The Kotlin Market in 2025: Who is Needed and How Much They Pay
The Kotlin language is firmly establishing itself in the top 10 most in-demand programming languages. In 2025, the demand for Kotlin developers is not just holding steady, but is also transforming: new niches are emerging, and requirements for specialists are becoming broader. We break down the key areas where Kotlin specialists are needed today.
1. Android Developer (Kotlin) — A Classic
Despite the growth of cross-platform solutions, native Android development in Kotlin remains the main driver of demand. Google officially recommends Kotlin for Android, and most new projects are written in it.
- Average salary: 250,000 – 400,000 RUB (Middle/Senior)
- Key requirements: Jetpack Compose, Coroutines, MVVM, knowledge of Play Market API.
- Trend 2025: Employers increasingly ask for experience with KMP (Kotlin Multiplatform) for sharing business logic with iOS.
2. Backend Developer (Kotlin + Spring Boot / Ktor)
Kotlin is actively replacing Java in the backend. The Spring Boot and Ktor frameworks allow writing concise, safe, and performant code. This area is especially popular in fintech and large marketplaces.
- Average salary: 300,000 – 500,000 RUB (Middle/Senior)
- Key requirements: Spring Boot / Ktor, PostgreSQL, Kafka, microservice architecture, Docker.
- Trend 2025: Growth in the number of vacancies requiring Kotlin Multiplatform for the server side and experience with Kotlin/JS.
3. Fullstack Developer (Kotlin + Kotlin/JS or Compose Multiplatform)
In 2025, the concept of "one language everywhere" is gaining momentum. Fullstack specialists who master Kotlin for both backend and frontend (via Kotlin/JS or Compose Multiplatform) have an advantage.
- Average salary: 350,000 – 550,000 RUB
- Key requirements: Strong command of Ktor, Spring Boot, experience with Compose Multiplatform (desktop/web), knowledge of HTML/CSS.
- Trend 2025: Projects where the UI is written in Compose Multiplatform and the backend in Ktor are becoming the standard for startups.
4. Data Engineer / Kotlin for Big Data
Kotlin is increasingly used in data processing tasks: it is more concise than Java, but fully compatible with the Hadoop, Spark, and Flink ecosystem. This is a niche but highly paid area.
- Average salary: 400,000 – 600,000 RUB
- Key requirements: Apache Spark, Kafka Streams, experience with big data, knowledge of SQL.
- Trend 2025: Demand for Kotlin engineers in data teams has grown by 30% compared to 2024.
5. DevOps / Platform Engineer with Kotlin
Tools in Kotlin (e.g., Gradle Kotlin DSL, custom CI/CD utilities) are becoming popular. DevOps engineers who can write scripts and plugins in