Developer | Minneapolis, MN | 06/24/2025 | $85,000 |
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