How to Hire TypeScript Developers in 2026: Skills, Salaries & Interview Guide

Not all "TypeScript developers" are equal. Many add types without understanding the type system. Here's how to find the real ones.

TL;DR — Quick Facts

Metric	Data
Satisfaction rate	89% would use again (State of JS)
Bug reduction	15% caught at compile time (Microsoft)
Salary premium	5-15% over JavaScript-only
Senior salary (US)	$155,000 - $210,000
Best source	available.dev, open source

What Makes a Great TypeScript Developer

Skill Level	They Can Do
Basic	Add `: string`, `: number` annotations
Intermediate	Use generics, utility types (Pick, Omit, Partial)
Advanced	Create conditional types, discriminated unions, mapped types
Expert	Design types that make wrong states unrepresentable

The paradox: Great TypeScript devs write fewer type annotations. They let inference work.

Skills to Evaluate

Must-Have

Skill	What to Ask
`strict: true`	"Have you worked with strict mode enabled?"
Generics	"Show me a generic function you've written"
Utility types	"When would you use Pick vs Omit?"
`unknown` vs `any`	"Why prefer unknown over any?"

Red Flags

•Uses any to "make TypeScript happy"
•Never enabled strict mode
•Can't explain type vs interface
•Over-annotates obvious types

Where to Find Them

Free

Source	Best For
available.dev	Immediate hires
DefinitelyTyped contributors	Deep type expertise
TypeScript Discord (100k+)	Community sourcing
Zod/tRPC/Prisma contributors	Modern TypeScript skills

Paid

Source	Cost
LinkedIn Recruiter	$10-15k/year
Wellfound	$400/month

Evaluation Process

Step 1: Screening Questions (15 min)

Ask: "What's the difference between type and interface?"

Good answer: Interfaces can be extended/merged, types are more flexible for unions. Mostly interchangeable for objects.

Step 2: Code Review (30 min)

Show this code, ask them to fix it:

async function fetchUser(id: any) {
  const response = await fetch(`/api/users/${id}`);
  const data = response.json();
  return data as User;
}

They should identify: any should be string | number, missing await, unsafe assertion, no error handling.

Step 3: Type Challenge (45 min)

"Create a type DeepPartial that makes all nested properties optional."

Look for understanding of conditional types and recursive type definitions.

Salary Benchmarks (2026)

United States

Level	Range	Median
Junior (0-2 yrs)	$75k - $105k	$90k
Mid (2-5 yrs)	$105k - $155k	$130k
Senior (5-8 yrs)	$155k - $210k	$180k
Staff (8+ yrs)	$210k - $320k+	$250k

Remote (Global)

Region	Senior Range
Western Europe	$110k - $160k
Eastern Europe	$65k - $110k
Latin America	$55k - $95k

Sources: Levels.fyi, Glassdoor

Common Mistakes

1.Testing JavaScript, not TypeScript — LeetCode doesn't evaluate type system knowledge
2.Ignoring strict mode — Ask if they've worked with strict: true
3.React ≠ TypeScript expertise — Typing props is basic; typing complex domains is advanced
4.Skipping type design skills — Can they make wrong states unrepresentable?

FAQ

Is TypeScript required now?

Effectively yes. 89% satisfaction rate, most new projects start with it, many companies require it.

How long to learn TypeScript?

Basic productivity: 2-4 weeks. Advanced mastery: 6-12 months.

TypeScript specialist vs generalist?

For most teams, generalists who know TypeScript well. Specialists only if building type-heavy libraries.

Can we migrate from JavaScript gradually?

Yes. Enable allowJs, rename files to .ts one by one, progressively increase strictness.

Bottom Line

Situation	Action
Need someone now	available.dev/skills/typescript
Verifying expertise	Code review + type challenge
Sourcing experts	DefinitelyTyped, Zod/tRPC contributors
Key interview question	"Show me types you've designed"

Start here: Browse TypeScript developers available now →