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Ruby on Rails has been around, in programming terms, for a good while. Created in 2003, it’s still one of the most popular programming languages because its code is known for being easy to read and work with.
Everything from Airbnb to Shopify, Basecamp to fiverrr, and Dribbble to myfitnesspal was built on Ruby on Rails. Since it’s so common in the industry, it’s also highly sought after as a skillset for programmers. The talent pool, however, is too small to keep up with Ruby on Rails demand. Companies are willing to pay top dollar for talent that knows the language.
What does that “top dollar” look like in the US major cities?
Ruby on Rails programmer salary, by city in the US
We’re using Ziprecruiter for our salary information per city.
For comparison, the average national salary for Ruby on Rails programmers is $107,381.
San Francisco, California.
Average salary: $137,553
Home to Silicon Valley and Bay Area, greater San Francisco pays Rails programmers some of the highest in the country — often well above the national average. With a quick search, you can find companies that use Ruby on Rails and unlock open positions.
NYC, New York.
Average salary: $130,602
New York is already home to plenty of opportunities for Ruby on Rails programmers, and with Wall Street, media companies, and other New York industries getting on board the tech train, there are sure to be additional ones in the mix.
Atlanta, Georgia.
Average salary: $118,419
Georgia Tech, Emory, and other institutions have created a tech hub in Atlanta, making it one of the best places for aspiring programmers to move. It pays above the national average and always boasts openings for R uby on Rails programmers.
Austin, Texas.
Average salary: $117,147
Silicon Hills is becoming a hotspot for Ruby on Rails programmers of all levels. Paying nearly $10,000 above the US average, BuiltIn notes that companies like LogicWare, WP Engine, and dozens of other companies use Ruby on Rails in their tech stacks.
Seattle, Washington.
Average salary: $129,190
Major corporations like Amazon call Seattle home, and they have constant openings for Ruby on Rails developers that can build out new features, maintain code, and keep mobile and desktop apps running.
San Diego, California.
Average salary: $122,514
LA and San Francisco’s more laid back sibling, San Diego, still has a bustling tech scene in its own right. A good payday and a beachfront lifestyle may be desirable for some Rails programmers.
Los Angeles, California.
Average salary: $125,520
On the other hand, Los Angeles’ fast-paced lifestyle and bustling film scene may intrigue other developers. Rails can be used to build out apps like Hulu, which can expedite TV and movie creation for streaming audiences.
Portland, Oregon.
Average salary: $119,312
Like Seattle, but weirder — PNW programmers who want the mountain views without the city price tags may find Portland (and its companies that are moving in) a better fit.
Nashville, Tennessee.
Average salary: $116,355
Country music’s favorite city is also a burgeoning tech hub. For the live music-obsessed Ruby on Rails programmer, Nashville and its suite of growing companies may be just the place to lay down roots.
Boston, Massachusetts.
Average salary: $128,022
With the likes of MIT, Harvard, Boston University and Boston College leading the tech scene in Boston, it’s only natural that it lends itself to those in the industry. With a decent payday that rivals even some of the most well-known tech hubs, Boston Ruby on Rails programmer salary doesn’t disappoint.
Tampa, Florida.
Average salary: $110,640
Tampa may not have made this list a few years ago, but in such a short amount of time, the Florida city has skyrocketed to major city-fame. Quickly becoming one of the hottest housing markets in the country, Tampa’s stepping up its average Ruby on Rails programmer salary to become competitive for talent.
Dallas, Texas.
Average salary: $117,901
Massive corporations call Dallas home — for the great tax benefits for businesses and the most available talent in the Southern Midwest. Smaller companies, startups, and agencies share the same affinity for Texas’ second-largest city.
Houston, Texas.
Average salary: $115,860
Texas’ first-largest city, however, is Houston. It provides ample opportunity and space for Ruby on Rails talent to find their next career move. It’s right on par with its tech-forward sibling city, Austin.
Raleigh, North Carolina.
Average salary: $115,303
Over the years, the Carolinas — specifically North Carolina — have become a haven for tech companies and its employees a lot. Temperate climate, cheap land and real estate, and a ton of activities within a short drive make Raleigh a desirable place for Ruby on Rails programmers.
Washington, D.C.
Average salary: $128,369
The nation’s capital provides some of the biggest opportunities — and pay days — for Ruby on Rails developers. Not only is the city home to some of the most up and coming companies, most government offices have or will have a need for programmers to build dashboards, software, and programs.
Denver, Colorado.
Average salary: $120.920
The Mile High City offers mile-high paychecks for Ruby on Rails talent who relocate to the area. There are tons of companies to choose from, too.
Chicago, Illinois.
Average salary: $122,769
Chime, Grubhub, and Home Chef are just a small handful of the many Ruby on Rails-based apps always looking for fresh programming talent in Chicago. The winters may be bitterly cold, but a starting salary of over $120K isn’t too much to turn your nose up to.
Ruby on Rails is the storied programming language that still pays
If these salaries are any indication, it’s that Ruby on Rails programmers can still net huge salaries (and grow from there!) even as new languages come into play.
Ruby on Rails is one of the foundational languages our Campus Software Engineering Program students learn, as well as the foundational language of our free coding course, App Academy Open.
Choose either option to learn more about how you’ll learn and apply Ruby on Rails with App Academy.
