Disclaimer
I am not here to sell you on Zig. In fact, I struggle to see a compelling reason to adopt it for most projects. Unless a language is truly groundbreaking, investing time in building an entire ecosystem around it often isn’t justified.
The Obsession with Salaries
A few months ago, after Stack Overflow released its latest survey results, the programming community fixated on one unexpected detail: Zig developers were among the highest-paid in the industry.
Cue the flood of YouTube videos: self-proclaimed “programming experts” scratching their heads, saying things like, “Why is Zig paying so much? It’s verbose, lacks proper VS Code support, has no classes…” and so on.
The Real Problem with That Perspective
If a “programming teacher” tells you they don’t understand why a certain language commands high salaries, it might be time to find a new teacher. Compensation isn’t just about the language itself—it’s about the experience and expertise of the people using it. Think of it this way: just because artists use the same brushes doesn’t mean they all get paid the same.
Breaking It Down: Who’s Paying for Zig Talent?
Let’s look at actual companies using Zig and the salaries they’re offering.
Zig Software Foundation
- Andre Kelly (Core Developer) – $159,790
- Employees – $102,000
- Contractors – $60/hour (~$115,200 annually, assuming full-time work)
These aren’t entry-level positions. These are core developers and programming language experts—a niche skill set that naturally commands a premium.
Bun
Bun is a startup that raised $7 million and has significant industry buzz. Do you think the founders, CEO, and senior engineers are earning average developer salaries? Absolutely not.
TigerBeetle
TigerBeetle, a fintech and database startup, pulled in $24 million in Series A funding. Their core developers are highly specialized experts building next-generation financial infrastructure. High salaries here aren’t about Zig—it’s about their deep technical expertise in databases and finance.
Uber
Uber, a massive global tech company, can afford top-tier engineers with or without Zig. But why would they even consider it?
It’s Not About Zig; It’s About the Engineers
Let’s break it down:
The Reality of Zig
- It’s still in its early stages.
- Tooling and ecosystem support are limited.
- Very few developers specialize in it.
- The community is small.
The Reality of Uber
- They can afford $100k+ salaries with ease.
- Their teams are led by Staff and Principal Engineers—people with significant industry credibility.
- They don’t adopt new tech without strong justifications and contingency plans.
Who introduces Zig at Uber? Not junior developers. It’s senior engineers, architects, or tech leads—professionals who are already highly paid. Their salary has nothing to do with Zig and everything to do with their experience, problem-solving ability, and leadership.
So Why Use Zig at All?
Bun and TigerBeetle could have chosen C, C++, or Rust. They have detailed blog posts explaining their choices. But Uber? Their use case is different.
The Overlooked Detail: Zig as a Build System
Zig isn’t just another programming language—it ships with an entire LLVM toolchain. This means it can be used purely as a build system for existing C and C++ projects, acting as an alternative to CMake.
And that’s exactly what Uber did. They didn’t replace their existing stack with Zig. Instead, they used Zig in a limited, low-risk way—such as for unit testing—because it integrated well with their existing infrastructure.
Uber’s decision wasn’t about Zig’s syntax or philosophy. It was about engineering pragmatism.
Conclusion: The Truth About Zig Salaries
Zig developers aren’t highly paid because of Zig. They are highly paid because they are experienced, specialized engineers in companies that can afford top talent.
Many of these developers were earning high salaries long before they touched Zig. Others are part of early-stage startups, where their compensation is tied to their role in building something from the ground up.
Key Takeaways
- Programming salaries are about expertise, not just the language.
- Zig is being used strategically in niche areas—not as a mainstream development language.
- Most Zig developers are already well-compensated professionals with deep industry experience.
So next time you see a clickbait headline about Zig salaries, remember: it’s not about the language. It’s about the people using it.
