Side-by-side distribution
Java
$132,625
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 14.9%
- Live roles
- 785
SQL
$119,600
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 15.9%
- Live roles
- 44
Highest-paying jobs
Lead Java Developer
Senior Java Engineer
Senior Backend Engineer (Java)
Senior Backend Engineer (Java)
Senior Software Engineer, Java
Senior Software Engineer, Java
Software Engineer 3- Python/Kotlin/Java/Terraform/ElasticSearch/OpenSearch/AWS
Software Engineer 2 - Java/MapReduce/Cloud/GhostMachine/QTA
Software Engineer 1/2 - Java/MapReduce/GhostMachine/Spring/NiFi
Software Engineer 2 (Hybrid) - Java/Hadoop/AWS/Terraform/Python
Highest-paying jobs
Distinguished Systems Developer - SQL Engine
PL/SQL Developer
Senior Database Developer
SQL and Python Developer
Senior SQL & Azure Data Factory developer - EST/ CST - Remote role
Mid-Tier Application and Database Developer
Entry Level Software Developer (Data & Database Focus)
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Captivation Software
|
$200,000 | 24 |
Elastic
|
$118,060 | 18 |
Referral Board
|
$118,411 | 10 |
|
Accenture Federal Services
|
$138,100 | 4 |
Bloomreach
|
$56,441 | 4 |
|
Moniepoint
|
$520,000 | 3 |
SentinelOne
|
$180,550 | 3 |
| CA Capco | $95,057 | 3 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
InterSystems
|
$174,500 | 1 |
|
Accenture Federal Services
|
$151,800 | 1 |
|
Astor & Sanders
|
$122,500 | 1 |
|
Two95 International Inc.
|
$119,600 | 1 |
|
AGE Solutions
|
$115,000 | 1 |
| IJ IntelliDyne Jobs for Veterans | $107,500 | 1 |
|
Latitudeinc
|
$65,000 | 1 |
Java salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $187,500 | 5 |
| Chicago | $175,000 | 6 |
| San Francisco | $122,500 | 3 |
| Toronto | $101,279 | 4 |
Java vs SQL: which pays more?
The median for Java is $132,625 per year (typically $98,913–$200,000), versus $119,600 for SQL ($111,250–$137,150). That puts Java about 11% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Java and SQL are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.