A Complete Guide to Hiring a C# Developer in 2024

In the post-pandemic time, remote work has become more and more attractive for employees, which increases its demand. Nowadays, businesses that want to stay on top are digitizing. That is why many companies are looking for qualified front-end and back-end developers to move their businesses online.

C# (C-Sharp) developers are in demand now, and hiring a skilled coder is not easy. However, many developers are now working remotely and willing to cooperate with foreign companies and startups. In addition, IT companies are now hiring offshore and nearshore developers since remote work comes with several benefits and access to a worldwide market of experts.

Many companies wonder how to hire a C# developer for their upcoming projects. If you are seeking a C# developer, there are many factors to consider, including:

• Finding out which project’s needs this programming language can tackle;
• Learning how to evaluate a developer’s soft and hard skills during an interview;
• Finding out how much it would cost to hire a C# developer in various locations implementing different hiring approaches.

You won’t have to spend much time looking for this information—we have collected the most important facts in this article. Continue reading to learn how to find and hire a qualified C# developer.

How does C# popularity affect the hiring process?

Over the past year, C# has grown significantly and was the 4th most popular programming language, according to a 2023 IEEE Spectrum study. The ecosystem of this programming language is thriving. Coders use it to create and develop websites, custom software, games, and mobile apps.

C# is popular because of its simplicity, which is essential for modern programmers and large development teams to create functional and productive applications in a short time. Furthermore, it is facilitated by atypical language constructs and specific syntax, which help implement the intended functions as organically as possible.

Due to its growing popularity, the demand for C# developers is growing, too. However, most coders are already engaged in projects, so finding available and qualified developers is becoming increasingly complicated.

How is C# best used?

The C# language is almost universal. C# supports generic methods and types that improve security and performance. However, if you want to build complex web applications, it’s better to choose Java for back-end development, whereas C# is more relevant for game development and mobile development. Additionally, C# and Angular are the best combinations for app development.

Developers use C# for creating:

• Advanced business applications;
• Server applications on Linux;
• Video games;
• Class libraries;
• .NET-based applications;
• Functional web applications;
• Programs for Windows and macOS;
• iOS and Android apps on the platform Xamarin;
• An interface using HTML5 and binding it to an existing C# application.

C# developers use various platforms, such as WPF, Azure, and Microsoft Visual Studio. They work with C# technology and .NET framework, a built-in Windows component.

People often confuse .NET with C# because these terms are related. However, the difference lies in that C# is a programming language, and .NET is the framework on which this programming language is based. Microsoft created .NET (Network Enabled Technology) — but .NET developers use programming languages such as C#. This combination works great for full-stack developers, as they can use, for example, ASP.NET core for back-end and C# & VB.NET for front-end development.

C# engineers work on:

• Development tasks (web development, software development, application development) such as coding, testing, designing, and analyzing applications/software;
• Developing or integrating software platforms into the company’s internal software development;
• Vetting desktop applications on C#;
• Creating and maintaining server-client and web applications based on C#: the Microsoft .NET platform, ASP.NET platform, SQL, and other technologies;
• Stress testing, standard testing, code review, and similar activities.

As for soft skills, a qualified C# developer should meet deadlines, interact with non-technical staff to meet application requirements and conceptualize web applications to meet business needs.

Where to hire a C# developer?

Depending on your project needs, whether you need a full-time or part-time developer, need an in-house engineer, or are looking for outsourced specialists, there are different approaches to hiring. Let’s dive deeper into each of them.

Hiring C# developers based on location

Based on your geographic location, you have options such as:

• Local developers;
• Nearshore and offshore developers.

Both options have advantages and disadvantages, which are essential to consider when choosing a software engineer.

Hiring local developers

In this case, the workers live in the same metropolitan area as the employer. This type of engagement comes with several benefits:

• You can personally meet with your C# programmers;
• You can work in the same office;
• You are in the same time zone;
• You are governed by the same local and/or federal laws.

Hiring nearshore and offshore developers

First, consider the difference between offshore and nearshore developers. Both live in another country. The primary difference is that offshore developers are located in distant countries, while nearshore developers are more “local”—perhaps in a bordering nation.

The main advantage of hiring foreign C# engineers is that you can choose the best-fitting engineer as the talent pool is much broader and not limited by physical restraints. To work comfortably with offshore developers, employers can choose a country in a similar time zone  with a similar culture. Furthermore, if English is not either country’s native language, then it’s essential, and often easier, to ensure that developers have a common language level in which to communicate effectively.

Hiring C# developer based on the type of engagement

Depending on the type of engagement, you have the following options:

• Hire in-house developers;
• Hire C# developers via staff augmentation;
• Hire developers through outsourcing agencies with software development services;
• Hire freelancers.

All these types of engagement are convenient for specific needs and have advantages and disadvantages. Now, we will go over each of them to give you a better understanding of which options best fit your needs.

Hiring an in-house C# developer

Having great in-house engineers for core development and the most important tasks is always the best solution. It is the traditional hiring model of having full-time employees as your team of developers. However, considering the development cost, this model is the most expensive, as you have extra expenses above the developer’s salary, such as paid vacations, health insurance, office rent, and equipment.

If you are looking for more engineers to become members of your in-house team, you should consider the following traditional platforms to search for candidates:

• Indeed
• Wellfound
• LinkedIn 

There are also different platforms and companies that help with the remote hiring of in-house developers, including:

• WeWorkRemotely
• RemoteOK
• Remotive
• Developers for Hire 

Hiring dedicated C# developers via staff augmentation

The staff augmentation model allows you to expand your development team with full-time contractors from software development agencies. It’s a great solution to hire developers with specific requirements or a team of developers to help your in-house squad cope if they’re overloaded with software development projects.

