According to ZipRecruiter, the average annual salary for a SQL Developer in the United States is $98,524 per year, with wages ranging from $85,000 at the 25th percentile to $115,000 at the 75th percentile. In contrast, Latin American SQL Developers earn significantly less: Brazilian developers average R$110,000 ($23,000) per year, Argentine developers around ARS 3,600,000 ($13,000) per year, and Colombian developers about COP 80,000,000 (~$20,000) per year, offering U.S. companies substantial cost savings without sacrificing development quality.

Refer to our SQL Developer Hiring Guide for more information on onboarding the best SQL talent from Latin America.

1. What’s the Average Annual Pay (USD) for a SQL Developer?

Source	Average Annual Salary (USD)	Notes
ZipRecruiter	$98,524	Based on job postings and employer-reported data.
PayScale	$85,000	Reflects self-reported salaries from SQL professionals.
Glassdoor	$90,000	Includes base pay and typical additional compensation (bonuses, profit sharing).
Indeed	$105,312	Derived from job listings aggregated by Indeed; represents a higher estimate in tech hubs.

Because different platforms collect and process data uniquely, salary figures vary. Companies should consider multiple sources when benchmarking SQL Developer compensation, especially if targeting candidates in high-cost regions like Silicon Valley or New York City.

2. SQL Developer Salaries Around the World

Region	Average Annual Salary (USD)
North America	$90,000 – $130,000
Western Europe	$60,000 – $100,000
Eastern Europe	$30,000 – $70,000
Asia (e.g., India)	$40,000 – $90,000 (?3,300,000)
Australia	$60,000 – $95,000 (A$85,000)
LatAm (e.g., Brazil)	$20,000 – $30,000 (R$110,000)
LatAm (e.g., Argentina)	$10,000 – $18,000 (ARS 3,600,000)
LatAm (e.g., Colombia)	$18,000 – $22,000 (COP 80,000,000)
Africa (South Africa)	$30,000 – $45,000 (R 380,000)
Middle East	$35,000 – $65,000

This global view underscores the significant disparity between U.S. rates and those in many emerging markets. For companies in the U.S., engaging LatAm talent can reduce labor costs by 40–60% without sacrificing quality.

Learn more about SQL Developer Hourly Rates here.

3. SQL Developer Salaries in Latin America vs. the United States

Brazil

• ZipRecruiter Brazil reports a median of R$9,200 per month (~$23,000 per year) for SQL Developers in major cities like São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. 
• TechJobsBrazil indicates: 
  • Junior roles (0–2 yrs): R$60,000–R$80,000 per year (~$13,000–$17,000 USD). 
  • Mid-level roles (3–5 yrs): R$80,000–R$120,000 per year (~$17,000–$25,000 USD). 
  • Senior roles (6+ yrs): R$120,000–R$160,000 per year (~$25,000–$35,000 USD). 

Argentina

• InfoJobs Argentina shows: 
  • Junior SQL Developers: ARS 2,500,000–3,500,000 annually (~$9,000–$12,000 USD). 
  • Mid-level (3–5 yrs): ARS 3,500,000–5,000,000 (~$12,000–$17,000 USD). 
  • Senior (6+ yrs): ARS 5,000,000–7,000,000 (~$17,000–$25,000 USD). 

Colombia

• Computrabajo Colombia reports a national average of COP 80,000,000 (~$20,000 USD) for SQL Developers. 
  • Junior (0–2 yrs): COP 60,000,000–70,000,000 (~$15,000–$17,500 USD). 
  • Mid-level (3–5 yrs): COP 70,000,000–90,000,000 (~$17,500–$22,500 USD). 
  • Senior (6+ yrs): COP 90,000,000–110,000,000 (~$22,500–$27,500 USD). 

Comparison: LatAm vs. U.S.

