Spring Boot Developer Salary: Your Market Value 2025
Is your Java position vacant for over 90 days? This could cost you up to €50,000 per sprint. Find out here what salaries for top Spring Boot developers are realistic and how you can strengthen your team in five days.
The topic in brief and concise terms
The average salary for Spring Boot developers in Germany ranges from €64,600 to €70,000, with top earners exceeding €75,000.
Professional experience, location, and company size are the three most important factors that can affect salary by up to 25%.
Additional qualifications in cloud technologies, DevOps, and microservices can increase the salary by another 15%.
<p>Defining the right Spring Boot developer salary is a challenge for 9 out of 10 tech managers. An offer that's too low deters the top 25% of candidates, while a budget that's too high can inflate project costs by up to 15%. This article presents the latest salary data for 2025. You'll receive a clear analysis of the factors influencing salaries—from professional experience to location. This way, you’ll make data-driven decisions and fill open roles with the right experts.</p>
Salary Benchmark: What Spring Boot Developers Will Earn in 2025
Content
Experience as a Salary Driver: From Junior to Senior
Professional experience is the most important lever for the salary of a Spring Boot developer. A junior developer with less than two years of experience often starts with a salary between €48,000 and €55,000. With three to five years of experience, the salary increases to €60,000 to €72,000. Senior developers with over six years of experience and architectural expertise can demand more than €80,000.
This tiering is crucial for precise workforce planning. A company looking for a senior developer at €65,000 will only attract the lower 25% of the talent pool. Therefore, a clear definition of requirements is indispensable. We help you define the appropriate level of experience to fill your vacancy with a suitable candidate within 5 days. The analysis of Java developer salaries provides a broader data basis for this.
Regional salary differences in Germany
Location significantly influences salaries, often with differences of up to 25%. In metropolises like Munich, Frankfurt, or Hamburg, salaries are well above the national average. A developer in North Rhine-Westphalia, for example, earns an average of €73,279. In Berlin, salaries are slightly lower at around €68,000, but still very competitive. In rural areas or Eastern Germany, starting salaries are often 15% lower.
These regional differences need to be considered in budget planning. A company based in a top-3 city must budget at least 10% more. For a detailed breakdown, read our post about software developer salaries in Munich. Therefore, the choice of location has a direct impact on your recruiting costs.
Influence of Company Size and Industry
In addition to the region, company size and industry also play a decisive role. Large corporations with over 1,000 employees often pay 10-15% higher salaries than start-ups or SMEs. This is due to larger budgets and more complex requirements. A Spring Boot developer in a DAX company can often expect €5,000 to €10,000 more per year than in a medium-sized company.
The industry is also a factor. Here are some examples of salary differences:
FinTech & Banks: They often pay 15-20% above the market average, as security and scalability are critical.
E-Commerce: Also above average, with an increase of 5-10%.
Automotive: Pays solidly, often around the market average.
Agencies: Often form the lower end of the salary scale with deductions of up to 10%.
The choice of industry can significantly increase salary potential, as our article on FinTech Developer salaries shows.
Additional qualifications that increase your salary
Pure Spring Boot know-how is the foundation, but additional qualifications can increase the salary by a further 15%. Particularly in demand are skills in cloud technologies such as AWS, GCP, or Azure. A developer who can not only code but also set up a CI/CD pipeline is more valuable to 8 out of 10 companies. Expertise in microservices architectures, Docker, and Kubernetes is also a strong salary driver.
Here is a list of skills that positively influence salary:
Cloud certifications (e.g. AWS Certified Developer)
Experience with containerisation (Docker, Kubernetes)
Knowledge of additional frameworks (e.g. Quarkus, Micronaut)
Expertise in database technologies (SQL and NoSQL)
Experience in DevOps and Infrastructure as Code
These skills indicate that a candidate thinks outside the box and understands modern software development holistically. This is particularly relevant for remote Java jobs in Germany.
How to Fill Your Spring Boot Position in 5 Days
An open Spring Boot position not only costs you money but also slows down your product development. Our process is designed to fill this gap in record time. We have already matched over 120 talents to 45 clients. Instead of waiting months for unsuitable applications, you will receive the first handpicked candidate profiles from us in just five days. This reduces your time-to-hire by up to 90%.
Our 3-step process guarantees efficiency and quality:
Kick-off Call (Day 1): In 60 minutes, we define the requirement profile and cultural fit criteria.
Targeted Search (Days 2-4): We actively reach out to suitable candidates from our exclusive network.
Profile Presentation (Day 5): You receive 2-3 vetted profiles that impress both technically and personally.
This approach has proven successful with a FinTech client who was able to fill a senior position in less than a week. Learn more about our services.
More useful links
Statista provides an annual comparison of job vacancies for IT professionals and offers valuable insights into the job market.
Bitkom provides information in a press release about the shortage of skilled workers in the IT sector in Germany.
The Entgeltatlas of the Bundesagentur für Arbeit offers detailed salary information for various professions, including IT specialists.
The Bundesagentur für Arbeit analyses the labour market for ICT professions in the context of transformation and future developments.
The IAB (Institute for Employment Research) publishes forecasts on the development of the labour market, which also affect IT professions.
Stepstone offers a comprehensive salary overview for Germany, which also includes data for IT positions.
Robert Half provides a detailed salary overview specifically for the IT sector.
Lohnspiegel.de offers salary information for software developers, based on data from the WSI.
Gehalt.de provides specific salary information for backend Java Spring software development.
FAQ
What is a realistic starting salary for a Junior Spring Boot Developer?
A junior Spring Boot developer can expect a starting salary between €48,000 and €55,000. With initial project experience, this salary can increase by 5-10% after just one year.
Which city in Germany pays the highest salaries for Spring Boot developers?
Cities like Munich, Frankfurt am Main, and Hamburg usually lead the salary rankings. Here, salaries can be up to 25% above the national average.
How can I maximise my salary as a Spring Boot developer?
To maximise your salary, you should specialise in sought-after additional qualifications like cloud platforms (AWS, Azure), container technologies (Docker, Kubernetes), and microservices architectures. Regular job changes every 2-3 years can also lead to significant salary increases.
Why should I hire Nova Search to find Spring Boot developers?
Nova Search specialises in German-speaking Java developers and delivers the first handpicked candidate profiles in just 5 days. We combine deep market expertise with an efficient process to fill your vacancy quickly and accurately.