You can hire a full-time C# developer or a team of developers with YouTeam. The main advantage is that you can get the required senior engineers within a few days.

Hiring a C# development company

This hiring model is the easiest way to outsource your development process. You can find a reliable software development agency, discuss your ideas and needs, and they can provide a needed development team with developers, PMs, designers, and QA engineers to work on your project and provide project management services on their side.

To find a reliable software development agency specializing in the needed field, you can search sites such as Clutch, GoodFirms, and The Manifest.

Hiring a freelancer

Freelancing is a popular part-time hiring model that works best for additional short-term tasks and projects. When using freelance services, you replenish your development team with temporary staff for the quick implementation of needed tasks. However, it’s not easy to find quality freelancers. Additionally, you risk losing the hired developer at any moment, as they easily jump between projects/clients and have no engagement contracts.

To find freelance software developers, you can use platforms such as:

• Upwork
• Gun.io
• Toptal

Average salaries for C# developers worldwide

The digital revolution has swept the entire world. Many IT companies are now competing for qualified engineers and offering good salaries to get the best experts. A C# developer’s salary varies, depending on the country, years of experience, and seniority.

To compare the difference between developers’ salaries in various countries, we’ve gathered statistics below, showing which locations are the best choice for cost-effective and quality outsourcing.

However, notice that these numbers only show developer salaries—they don’t include additional expenses like agency or recruiter fees, employee bonuses, etc.

Annual salaries of C# developers in different countries

North and South America

According to ZipRecruiter, a C# developer in the USA earns an average of $116,034 annually. It is important to note that this is the highest pay rate in the world.

However, countries in Latin America offer just similarly qualified workers at much lower rates. For example, in Mexico, the average annual salary is $47,132, and in Argentina—only $41,245. This price difference is due to a lower cost of living, but Latin America is known for its growing IT hubs and quality software engineers.

Source: Glassdoor, Indeed, PayScale

Europe

The situation in Europe also differs by country. In Western Europe, the average salaries are higher. For example, in Germany, the annual average wage of a C# developer is $70,150, while in the UK, it’s $79,214.

However, Eastern Europe is the most popular destination for tech talent outsourcing. Developers from Ukraine, and Bulgaria, are known as top-notch engineers, but due to the lower cost of living, the average salaries are much lower compared to Western Europe and the US.

The average annual salary of a Ukrainian С# developer is $37,000, and in Poland, a C# developer earns $53,000 per year.

Source: Glassdoor, Indeed, PayScale

Africa and Asia

Developers from India and South Africa earn much lower salaries as compared to the United States and Europe. For example, the information on SalaryExplorer states that a developer from India earns a salary of $20,00 per year, while in China, the average salary is $39,000. In South Africa, the paycheck rises to $54,000 a year.

Source: Glassdoor, Indeed, PayScale

Global hourly rates of C# developers by hiring model

The table below compares the hiring models we’ve described previously and compiled developers’ average rates by model and developers’ location.

How can salary information benefit your hiring process?

You need to know the average salary for C# developers to calculate the approximate development costs, taking into account salaries, taxes, fees, benefits, and vacation pay.

Knowing the average salary for C# developers worldwide is also useful because you aren’t limited to local C# developers. By analyzing average salaries, you can understand what hiring model and location are the most beneficial for searching out C# developers.

How to evaluate the skills of C# developers?

All hiring models provide an opportunity to communicate with C# developers and evaluate their hard and soft skills. Let’s figure out what skills a C# developer should have.

C# developer`s hard skills:

• Knowledge of .NET Framework;
• Distinguishing of C# for front-end and C# for back-end;
• Knowledge of JavaScript, HTML, and CSS is a plus.

It is vital to verify that the developer has the technical skills you need. Begin by asking general questions about the C# programming language to evaluate the candidate’s job experience.

You can ask tech skills evaluation questions to vet the candidate during the interview. Additionally, it is also a good practice to conduct short live-coding tests or give a short test task that the interviewee can prepare at home to evaluate their programming skills.

C# developer`s soft skills:

• Teamworking skills;
• Focus on results;
• Ability to adapt to circumstances;
• Punctuality;
• Respect for other employees and willingness to adhere to a work ethic;
• Experience in agile software development.

This list could be much longer because soft skills include a person’s positive qualities that help them find a common language and do a quality developer job. Furthermore, LinkedIn research showed that, for most employers, soft skills are more important than hard skills.

To make your interview as effective as possible, we advise you to use our remote developer interview tool. Here you can find questions divided into categories for assessing core skills.

Hiring C# developers with YouTeam

If you are interested in hiring high-quality full-time C# software engineers via the staff augmentation model, YouTeam is here to help. Our pool of 50,000+ software developers from Latin America and Eastern Europe allows employers to get top-notch talent from the top outsourcing locations. The developers and agencies we work with are always pre-vetted. Before our clients meet the candidates in the interview, our team conducts several vetting steps to ensure that a developer meets the requirements.

Moreover, you can hire the required engineers within a few days, as finding matching candidates may take as little as 48 hours.

A video guide for hiring the best C# developers

Wrap up

The C# programming language is becoming more popular, and C# developers are more in demand. Therefore, we analyzed the best ways of hiring quality C# developers for your team and explained where and how to look for engineers. You’ve also learned about the average global developer salaries and looked at different hiring options, which can help you understand what location and hiring model is the most suitable option for your needs.

If you need to hire senior full-time C# developers within a few days, contact us, and we’ll find relevant candidates within 48 hours.