Craft CMS Job Market 2025: Your Guide to Landing a Senior Developer Role

If you're looking to break into or advance in this space, this guide will show you exactly what opportunities exist, what skills you need, and how to position yourself for success.

Why Craft CMS Jobs Are Hot Right Now

Craft CMS has found its sweet spot. It gives developers the control they want while keeping content editors happy. Here's why companies are choosing it:

• Clean, flexible codebase that doesn't fight you
• Strong API support for headless setups
• Powerful plugin system for custom functionality
• Enterprise-ready without enterprise complexity

The result? More job postings, higher salaries, and better working conditions for developers who know the platform.

What the Craft CMS Job Market Looks Like

The Numbers You Need to Know

Senior Craft CMS developers are commanding serious salaries:

• US/Canada: $80,000–$135,000/year
• UK/EU: £65,000–£100,000/year
• Remote contracts: $65–$100 /hour
• Remote full-time: $80,000–$135,000/year

Most jobs (77%) are full-time positions, with 30% offering remote work. The biggest employers are digital agencies, but in-house roles are growing fast.

Job Titles That Pay

Look for these titles when job hunting:

• Senior Craft CMS Developer
• Senior Full Stack Developer (Craft CMS)
• Backend Developer (Craft CMS)
• Craft CMS Engineer
• Technical Lead / Architect (Craft CMS)

Where the Jobs Are

Remote roles dominate, but if you prefer office work, these cities are hiring:

• Chicago and Houston (US)
• Portland (US)
• London and Leeds (UK)
• Melbourne (Australia)

The Hottest Opportunities for Senior Developers

1. Large-Scale Migrations

Companies are moving from WordPress to Craft CMS 5. These projects are complex and well-paid.

What you'll do:

• Migrate content and custom functionality
• Build multi-site architectures
• Handle multilingual requirements
• Train internal teams

2. Headless and API Projects

Craft CMS works great as a headless backend. You'll build APIs that feed React, Vue, or mobile apps.

Key skills needed:

• GraphQL expertise
• REST API development
• Understanding of frontend frameworks
• Experience with CDNs and caching

3. E-commerce with Craft Commerce

Craft Commerce is powerful but needs skilled developers to customize it properly.

Common projects:

• Custom payment gateway integrations
• ERP system connections
• Advanced product configurators
• B2B ordering systems

4. Plugin Development

Every company needs custom functionality. Building plugins is where senior developers shine.

What pays well:

• Custom field types
• Third-party integrations
• Workflow automation
• Performance optimization plugins

5. Performance and DevOps

Senior developers are expected to know more than just PHP. You'll architect deployments and optimize performance.

Essential skills:

• Docker and containerization
• CI/CD pipeline setup
• AWS/DigitalOcean deployment
• Caching strategies
• Database optimization

How to Land Your Next Senior Role

Master the Core Stack

You need deep knowledge of these technologies:

Craft CMS 5 fundamentals:

• Project config management
• GraphQL API usage
• Plugin architecture
• Element queries and relations

PHP 8.x proficiency:

• Object-oriented programming
• Composer dependency management
• PSR standards compliance
• Modern PHP features

Twig templating:

• Custom filters and functions
• Template optimization
• Macro development
• Debugging techniques

JavaScript for modern web:

• Vue.js or React basics
• API integration
• Build tools (Webpack, Vite)
• Testing frameworks

Here's a practical example of what employers expect you to know:

// Building a custom element query for a news section
$newsEntries = \craft\elements\Entry::find()
    ->section('news')
    ->postDate(['and', '>= ' . date('Y-m-d', strtotime('-30 days'))])
    ->with(['featuredImage', 'author'])
    ->orderBy('postDate desc')
    ->limit(10)
    ->all();

// Custom field handling with error checking
foreach ($newsEntries as $entry) {
    $customField = $entry->customFieldHandle;
    if ($customField && $customField->one()) {
        // Process the related entry
        $relatedData = $customField->one()->title;
    }
}

Build a Portfolio That Gets Noticed

Your portfolio should show real-world problem-solving:

• Complex multi-site builds - Show you can handle enterprise requirements
• Headless implementations - Demonstrate API and frontend integration skills
• E-commerce customizations - Prove you understand business requirements
• Plugin development - Show your ability to extend Craft CMS
• Performance optimizations - Document how you improved site speed

Get Active in the Community

The Craft CMS community is tight-knit. Being visible helps:

• Join the Craft CMS Discord
• Answer questions on Stack Exchange
• Contribute to open-source plugins
• Write tutorials or blog posts
• Attend Dot All conference (virtual or in-person)

Develop Leadership Skills

Senior roles require more than coding:

• Mentoring experience - Can you guide junior developers?
• Technical communication - Can you explain complex concepts simply?
• Project management - Do you understand Agile/Scrum workflows?
• Architecture planning - Can you design scalable systems?

Common Interview Questions and How to Answer Them

Technical Questions

"How would you migrate a large WordPress site to Craft CMS 5?"

Your answer should cover:

• Content analysis and mapping
• Custom field migration strategy
• URL redirection planning
• Performance considerations
• Testing approach

"What's your approach to plugin development?"

Discuss:

• Following Craft CMS coding standards
• Proper event handling
• Database migration considerations
• Testing and documentation

Architecture Questions

"How would you structure a multi-site Craft CMS installation?"

Cover:

• Site group organization
• Shared vs. site-specific sections
• Asset management across sites
• User permissions and roles
• Performance implications

Red Flags to Avoid

When job hunting, watch out for these warning signs:

• Unrealistic timelines - Quality Craft CMS work takes time
• No mention of testing - Professional shops test their code
• Legacy PHP requirements - Avoid places stuck on old versions
• No version control - This is basic professionalism
• Unclear deployment process - You'll inherit their problems

What Employers Really Want

Based on job postings and community feedback, employers prioritize:

• Problem-solving ability over memorization
• Clean, maintainable code over quick fixes
• Team collaboration over lone wolf mentality
• Continuous learning over static knowledge
• Business understanding over pure technical skills

Getting Started with Your Job Search

Step 1: Update Your Resume

Highlight:

• Craft CMS 5 projects with business impact
• Plugin development experience
• Performance improvements you've made
• Team leadership examples

Step 2: Use the Right Job Boards

• Work With Craft - The official job board
• ZipRecruiter - Good for US positions
• LinkedIn - Professional networking
• Agency websites - Many post exclusively on their sites

Step 3: Prepare for Technical Interviews

Practice these scenarios:

• Debugging a slow-loading page
• Explaining how you'd architect a complex feature
• Walking through a plugin you've built
• Discussing your approach to testing

Step 4: Follow Up Professionally

After applying:

• Send a thank-you note after interviews
• Ask for feedback if not selected
• Keep connections warm for future opportunities

The Path Forward

The Craft CMS job market in 2025 rewards developers who combine technical expertise with business understanding. Companies need senior developers who can:

• Lead technical decisions
• Mentor growing teams
• Solve complex problems
• Communicate effectively with stakeholders

If you're ready to invest in learning Craft CMS 5 deeply, engaging with the community, and developing your leadership skills, the opportunities are there. The platform is growing, companies are hiring, and senior developers are in short supply.

Start by picking one area to focus on, whether that's plugin development, headless implementations, or e-commerce customizations. Build something real, document your process, and share your knowledge with the community.

The Craft CMS job market is waiting for skilled developers who can turn complex requirements into clean, maintainable code. With the right preparation and positioning, you can land the senior role you want in 2025.