Role/Experience Level	United States (USD)	Brazil (USD)	Argentina (USD)	Colombia (USD)
Entry-Level (0–2 yrs)	$60,000 – $80,000	$13,000 – $17,000	$9,000 – $12,000	$15,000 – $17,500
Mid-Level (3–5 yrs)	$85,000 – $110,000	$17,000 – $25,000	$12,000 – $17,000	$17,500 – $22,500
Senior (6+ yrs)	$110,000 – $140,000	$25,000 – $35,000	$17,000 – $25,000	$22,500 – $27,500

By comparing these figures, U.S. companies can see that hiring a mid-level SQL Developer in Brazil or Argentina may cost 60–75% less than hiring the same talent in the U.S., even after adjusting for differing living costs.

4. Industry and Location Variations within the U.S.

By Industry

Industry	Average SQL Developer Salary (USD)
Financial Services	$115,000 – $130,000
Technology/Software	$110,000 – $125,000
Healthcare	$95,000 – $110,000
E-commerce	$90,000 – $105,000
Telecommunications	$100,000 – $115,000
Education/Nonprofit	$75,000 – $90,000

By U.S. Location (Major Tech Hubs)

City/State	Average Annual Salary (USD)
San Francisco, CA	$130,000 – $150,000
New York, NY	$125,000 – $140,000
Seattle, WA	$120,000 – $135,000
Boston, MA	$110,000 – $125,000
Austin, TX	$100,000 – $120,000
Denver, CO	$95,000 – $110,000
Atlanta, GA	$90,000 – $105,000
Dallas, TX	$90,000 – $105,000

These figures reinforce that U.S. salaries for SQL Developers are significantly higher in technology centers, often $120,000+, while mid-level roles in smaller markets (e.g., Atlanta, Dallas) remain $90,000–$105,000. In contrast, LatAm salaries at equivalent experience levels range from $15,000 to $35,000, making LatAm hiring an attractive cost-effective alternative.

Learn more about crafting the perfect SQL Developer Job Description here.

5. Why Latin America Offers the Best Rates for U.S. Companies

Cost Savings

• Hiring a mid-level SQL Developer in Brazil ($17,000–$25,000) or Argentina ($12,000–$17,000) can be 65–80% cheaper than hiring in the U.S. (~$98,000 average). 
• Even senior LatAm SQL talent ($25,000–$35,000) costs 75–80% less than senior U.S. developers ($125,000). 

High-Quality Talent Pool

• LatAm universities and coding bootcamps have ramped up database and backend curricula, producing graduates skilled in SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL, and Oracle. 
• Many LatAm developers have experience collaborating with U.S. and European companies, ensuring familiarity with industry best practices, secure coding standards, and remote workflows. 

Time Zone Overlap

• LatAm countries (e.g., Argentina, Colombia, Brazil) share substantial working-hour overlap with U.S. Eastern and Central time zones, facilitating real-time collaboration, daily stand-ups, and faster feedback loops. 

Cultural Affinity and English Proficiency

• A growing number of LatAm developers are fluent in English and accustomed to Western software development conventions, reducing communication barriers and enabling seamless integration into U.S. teams. 

Strong Remote-Collaboration Experience

• Many LatAm professionals have extensive remote work experience, having supported North American and European clients, and are proficient with tools like GitHub, Jira, Slack, Docker, and AWS. 

6. Conclusion

SQL Developer salaries vary widely across regions, industries, and experience levels. In the United States, mid-level SQL Developers earn roughly $85,000–$110,000 per year, while senior roles can command $110,000–$140,000. By contrast, Latin American SQL talent typically ranges from $15,000 to $35,000 annually, offering U.S. companies substantial cost savings without compromising on skill or quality.

When budgeting for database development staffing, consider partnering with LatAm professionals who maintain high standards of code quality, strong English proficiency, and a proven track record of remote collaboration. Leveraging LatAm’s competitive rates can stretch your development budget further, enabling you to build robust, scalable database solutions while optimizing costs.

Whether you need entry-level support, mid-level expertise, or senior strategic SQL leadership, Latin America offers a diverse, talented, and cost-effective talent pool ready to help your product scale efficiently. Get in touch with CloudDevs today and hire SQL developers to power your next data-driven project.